Wing Clipping Question

[Seshat]

Hello Everybody,
I am new to the forum. I have a Cinnamon Green Cheek Conure. Her flight feathers were clipped when I got her in March of 2010. I have not had her feathers clipped since I acquired her and now she is fully flighted. My question is - can being fully flighted change a conure's personality? "Eeebee" was a sweet friendly bird before- but her personality seems to have changed now that she is fully flighted. She is biting me frequently and has become more unfriendly. I just want to do what is best for her - Thanks.

 

[Echo]

Yes, it is common for a bird to become a bit bratty when fully flighted. Not all parrots but a lot of them will feel independent and might test their boundaries. They might not step up, as they don't need to in order to go places lol. They can fly and don't need their human quite as much. Being flighted or clipped is a personal/safety choice. I have parrots that are clipped and some that are flighted (it depends on the parrots as well).

For a Green Cheek Conure I would recommend to only clip the last 4/6 flight feathers only to allow safe gliding. My Conures are clipped

 

[ann]

i would advise you to go back to clipped, its safer for her and shes more friendly

 

[JensFlock]

I would say get the wings clipped again. Some birds do get the little birdie attitude when they can fly. When you clip them, they have to rely on you to get around. I think it kind of keeps you in control.

 

[Adz]

I agree 100% JensFlock, once you've got then under control you can let them have flight back. Loco is just getting his back now an he's getting a bit bratty.

 

[oled]

yes wing clip can changes personality, but not always negativ

 

[Seshat]

Thank you all for your replies. I think based on the feedback here I will have my conure's feathers clipped. She is displaying many of the characteristics noted here by members, such as refusing to step up. I did consult my avian veterinarian about this issue at Eeebee's yearly checkup in March. He told me wing clipping is a personal choice - and that if I chose to keep her fully flighted I had to be very careful with household dangers such as ceiling fans, etc. So far we have been able to manage those potential hazards. However I miss my sweet bird - the one I fell in love with the day I brought her home! I asked my vet what he does with his five birds and he told me they are all fully flighted. I spent last night looking for information online about wing clipping - I read that some birds become withdrawn and "depressed" once they have experienced full flight and subsequently get their wings clipped. I want my bird to be happy. Has anyone had this experience with their conure? Thanks again for your help!!!

 

[Remy]

My cockatiels growing up were flighted later on in life, and I didn't notice any changes in their personality. I guess I got lucky!

 

[Kokihi]

Tori was clipped when I got him too. He is now fully flighted and sometimes he does refuse to step up, or do what I ask, and if I insist on him stepping up he will bite my finger. Once he bites he goes back in his cage. I think he has figured that out though, because he stopped biting when I ask him to step up and just looks at me like "yeah right!" I sort of had to re-train him to step up after he learned to fly, but he enjoys flying around and doing laps around my room so much that I didn't mind. Really, though, it's up to you. If you can manage to re-train your bird and rebuild your relationship with her fully flighted, more power to you. But if you find that you need to re-clip her wings to save your relationship with her and keep her under control, there's nothing wrong with that in my opinion.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

As your vet advised there are safety concerns with un-clipped birds - personally I think these are the only factors that should go into deciding whether or not to clip.

Your birds personality has changed since she first arrived with clipped wings. But her wings aren't the only thing that has changed. She is older, more comfortable in her surroundings, and perhaps at a hormonal time/age.

The honeymoon is over. About six months into having a parrot things go crazy - I've heard such stories more times than I can count - and there has been no real correlation with clipping. Some birds were clipped and stayed clipped, some were never clipped - but in almost every case, around 6 months after arriving in the new home there is a drastic change.

They get over it, and things settle down - but it takes time. She could just be growing into her new home.

I know this is bound to offend - so I offer it with the qualification that is merely my speculation and one persons point of view: but clipping a bird to get them to behave better is like amputating a dogs legs to stop them from running away.

There are MANY good reasons to clip - but I cannot say I've ever found 'temperament' to be one of them, rather they all revolve around the birds safety in your home.