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- Does wing clipping help bonding? Does it harm intelligence?
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| Does wing clipping help bonding? Does it harm intelligence?; I have had lots of conflicting info, would love to hear from exsperienced forum | |
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| Topic Started: Apr 7 2011, 02:07 PM (766 Views) | |
| arren.sagar | Apr 7 2011, 02:07 PM Post #1 |
Newbie
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Hello! This seems like the best place to get a good spread of views on benefits of wing clipping. I'm getting my first parrotlet in 3 weeks now so need to start making these decisions. What I keep getting told is that bonding and training are easier with clipped wings, which makes lots of sense. In a flat like mine I can imagine it having safety benefits too, as there are places we don't want the wee man to go. I also have been told that clipping can inhibit intelligence by starving the learning environment, and can also encourage neuroses. I think this is important to take into consideration, but I know that my bird will get plenty of freedom to play and explore as well as loads of attention from myself and my girlfriend to help enrich his development, clipped or not. Has anyone got experience of raising young birds in BOTH conditions? Pretty sure we'll clip at least at first, but would love to let the wings grow out eventually. The babies with the breeder are flying at the moment, if we clipped him for a few months would he get his flying ability back if we stopped? More questions there than I intended, but any kinda guidance on any of them would be amazing! Cheers, Arren x (P.S. Someone's bound to ask, so the wee man's name is going to be Attenborough Poquette, after David Attenborough and the fact that he's pocket sized. We're only using his first name if he's misbehaving, so he's really just Poquette.) |
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| scooby | Apr 7 2011, 03:00 PM Post #2 |
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Hi I personally find that wing clipping is better for training, it is a very contraversial subject some people disagree. I wing clip my parrotlets for safety reasons because they are like little bullets a dart of in any direction and sometimes smash into things. I find training a parrotlet is easier if its wings are clipped, but i only slightly clip them so they can still fly but not reach height. It is still possible to train a parrotlet without clipping. |
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| kevinp | Apr 7 2011, 06:09 PM Post #3 |
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I have clipped mine in the past to help with training and also to slow him down a bit, dont think that clipping will stop him flying as it will not even with a hard clip they will still fly. If you want to clip go ahead and do it dont listen to the ones that say 'you wouldn't cut a dogs legs off to stop him running away' its an entirely different thing as feathers regrow Not sure where you heard the thing about intelligence as it will not effect that at all, my guess is that it is people who dont agree with clipping. I didn't used to like clipping until one of my boys was startled or showing off one night and flew head long into a wall .... he later died. |
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| Gardengail | Apr 7 2011, 06:14 PM Post #4 |
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Like Jackie mentioned ....a very controversial topic. For the first couple years that I had Cricket I had his wings clipped. Mainly for training and safety issues. I heard such horror stories about them flying into windows, ceiling fans and even toilets :( I haven't had his wings clipped in over a year now and don't have a problem with it. He is never left out unattended though....ever :scared: :lol: |
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| bakewell | Apr 7 2011, 10:00 PM Post #5 |
staff member
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Wing clipping is very contraversal! I'm on another forum and if you posted it there you would be ripped to prices ( they can be quite pushy) personally I don clip my birds. Pancake for some reason isn't a very good flyer so never had to consider it. And I wouldn't do it to Gordon because he just loves his freedom and I have read some birds can react badly to it ( I just k ow Gordon wouldn't take it that well) I'm pretty sure Stefano ( he is on here too and may clarify this) but he clips the first 2 flight primaries this doesn't stop them completely from flying but slows them down, prevent them from flying into things hard. Parrotlets are like little torpedos!! Maybe just clip them firstly see how that works. Good luck!!! |
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| kevinp | Apr 8 2011, 05:31 AM Post #6 |
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Administrator
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How ever much you clip them it will mot stop them flying so you are not restricting their flying at all just slowing them down a bit once they are older they seem to calm down with their speed I haven't clipped Squeak for a long time now. BUT you MUST clip both wings evenly or else you will end up with an injured bird ! |
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| scooby | Apr 8 2011, 07:02 AM Post #7 |
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Admin
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The debate for wing clipping can go on for ever on, another forum the debate went on for ages with some very angry people at the end of it. I did not agree with wing clipping at first but for the safety of my parrotlets i wing clip , as the others have said i only light clip which does not stop them flying it just slows them down and stops them banging into walls and windows and i found they are easier to tame. But as kev said make sure if you clip clip both wings not just one as one of the other members(jan) had problems with one wing been clipped the decision is up to you good luck |
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| Jan | Apr 8 2011, 03:59 PM Post #8 |
staff member
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Ive had my parrotlets both unclipped and clipped... I prefer clipped.. I had great trouble trying to catch them when they didnt want to go back in the cage, when they had full flight. Once clipped they fly low. Yes MAKE SURE BOTH WINGS ARE CLIPPED. My one bird had a very bad accidient when only one was clipped. She has only one leg she can use now she broke her hip and leg... I think its up to each person to decide this .. to my way of thinking neither is right or wrong. Just keep your bird safe best you can. Good luck |
