To clip or not to clip? That is the bird question.?

Question

I took my cockatiel to the vet yesterday for a nail trim and his first check-up with me (his new owner). The vet recommended that his wings be clips. I really didn't want my bird's wings clipped, but I also donn't want to loose him. So, I had his wings clipped. I felt so bad afterwards and still feel bad about it. (The vet clipped too many of his wings and not he can't glide properly). What are your thoughts on wing clipping?

Answer 1

If the vet was truly educated about birds, flight and how important it is to them, s/he would not have said that.

So much more comes up all the time about how important flight is for birds - not just their physical health (musculature, their complex breathing systems, even their brain cells connect better if they get to fly), but their mental health as well.

Clipped birds much more easily become phobic and nervous and their self-confidence gets a real blow since they can't "save themselves" if they fall, they can't go where they want, they can't move around in the most natural way for a bird, and - they are prey animals. They get spooked, their instincts take over completely, and they fly for it.



Clipped, and the bird falls to the floor, possibly even breaking the beak or keel bone (the big bone birds have, covering their entire chest, where their massive flight muscles attach). No flight, no flight musculature, and a sensitive bone might break.



People say it's for their safety. But - and now, keep in mind that the intelligence and emotional maturity of a parrot equals that of a 3-5 year old child - imagine you have a toddler who's learning to walk. He falls and scrapes his knees, because he can't of course learn to walk overnight. (Just like it takes a while for a bird to learn how to turn and land properly.) You put him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, to keep him safe.

He sure is safe - he can't run into the street and get hit by cars, he is less likely to run up to dogs and get bitten, he can't fall and break his legs, and he is overall saved from some of life's dangers.



But he is instead just made vulnerable to many other dangers, and while a human in a wheelchair can be happy, it will never be the same life as someone who has full use of their legs, especially children who wants to run, jump and climb (just as birds want to fly). In the same way, a bird that is wing clipped is severely handicapped.

Not to mention obesity from lack of exercise. Sure, he can exercise his arms in the wheelchair, but not all of his body.



"You can live 'safely' in a wheelchair for eighty years, but do you really want to?"



And the safety is really only very much what you make it. I have a Meyers parrot since eight years, and she was clipped for perhaps three years, but then I decided to let her fly and will never clip a bird again. She's fallen into the bathtub multiple times, she even fell into the toilet once - all when she was clipped. I had a flighted lovebird who drowned in the aquarium - because I wasn't there to watch her! Other than that, I had for once forgotten to cover the aquarium, and the water level was too low, so she couldn't save herself.

It was all my fault, not because she wasn't clipped.



I had an Eleonora Cockatoo who for a while felt so bad (for other reasons) that he clipped his own wings. He had never been clipped and I never planned to do it, but when he trashed his flight feathers I had to cut them, since he couldn't stretch his wings without the feathers getting tangled.

After that, he couldn't fly for months, and was depressed. As soon as just a little of his flying ability came back, just a jump from my arm to a chair - he shone up, and was HAPPY again.



And once during this time, I took him for a walk outside. I, like many other people, believed that when the birds wings are clipped, they can't fly. And sure, my cockatoo never flew inside during those months. But BANG - he got spooked, flew right up into a tall tree, then far away, HIGH up in the wide blue skies, and I didn't find him until the day after.

Clipped birds fly away all the time because their owners think that "they can't fly". The only safe way to take a bird outside is in a harness or cage.



I got him the year before as a very young and very clumsy flier. But we trained and trained and he was SO happy every time he could turn and land properly - you could just see the pride shining from him.



Flight is so imperative to the mental and physical health of birds, that wing clipping is even being banned in my country (Sweden) now. After all, birds have existed and ruled the skies for 150 000 000 years. Do we really think we can just remove what makes them birds without it having any repercussions, for the birds? (If someone sais "I clipped my bird and now everything works great!" - Ask them if they've asked their bird what it thinks.)



It is like keeping a fish out of water, a monkey from climbing trees, a horse from running.

Respect them for what they are, and don't get a bird if you can't handle and keep a flying creature safe, healthy and happy.

Answer 2

If the vet truly did clip just the feathers, the bird will grow new feathers at his next moult. The inability to glide is what keeps them from flying away. But some vets actually cut off the first joint of the first wing phalanax. This is permanent, and makes the bird unable to fly at all.

I have seen plastic sheaths that slip over the bird's wing and hold the flight feathers together so they can't spread the wing fully. That is more humane.

Answer 3

When i first got my cockatiel and lovebirds they came with their wings clipped which I thought was a good thing because they are easier to tame and they couldnt fly away from me and they were more dependent on me. I never got them clipped again because now they are all adults and know their surroundings and I like them to get the exercise. Now that they know the house and good perching places they fly around which makes they healthier because of the exercise they get from it. When it comes down to it birds are meant to fly. I understand why people get their birds wings clipped but I believe they should get to fly so that after they are acclimated to their surroundings/owners I think they should let their wings grow back so that they can enjoy flying around they house supervised.



You wont lose them if you keep your windows screened and are careful about the doors.

