# Should i clip?



## Flappy (Aug 28, 2008)

I've read that it's better to clip your cockatiel's wings to train them (stops them flying away, makes them depend on you, etc.). But i've also read that you should never catch your cockatiel in it's cage, otherwise it will never trust you/your hand.

So what do i do? 

Is it ok to train with wings that aren't clipped? Or would it be more beneficial in the long run to clip them?

I've looked into clipping wings, and know which of Misty's feathers should be cut and where. But i'm not sure how i should hold her to do it....... if i was to.


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## Bea (Jul 26, 2007)

The safest way to clip is to have someone else to help. I usually restrain the bird and get someone to clip the feathers i hold out from the inner feathers to the outer ones (so they're not waving scissors at my birds body, lol. I usually clip a new bird initially for safety and training reasons. It's really a personal decision though, so whatever you feel comfortable with.


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## Flappy (Aug 28, 2008)

I'm just worried that i'll struggle to train her after catching her in her cage and holding her to clip her wings. She might lose all trust in me?

Off topic... but is that a pineapple or some kind of cinnamon conure in your sig?


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## Sophia (Aug 11, 2007)

My personal decision on wing clipping is that I will never do it. But that is my choice, many people choose to clip. I trained Earl when he was fully flighted, and the training went great he is now hand tamed and loves people.  But its your decision!


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## Flappy (Aug 28, 2008)

That's good to know Sophia, thanks. Ideally i'd like to leave Misty as she is. I just thought that i'd be making it a lot more difficult for myself when training if she could fly away.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

I don't like to clip either but I don't insist that my birds sit on my hand either I have several that are perfectly willing to do that and one is a borderline pest. I named him Monkey 'cause every time I go into the aviary he gets on my back. I like to leave them fully flighted for the excersize they get flying. I also see them just in pure joy flying. I am very careful about doors and windows and never open the aviary door unless all is secure.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I had Spike clipped so he could get use to the house and I found it easier to train him when he could not fly away. I think it is safer to have them clipped when they first come home. If you do want him clipped I would see if where you got him from could do it for you. Spike can now fly really well and has only bumped a window once. Also Bea has a cinnamon green cheek conure


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## Avalon_Princess (Feb 13, 2008)

Echo was clipped before I bought him. It was a really severe clip as well, all his primaries and secondaries. He did bond very closely to me and my parents though and he can be totally trusted to behave. He has had another wing clip since then, but it was only two primaries on either side so he can't fly quite so fast into windows. He can still fly though and get about, it just takes more work. 

I think clipping at the start does help and when they molt you can decide for yourself whether to continue clipping there wings or not.


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## Flappy (Aug 28, 2008)

Thanks for all your comments. I've decided not to clip Misty. I think i'd rather she was able to get some exercise flying, and i'd also prefer that she didn't sit with me because she had to, but on her own accord. I've had her out of the cage on my finger, and she didn't go anywhere.


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

That is very cool! It's nice to know that they choose to be with you!


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## bigmikey36 (Aug 5, 2008)

I keep my birds clipped but i too have my reasons and also agree that it is a personal choice. I only clip enough that they can't attain full flight but can fall quite gracefully wthout injuring themselves. They can both fly from the cage to me at the computer desk with no issue, Chico does it regularly, Belle is not a very social bird but she will sit with me if i ask her nicely and she only stays as long as SHE wants too....i don't force myself on my birds i just prefer they not bite the crap out of me lol and i know belle would be VERY wild if i left her unclipped
Mikey


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## Flappy (Aug 28, 2008)

Thanks for that Bigmikey36, it's good to know the reasons people have for clipping. Seems like you're doing the right thing for your birds


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## spike's mom (Aug 21, 2008)

I keep all my birds flighted after the first clip when I get a new bird I always clip them. I do this because it gives me a chance to take them around to all the windows and show them that they are solid I get them to beak them and I do this several time til I'm sure they know its solid. I also find it easier to tame them with their wings clipped. basicly I clip initialy so that they can get used to me and my house without fear of them getting hurt. After that they can fly if they want too. Because I teach them about windows I have never had a bird fly into a window or a mirror yet.