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| uccello62 | Apr 8 2011, 04:11 PM Post #9 |
Senior Member
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Hi As Bakewell said I trim lightly the first four primaries by half an inch. It will slow them down just a bit. For your info, a youngster bred by me that was clipped died on her first day in her new home a couple of months ago, she crashed on a window pane. Her new owner was devastated. They fly like bullets and it def helps them with the training. As soon as they moult the feathers will grow back and it is then up to you if you want to do it again. Personally I don't as at that stage they recognise where the windows are. I agree with Bakewell it is a very controversial debate. On another forum someone even said I shoud die because I trim my birds!! Which is nonsense as I hate keeping birds that cannot fly, in fact my Caique is fully feathered and has the run of the house and was never clipped in her life... regarding intelligence I do not think it makes a difference. yellow1 Stef |
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| bakewell | Apr 8 2011, 06:35 PM Post #10 |
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Can not belive someone said that to you stef!!! That's pathetic!!! It is peoples choice if they want to do it or not! With parrotlets I think it does help ( I was thinkin about doing it to syrup when she was with pancake because she was flying into window (even though the blinds were down!! It's so dangerous for the little fellas, and like the guys have said they can seriously Hirt themselves.) geeez I'm just shocked someone would do that!!! One one forum someone made a dig at me because I breed ( was cocatiels) and they said in Britan we have too many parrots unhomed. But most of what I breed are not very common anyway ( apart from zebs cockies and bourkes) some people are really opionated on alot of topics with parrot\parakeet related stuff. The only thing I'm strong against is interbreeding! As everyone knows on here :giggle: |
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| kevinp | Apr 8 2011, 06:56 PM Post #11 |
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I can guess the forum and the person on that comment Bakewell, too much time on his hands to meddle in other peoples business. |
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| scooby | Apr 8 2011, 07:19 PM Post #12 |
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i cannot believe that was said to you stef, :24: like you i only clip my parrotlets wings lightly to stop them hurting themselves, i also clipped gizmo's but she can still fly quite well. i don't clip kermits or Ollie's, i never have done. |
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| theexbrit | Apr 9 2011, 01:44 AM Post #13 |
Co Admin
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Clipping the wings definitely helps with training/bonding, once the bird has bonded with you & will step up, etc, there's nothing wrong with letting the feathers grow out except for the safety aspect. Being an ex-Limey (I was born in Surrey, lived there for 30 yrs then moved to the States) I know that in Britain they have this aversion to anything like tail docking, ear clipping, etc, in dogs, so it comes as no surprise about the British attitude towards wing clipping. As Kevin said, wing clipping is nothing like ear clipping or tail docking, wing feathers will grow back & it causes no pain whatsoever to the bird. The simple fact of the matter is that birds don't realize all the dangers in a human household & as has been mentioned, several birds have died or been badly injured by not being able to see household dangers when they're rocketing around. 4 of our birds are clipped & it doesn't seem to bother them one iota. We've had them for 4-5 years & they're just fine. The only bird that is flighted is Boo Boo, we originally had er clipped but let her feathers grow out as her "boyfriend" kept trying to shag her & she couldn't get away unless she was flighted & he wasn't!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: rofl rofl rofl Boo Boo only fly's to me as she is really bonded to me so we don't mind her being flighted, she never goes flying around except maybe if she gets startled but even then she usually just fly's to me. She's actually a really good "pilot" & maneuvers around all kind of obstacles beautifully. But she is never left unattended. As for affecting their intelligence, whoever made that comment is less intelligent than any of our birds nodding :lol: Birds are visually stimulated (hence all the colors, etc), as long as they have plenty of toys & interaction with humans their intelligence is just fine. I'm not surprised at all the terrible comments some of you guys have had directed at you in regards to wing clipping, people are very opinionated & nasty about stuff like this. As everyone has said, it's really a personal choice, there is know right or wrong. It's not a moral issue, each bird should be considered on an individual basis with regards to clipping & indeed, whether to keep them clipped or let the feathers grow out at any point during their lives, clipping is not a permanent thing. We prefer most of our guys clipped but others don't, it's up to you. |
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| arren.sagar | Apr 9 2011, 01:19 PM Post #14 |
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Newbie
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What a response! Thanks everyone. Well, consensus seems to agree with my previous thoughts. I have never had sentimental objections to clipping, and know it doesn't hurt, I just want the very happiest parrotlet I can raise. This idea of a 'light clip' isn't one I've seen much info about, although I thought there must be such a thing. Is it just a matter of cutting fewer primaries? Someone mentioned just the first 4, is this approximately the level that stops full flight in a baby? Glad to hear he'll be able to travel around the room but not fly full pelt into windows. Sounds ideal! Don't worry about the evenness thing, that's emphasised everywhere there's info on clipping. I've seen what happens to uneven paper planes and it aint pretty! I think I'll be doing the clip myself first time, as I can't quite see what a vet could show me that youtube couldn't. There are very helpful videos on there, and I am confident enough. I do know however that I need styptic powder to hand, is this available in pet shops? Ever impressed with this forum, it's making the parrotlet procuring process a lot less worrying. Arren |
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| kevinp | Apr 9 2011, 06:53 PM Post #15 |
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Heres some pictures for you http://parrotlets.org.uk/topic/76525/1/#new |
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