# Avian vet reccomendation on clipping baby tiels wings?



## han93 (Aug 1, 2014)

I was at the vet this week for a check up on my 14 week old tiel, Peanut. While I was there the vet recommended that he clip Peanuts wings not for training/taming purposes, but to make Peanut a better flier. I declined the heavy wing clip and allowed him to take a tiny bit off (its barely noticeable and he can still fly just as well as before, see attached photo) but I wasn't totally comfortable with it. 

I told the vet that Peanut is a relatively good flier, and had previously had a couple of crash landings involving glass doors but other than that he has good control of his landings. I'm just wondering if its odd that the vet would think that a wing clip would be beneficial for Peanut? I always thought it was better for baby tiels to have full use of their wings. What is your opinion on wing clipping of young cockatiels?


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

Its up to the owner, but having fully flighted birds always harbors the potential for injury, especially indoors. That is likely why he suggested it.


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

A lot of it also has to do with the bird, too. If Peanut is good at flying, and doesn't spook easy, I'd suggest leaving him fully flighted. But as mentioned above, it is a personal decision based on how you feel about it.


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## han93 (Aug 1, 2014)

Yeah I think I'm going to leave him as he is. Being flighted gives him more confidence than he would have with a wing clip and I do think he's a good flier


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

I don't like clipping baby tiel's wings, they're still developing their muscles, even if it's just a tiny bit more muscle from the time they were a fledgling. Although personally I don't clip much myself. I had to for medical reasons but I just think they are so pretty when they fly.

By the way, LOVE that picture  
That little face


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## Peetenomax (Nov 23, 2013)

If he's happy & in control leave him alone.
One thing to consider is the likelihood that he could fly out the front door. If that's the case you might want to consider a light clip. More than what you did. Just enough to slow him down.
I have a young tiel that's just getting his wings back after a severe clip pre-fledged. We're now learning to fly. It's nerve wracking. He's got the vertical but not forward flight


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## Jaguar (Jul 11, 2014)

Flight is so very essential to a bird... clipping to ground a bird is not a decision to be taken lightly. Clipping a baby bird can help with training and bonding, but you can still form a good bond with a flighted bird - it's just a relationship built more on trust than dependency. As already mentioned it also lets them form strong flight muscles and can help a lot with their confidence. A bird that's clipped before it fully learns how to fly may never be a confident flyer or fly for amusement, and flying is an essential source of exercise for them. You could clip him a little now to help with bonding and then let him grow out to be flighted again - that's up to you though  Like Peetenomax, my tiel is learning how to fly again after a severe clipping and I can see many broken tail feathers in our future :lol:


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## han93 (Aug 1, 2014)

CaliTiels said:


> I don't like clipping baby tiel's wings, they're still developing their muscles, even if it's just a tiny bit more muscle from the time they were a fledgling. Although personally I don't clip much myself. I had to for medical reasons but I just think they are so pretty when they fly.
> 
> By the way, LOVE that picture
> That little face


Yeah that's what I think too, he's such a tiny little thing so I think he still has more muscle development ahead of him. And yes he is a little cutie! haha


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## han93 (Aug 1, 2014)

Peetenomax said:


> If he's happy & in control leave him alone.
> One thing to consider is the likelihood that he could fly out the front door. If that's the case you might want to consider a light clip. More than what you did. Just enough to slow him down.
> I have a young tiel that's just getting his wings back after a severe clip pre-fledged. We're now learning to fly. It's nerve wracking. He's got the vertical but not forward flight


Yeah theirs pretty much no chance he'll fly out the door! Most of his out of cage time is either in my room, or in the lounge room, both are away from doors. I'm also really careful making sure doors are shut when my tiels are out, so I'm not worried about him getting outside


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## han93 (Aug 1, 2014)

Jaguar said:


> Flight is so very essential to a bird... clipping to ground a bird is not a decision to be taken lightly. Clipping a baby bird can help with training and bonding, but you can still form a good bond with a flighted bird - it's just a relationship built more on trust than dependency. As already mentioned it also lets them form strong flight muscles and can help a lot with their confidence. A bird that's clipped before it fully learns how to fly may never be a confident flyer or fly for amusement, and flying is an essential source of exercise for them. You could clip him a little now to help with bonding and then let him grow out to be flighted again - that's up to you though  Like Peetenomax, my tiel is learning how to fly again after a severe clipping and I can see many broken tail feathers in our future :lol:


Peanuts very bonded to me already (I've had him for about 7 weeks now) so I'm not looking to clip him for training purposes. I hadn't even considered it until the vet suggested it to me. He's happy and a fairly good flier so I think I'll leave him as he is, I know he gets so much enjoyment zipping around the place 

By the way I love phoenix's dirty face, hes adorable!


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## yokobirdie (Jul 9, 2014)

Yoko was clipped too young as a baby, so she didn't properly develop her flight muscles. When her feathers grew out, and she learned to fly and land properly, but currently they are lightly trimmed because she had an, erhm... incident, involving a glass door...  She's alright, but I just want to rebond with her. Hope this helps, and by the way, Peanut is so cute!


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## han93 (Aug 1, 2014)

yokobirdie said:


> Yoko was clipped too young as a baby, so she didn't properly develop her flight muscles. When her feathers grew out, and she learned to fly and land properly, but currently they are lightly trimmed because she had an, erhm... incident, involving a glass door...  She's alright, but I just want to rebond with her. Hope this helps, and by the way, Peanut is so cute!


Thank you, so are Yoko and Fuji! Yes those glass doors are so confusing for birds!


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

Also, I just want to add, different opinions come from different vets. While one may say clipping wings is essential if you are to safety have a bird, some tell you that clipping wings hurts a bird's system since its body is designed for flight. Luckily for me, my vet is reasonable and doesn't shove either option down my throat, she understands that each owner may have a reason for their choice. So if you go to 50 avian veterinarians, each one may say something different. 

So what I'm saying by this is even though they are vets, when it comes to more personal decisions, you have the final say on what is best for your bird


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## han93 (Aug 1, 2014)

CaliTiels said:


> Also, I just want to add, different opinions come from different vets. While one may say clipping wings is essential if you are to safety have a bird, some tell you that clipping wings hurts a bird's system since its body is designed for flight. Luckily for me, my vet is reasonable and doesn't shove either option down my throat, she understands that each owner may have a reason for their choice. So if you go to 50 avian veterinarians, each one may say something different.
> 
> So what I'm saying by this is even though they are vets, when it comes to more personal decisions, you have the final say on what is best for your bird


Thanks Calitiels, I'm glad that I didn't do the full clip that the vet wanted to do and I'll keep that in mind in the future


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## Nimra (Aug 4, 2014)

han93 said:


> Yeah I think I'm going to leave him as he is. Being flighted gives him more confidence than he would have with a wing clip and I do think he's a good flier


That is good. I never cut honey's or cookie's wings because I am scared that they will forget to fly. Which can maybe lead to an injury. After all, wings are important for birds.


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## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

I'd change vets!


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## Peetenomax (Nov 23, 2013)

If anyone decides to clip remember that a clip should allow a soft landing if s/he takes off. (Or attain minimal lift)
Don't clip the wings so much they drop like a rock. They'll try to fly no matter how short you clip. Dont want bruised/broken bones (or worse)


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## yokobirdie (Jul 9, 2014)

han93 said:


> Thank you, so are Yoko and Fuji! Yes those glass doors are so confusing for birds!


Thank You! Those darn glass doors!


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