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## superluvrgurl (Sep 7, 2008)

My birds are all clipped as Mikey said, so that they have just enough flight to glide down to the floor or to me from their cage. I would really like to have full flighted birds but I have three small children who are always leaving the doors open, or opening the bird's cages whenever they get the chance, and I dont want to chance loosing one of my feathered babies out the door. Ive heard horror stories about those types of ordeals, and my family would just be crushed if anything were to ever happen to my birds.

Which leads me to my question: I was going to post a new thread on this but since there was already an active thread on wing clipping going, I figured that Id just post in here.... My 9 week old baby flew tonight! He has been flapping his wings around like a crazy bird, but has not ever gone anywhere until tonight. I opened up the cage door as I always do when I got home.... pulled the tray to change the bedding, and grabbed the waterbowl to get fresh water and baby was climbing on the bars of the cage ferviously trying to get to me. When I came back from the kitchen with clean bedding and the water, he jumped and dove twards me, then swooped over my head and flew to the livingroom and landed with a thud behind the tv...... I ran over to check him out... which took me a bit to get to him cause my husband has to have his HUGE screen tv that weighs more than I do, and when I got to him my hear was pounding... I thought for sure he had hurt himself. I have wooden floors in my house... no padding and there was a loud thud! 

I get to him, and there he is on the floor looking up at me like "what took you so long?"  The little booger! He almost gave me a heart attack  So....
this experience has got me thinking, should I clip the baby or wait for him to learn to fly better? I read somewhere that you should let them learn to fly first because it helps build their self esteem, but I am worried. If I leave him unclipped, I am going to have to find some way of securing the cage door because like I said my family would be devistated... as would I... if he were to fly out the door... or should I just clip him and avoid the risk? Opinions everyone??
Imput would be GREATLY appriciated. 

Thanks in advance,
~Rissa~


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

If you feel comfortable that he won't accidently get outside, you could leave him unclipped for now but if you think that he could get hurt or loose it might be safer to get him clipped. It is up to you


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## Plukie (Aug 26, 2007)

I had Dooby clipped when he went through the terrible tiel stage (6 months old) but I have to be honest and I really didn't like the look of him just bobbing around and walking everywhere, it just didn't look natural to me. Now, he is fully flighted again and I don't think I will ever get him clipped again. Having said that, there are only the two of us here, we don't have to worry about children leaving windows and doors open, so I can fully understand your concern. In the end, it is personal choice, I prefer to see Dooby and Daisy (who has never been clipped) flying around the house naturally rather than walking. As for getting your little one clipped, again it's a personal choice, but I would be inclined to let him fly a bit more and build up his chest muscles before clipping.


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## spike's mom (Aug 21, 2008)

Its importent not to clip your baby to soon. they must learn how to fly and land properly before they are clipped. My African Grey Congo was not permited to fledge properly before she was clipped and she's 5 yrs old and cannot fly because someone clipped her wings when she was a baby to soon. She falls allot and I'm always afraid she going to split her keel bone from falling on it. Mabie you could put your baby in a room without doors that go outside for awhile just so he can learn to fly before you clip him I'm hoping that my Amazon will teach my Grey how to fly but I've had my Grey for a year now and she still falls like a rock. She has all her flight feathers. Its such a shame that she's a bird and will never know the joy of flying. Its so so sad I don't know how to teach a bird to fly it should come naturaly but I gues the older they get without learning the harder it is for them.


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## Danielle (Aug 15, 2008)

Harlow's clipped, but he can still steer himself and land very comfortably. He wasn't clipped until I got him, so he clearly built up some strong flight muscles. I thought it would be horrible to get him clipped, but he can still get a couple of metres away and control his landings just fine.

I much prefer flighted birds - it just seems natural and healthy for a bird to be able to fly - but I think sometimes for practical reasons it's just not safe. To me, it's not at all about making them depend on you more, but I can understand that if a bird's going through a really bad behavioural stage that clipping might be best.


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