Answer 4

Well, I think going to a vet would be a good thing to start with if possible to visit a proper avian vet. How to cut the wings is a bit controversial. But i think it has become widely recognized that both wings should be cut. and depending on the species of parrot you cut more of fewer feathers. For ex. cockatiels would need more feathers cut compared to a caique. Have read a few articles that say you should cut the outer most primary feathers. We asked the breeder to cut the feathers of ours before sending him down to us. They cut the inner ones and left the outer, BAD IDEA. When he was flapping his wings he kept hitting them. Make sure you don't cut the wings to far up (1 cm past the covers), but you need to take more than the tip if you want to get result... We have trained our bird to lift his wings for us, so we can cut his wings without any trouble or drama. We do the same with nail clipping, but have now got an electric nail file.. Do your research from reliable sources, that is the best and safest wayt to ensure you do the right thing. Good luck

Answer 5

The goal of wing clipping is so that the bird can break it's fall but cannot fly upwards. There are many dangers for a bird when it is able to fly. It could fly into the kitchen where there could be things like boiling water or a electric mixer. I have read about birds flying into the toilets just as their owners were flushing them *shudder*. There is also the danger of him flying outside, and that is a whole nother story. Outside he could be caught by predators (raptors, cats, raccoons, weasels, take your pick), succumb to the cold, or just simply not know how to feed himself and starve to death. I used to have two lovebirds but they both died in unfortunate flying accidents before I knew the wisdom of wing clipping. :(



Your bird will probably live a lot longer if he can not fly himself into danger.

Answer 6

It is very tough to decide at times for a newer owner. I have owned birds for twenty years, and I have never clipped their wings. I have seen too many die of blood loss from an improper clipping, as well as many with broken necks who slammed into the floor because they couldn't fly. I have had some birds escape outside, but I have never lost one. Just leave the cage outside with the door of the cage open, and it will usually go back in when it's hungry. Birds know how to feed themselves in the wild, but the reason they don't survive is usually because of the weather, the local vegetation, and the predators. I had a conure that got lose during a bad storm, and after a month I thought he was gone, but I kept his cage outside and I woke up and there he was! If you are afraid your bird will escape or get hurt, be sure to cover all windows with a curtain so the bird doesn't think the window isn't there and fly into it, and be sure to put it in its cage whenever you are expecting company or are leaving-that's also because a bird can be injured if left out while you aren't there. Also, don't allow it to fly in the kitchen especially while you're cooking, because teflon is toxic, don't leave the toilet seat up because it can fall in trying to take a bath or a drink, and make sure there aren't any tight places it can fly into and get stuck in, such as between a bookshelf and a wall. If you only allow your bird to be out of its cage while you are there, and you don't have other pets such as cats, then I wouldn't clip the wings. Since your babies wings are clipped, they will grow out with the next moult if you choose to leave them unclipped. Also, what I tell my patients, is birds fly for a reason. It would be like binding out legs so we couldn't run but could only hobble around. I would not want to spend my life hobbling around in a nine by eight cell for the rest of my life. I would much rather be able to be free to run around in an open space, and only have to go in a cell/cage for my own protection and at night. In the end the choice is yours, but I know for me, I would want more freedom than that. Oh, and I have to say thank you, absolutely thank you, for being one of the few bird owners that takes their bird to a vet. You have no idea how happy I am to see that. Best of luck,



Virginia Lane DVM

Answer 7

i have recently purchased my african grey and was originally against wing clipping but as their policy they wouldnt let him leave the place until he had it done. they only clipped one wing so it didnt look too obvious. it should only be done after they have had their first flight which he had. now he is home i find it better this way, i can place him on our door outside which he loves whilst keeping a close eye on him i know he cant fly away. i also am pleased he cant fly into the ktichen and perhaps hurt himself on the hot stove or fly into windows etc. but on the downside having his clipped wings he is still getting used to gliding and so has had the occasional crash landings! one which ended in him hurting his beak and it bled for a little while. i have now learnt to take him everywhere i go to avoid this happening (he is on his playstand whilst we are home downstairs his cage is in his bedroom upstairs). the only other thing i was worried about is that he couldnt escape the cats/dogs if any trouble arose but now they love each other. when the parrot is on the floor he can hold his own. the cats dont bother with him and only one dog is interested wagging her tail but when she gets too close he always gives her a quick peck! i never leave them alone though!



so its up to you really. they do grow back if you get them clipped. im waiting until his grow back and if it compromises his life i.e. being shut in another room whilst im in the kitchen or not being outside if he doesnt tolerate a flight suit then ill go one wing clipped again.

Answer 8

Ive been told by another breeder that only one side should be clipped and only on the tip of the flight feathers, and thats ONLY if there is a risk of loosing your bird! personally I dont do it to any of my birds! and personally I dont like vets, their not always right and their very expensive..greedy to be exact! Allow to grow back and dont have things done unless you want them to. People may disagree but you have asked my opinion and this is it. You cant be sad about advise a vet has given you, you have chosen to have it done because you was told to have it done.

Answer 9

If he flys away he will die because he won't know how to feed himself, so better to clip his wing. He's a domestic bird so he needs to be treated as such. Also birds don't need vet check ups, and you can easily clip his toe nails yr self with nail clippers, just cut the tips, you can see the pink bit, and clipping wings are easy too just don't cut too low or the feathers will bleed. If that happens it doesn't hurt the bird, it's just that feathers have blood in them when they're forming. If you worm if bird never do it in a metal dish or it will die as the metal reacts with the chemicals if the worm mixture.

Answer 10

Getting a birds wings clipped is a good thing. It will help you with hand taming because he will know that he needs you for help. And you can let him out of his cage to roam (if you have a play ground for him) And he cant fly out of your reach. When he gets used to you then you can either clip them again or let them grow.

Answer 11

its fine to clip the wings, because i mean they grow back you know? its better to have him sort of glide for a few months instead of possibly losing him forever

Answer 12

if it is a pet bird you should clip their wings don't feel bad you would only have to feel bad if you clipped a wild birds wings because they need them

Answer 13

I used to have an african grey parrot and i had the same done to him. I wasnt to bothered as it doesnt harm the bird and they will eventually grow back, its better than losing him!!!!!