# Wing Clipping in Edinburgh?



## dkp2 (Oct 24, 2011)

I have had my cockatiel for a couple of weeks now and I think we are making great progress. 

I would like to let him out of the cage as often as possible, as he really seems to wait for it, but he is taking off every single time. That itself wouldn't be that much of a problem, I respect that he wants to spread his wings and fly, but he is incredibly clumsy and crashes into everything constantly. It is so horrible listening to his little body banging against the window, wall, door, everything. Obviously, upon impact he starts to panic even more and really looks like he is about to get a heart attack.

I assume that he didn't really learn how to fly as a baby, though he is getting speed and height very well, he just hasn't got any coordination whatsoever. I got him from a pet shop where he was in a tiny cage with 2 other birds. Supposedly he is about 16 weeks old now, but I am not sure about that.

I tried to research about wing clipping and took in loads of different opinions. I think it would be a good idea to clip his wings now at least once and see how it goes after he has molted for the first time.

My problem now is that I don't really know how to do it. I am not satisfied with the instruction videos I found on the web and even though the 101 wing clipping thread on here is really informative, it still boils down to the fact that I haven't really observed anybody doing it first hand. 

There doesn't seem to be an avian vet in Edinburgh, so I just asked the small animal vet around the corner from where I live, but they said they wouldn't be doing it. They pointed me to the Royal Dick Veterinary Hospital, but they aren't doing it either. I even found this document on their page, leaving no doubt about their position towards wing clipping.

I am now wondering what to do next. People in Edinburgh really seem to be against wing clipping A LOT. 

I am contemplating asking the scarsely distributed local pet stores, yet I don't really want to go back to the place where I got Stanley from, they seemed rather clueless and it wasn't really that clean around there. I am not that keen on Dofos either, the people working there generally seem like stroppy high school students.

So, long story short, I am wondering if anybody has made similar experiences in Edinburgh, or might have been more succesful and can pinpoint me into the right direction? Or shall I just do it myself after all? I already ordered styptic powder online, just in case, might be a good idea to have it at home anyway. I am so scared about hitting a blood feather. Stanley is quite dark and I've never seen a blood feather before, plus I won't be having much time when doing it as I really don't want to drag this procedure out - he really doesn't like to be grabbed or even touched that much. So how well would I perform under these time constraints? Help!


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## morla (Aug 15, 2011)

You could clip your birds wings yourself!


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

I have to clip mine myself, i hold them and my bf clips
i went by this 










from
http://www.sunnyhollowaviaries.com/parrotcare.htm


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

There's also this i drew up if this helps  this is a semi clip. a full clip you trim 4-6 feathers in the same fashion on both wings. dont cut any blood feathers


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## dkp2 (Oct 24, 2011)

You see, this is where my confusion starts, I've seen loads of pictures where the bird is held like in the pic above, yet I thought I would be holding him (or rather my boyfriend would, for that matter ) on his back, not only because it'll be the only way to stablisie him, but also so I can see how far I need to clip?

I guess I'm just scared as most of the how-to-do-its always end with saying " if you're unsure about it, don't do it yourself but call the vet."


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## dkp2 (Oct 24, 2011)

Thanks Dally  Looks like a Walt Disney wing  But the same question for this one - from which side is this picture approaching the bird (I'm a medical student, so I guess I'm obsessed with ventral / dorsal / left / right )


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

dorsal view. if you see the primary coverts, you cut along those lines, you use them as a guide for how short to go


you can still see that line somewhat under the wing too. i will get a photo of one of my own birds under wing to give you an idea of where to cut


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

just about a centimeter below the coverts under the wing


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## dkp2 (Oct 24, 2011)

Thank you so much, you're amazing! So Dally's colour seems quite similar to Stanley's, is it easy for you to spot blood feathers? 

I'll wait until the powder arrives and keep you posted!


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

You can use plain flour to stop the bleeding if any occur in future 
thats what i use


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i wouldnt clip at all if there is blood feathers.
its easy to tell a blood feather from a regular one  dally has a few on her other wing.


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