# Wing Clipping



## Kirby (Jul 28, 2007)

I am curious to know the proper way of clipping cockatiel wings 

Member Duckie will be picking up my two tiels, Memphis and Maya, this saturday at 2pm and I am going to clip their wings for her and her family. It is a safe thing to do with traveling a long car distance, being in a new place, with new kids, people, sounds, and pets. 

I have googled on the internet the certain ways and have found some decent articles on how to execute a proper clip with tiels, but has anyone on here personally clip their birds wings? If so, would you be able to help me with tips and/or the website where you learned properly how to clip 

That would be greatly appreciated, 

Kirby


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

I clip my own birds wings (not that i do it often anymore) and all i do is get a pair of nail scissors (so you're handling something small, not big scissors), hold the tiel to my body and extend a wing and clip the first 3-5 flight feathers on each side. It's lots easier if you have a second person to hold while you extend the wing and clip.


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## Kirby (Jul 28, 2007)

Thanks for the speedy reply Bea 

I know how to clip budgies wings (have done tons in the past few years, I bred them for 8 years haha) but I hear people say tiels are different/harder, so it freaked me out and thats why I asked lol. 

I found this article, and it helped a lot 

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=682&page=3

It seems pretty straight forward, I just do not want to clip any new feathers coming in with shafts. Thats what Memphis' breeder had done (clipped all the primaries but she kept 1 new 'baby' primary feather that was coming in. She said not to clip new ones becuase they will bleed and be bad, obviously). 

Kirby


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

Clipping tiels is the same as clipping budgies, they're just bigger so it's harder to do it with one person only. Budgies you can use one hand to hold and extend the wing, and the other to clip...too easy!


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## birdieness (Jul 28, 2007)

i can clip budgies alone. Wrap them in towl so they don'y bite and spread one wing and clip it easily. I had to do peanuts the other day and i did it alone. I don't plan on clipping the tiels till next summer and i'm not 100% sure i will then either. Can't be to hard i'm sure. Might be a good idea to have 2 people. I know it took 3 to do pam's charlie lol. One to hold him in the towl, one to hold his head and that big beak, and one to actually clip but we were only doing his nails then so it would have took a forth to spread his wings lol.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

we do our own as well, I use a small pair of hair cutting scissors and we clip the first 5 flight feathers, that's all ours needs we clip the first 5 of all our birds. 

we started out doing one then two and so on until we got to the point that we wanted, still able to fly, but not frantically , or running into anything etc. and 5 was our number


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## Kirby (Jul 28, 2007)

Thanks for the tips guys 

Ok so I let them have their 'last flight' this morning, and just clipped them. They are currently pooped out and nestled up preening together on their large rope swing  

What I did was got Maya 1st (stragetically) and did her wings first. She was moving around a lot, becuase I was not exactly sure the best way to hold her and be able to fully extend her wing. I got it in a few seconds/moments and clipped both wings. She was great 
For Memphis I already knew how to hold them (from doing Maya) so both his wings only took like 30 seconds  lol. I am very proud of him, when I got him a few months back. he was a biter. I was worried he may bite my hand while doing this, as I hardly ever grab them (hold them IN my hand, rather than them being ON my hand). He really shocked me and was even nicer than Maya! So that made me feel good, he was definately a 'project parrot' when I got him, now he loves cuddles, loves being on humans, does not bite anymore, can whistle a few tunes, and is such a little gentlemen 

Wow, Im really going to miss them  They go 'home' tomorrow 

Kirby


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

I can't believe how fast the date of their rehoming has come.  At least you, and all of us, will still get to see them and hear about them from Duckie!


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## Sophia (Aug 11, 2007)

I am glad the clipping went good for you, I can imagine Earl biting me and then being a bit scared of me after the fact, so I will keep away from clipping for now!  

It is sad that you have had to rehome Memphis & Maya  But you will be able to keep updated on how they are doing!


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I think you found them a great home  Iam sure it is still hard to see them go


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## Kirby (Jul 28, 2007)

Yes I have found them a superb home to be honest  I personally feel so!

