# Was my birds wings improperly clipped?



## Eezy (Feb 20, 2017)

Hello, I took My tiel, whom I adore, to the Vet for a wing clipping. Previously a Parrot shop would clip and did a fabulous job, but 50 minutes away. So on this trip I took her to a local Vet, who has an avian Doc. and I knew right away something wasn't right. She looked soaking wet after because her feathers were curly and going different directions (she was dry). When I got her home I was able to have her open her wings and I almost started crying. They didn't clip a sharp, strait line and explained this was per the Avian standard. I took her immediately back in because I was worried she broke a blood feather. When the doctor examined her, there were 3 exposed/damaged blood feathers. I could clearly see where a feather was cut and the feathers next to the clipped one was injured. I also noticed her 2nd layer feathers have been cut some. You can see in my photos both layers of feathers and where a single feather was cut clearly below that mark without her 2nd layer feathers to nicely cover. The Vet argues they clipped according to Avian standards. 
I am reaching out to my Tiel friends for advice. Am I over reacting? Were they within standards? Do I need to be aware of any issues she may have?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Vets standards are going to be more harsh than normal, because if you didn't specify they're going to clip her so she can't fly at all. You need to make sure they know to only give her a light clip that will allow her to still glide. That's a normal "heavy" clip that they gave her. I never clipped my birds that extremely. I usually only clipped the first three or four primaries. Next time I would ask them to not clip so extreme or just do it yourself.


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## ninfatiel (Jul 22, 2016)

Next time you clip (if you do clip) -its quite easy to do it yourself.. This is the best diagram to show where and how







Have someone hold the bird with a towel and open the wing for you. With sharp scissors clip ''yellow and green''-scissors tip pointing away from you. Do not cut secondary flights (on top) only hard primary flights. Nature gives you perfect ''cut line''-where the tips of small top (pictured in purple) feathers are. That way bird still will be able to fly,but cant gain altitude and basically gradually glide to the ground


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