Talk aboutbitter sweet. Tonight I got all the toys, branches, and cups ready. Packed up the food, millet, cuttlebones, books, and more. I clipped their wings this morning (as you know), and just spent an hour making information sheets for Duckie and her family. With everything about Memphis and Maya, from birth dates, splits, breeder info (website, name), all my contact info, their favourite foods, safe branches, tips about each bird personally (banded, handfed, sibling mutations, favourite cuddle spots e.t.c) and got Maya's DNA certificate (which says Diego on it, as that was her 'male name' before we found out HE was a SHE lol)... then put it all in a nice folder for them, with a little note of appreciation 

I am am no longer an official tiel owner in 15 hours  Thats too soon if you ask me... *sigh*

Kirby


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## Duckie (Feb 13, 2008)

Hi Everyone!

Just found this thread today. (I don't get down to the computer as often as I would like :blink: )

It is so nice to know and be a part of a forum like this with so many friendly and helpful people I am very excited about picking up Maya and Memphis tomorrow, but I can't help but feel sad for Kirby for having to do this But I am so grateful to Kirby for picking and allowing me and my family to be the new home for M&M

As soon as I get them nestled in their new cage and have a chance, I will post some pics of them

Kirby, I will see you tomorrow!

Duckie


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## Kirby (Jul 28, 2007)

Yay Im excited now, becuase I know how happy you are all going to be. Take your time tomorrow and I will try to tire out the birds so they are sleepy and quiet during the trip home. They will probably be very scared of the new cage and home for a while, so if you cover the cage as soon as you get home, put in some familiar toys (their favourite swing is a must, it's a security blanket for them both), cover the cage, and leave it on until sunday morning... they will adjust just fine, and quickly 

ps- For food and water cups, I would put them near the main perch (or somewhere you find they like), and I would clip millet to the cage walls (maybe 2 stalks, in 2 different places) so they can nibble when they get hungry. For the first few days at least. After a while (maybe 1-2 weeks) you can put all food and water on the cage floor (I do that now). It reduces a lot of mess, and its more convinient. Plus they are use to it here 

Kirby


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## birdieness (Jul 28, 2007)

Todays the day eh. Sad to see them go but at lease you will get updates.


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## Kirby (Jul 28, 2007)

Yup... they come in 2.5 hours!

Kirby


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## Nicki (May 12, 2008)

*wing clipping*

Is it absolutely necessary to clip cockatiels wings? I don't clip mine and he seems to have a great time flying around the house. It just seems abit mean to chop their wings.


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

It's all down to personal choice.  I'm neither for or against it, and i look at each situation individually. I often clip a new bird to the house, simply so it has time to settle and learn where windows and mirrors are without the risk of crashing. But after that i let the wings grow out, because like you say it's wonderful to watch them enjoying flying around.


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## Aderyn (Apr 1, 2008)

I'm sorry I've been so scarce lately. Work has been hectic and this morning is the first chance I've had to get online. I will post pics sometime within the week, as I don't have a lot of time to do so now. 

Just one question with regards to clipping. When I brought Screech home I noticed the pet shop had clipped her wings. But I was shocked to see how they'd done so. Her feathers have not been clipped across the veins (I'm not sure what to call it?), but the 'fuzz' of the feather has been stripped all along it. So basically her wing is simply made up of 'stalks'. I was worried at first, but it doesn't seem to cause her discomfort or anything, but it does send her to the ground like an anchor, when she tries to fly. Also, it looks dreadful. Like someone took a razor to her wing. I thinks it's started growing out now, but it's taking forever. I just want to know, when I've let them grow out all the way, and if I do decide to clip them again (worried about the cat getting hold of her if she starts flying), should I clip them in the same way, or do I clip them the 'normal' way. 

I'll try to get a pic to post and show you tomorrow.


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

Definitely don't get them clipped that way again, in fact i would cut the feather shafts off now. I have heard of that type of clip, but never seen it or heard of an actual case of it being done. How strange!


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## Aderyn (Apr 1, 2008)

Thanks Bea. I was wondering, because I too found it strange. Like I said, it doesn't seem to cause her discomfort, but it looks horrible and uncomfortable. I'll clip them tonight. Maybe I'm also just being a fussy, overprotective mom.  Photos to follow either tomorrow or Friday.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

That is a strange clip


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