From the article: Should I Clip My Bird's Wings?
Wing clipping could be labeled one of the most controversial subjects in aviculture. There are many reasons why some bird owners choose to clip their bird's wings, and just as many reasons why some bird owners do not.
While wing clipping is generally recommended for most captive birds, the decision to trim a bird is one best left to the individual owner. What did you decide for your bird? Respond below to let other bird owners know whether or not you clip your bird's wings and why! Share Your Reason!
While wing clipping is generally recommended for most captive birds, the decision to trim a bird is one best left to the individual owner. What did you decide for your bird? Respond below to let other bird owners know whether or not you clip your bird's wings and why! Share Your Reason!
LOSING BEST BUDDIES
- As much a s feeling awful and stuipid about losing bird pets to open doors;i still lthink constnt cage confinenent is not fair to our bird's freedoms as a living being.All sorrows aside.I always deeply enjoyed my CONURES,COCKATIELS,AND BUDGYS PLAYplaying out and about their cages.My heart has been touched many times by my mistakes of leaving doors or windows exposed to mypets when a sudden move or noise has cost me their loss and sometimes their lives,All the while hoping they get a new home even without me.I sometime sblame GOD for their escaoe a;not because of my loss only but what seems to be a cruelty to an innocent animal that cannot fend for itself once it has lived in domestication.My guilit urges me to never purchaseor take in another pet bird bbut i still retaina deep love for their beauty and loving natures,(unless owned by a souless idiot who gets a bird and throws it in a corner without any other attention given to it as a pet!
- —Guest RICK HALASKA
No
- I don't clip my bird's wings. He is a rescued European Starling (yes, it's legal to keep them where I live). He is incredibly social, and doesn't cause major problems. I mean, yeah, he poops, lands on guests (always amusing), has no fear of our dogs (which is disconcerting), and plays keep-away when I try to put him away, but it's manageable and he is not at risk. He has never flown into windows, walls, etc. He also understands "bedtime" and will go into his cage when I turn off the light. And he only flies loose in my bedroom, so he has little opportunity to escape. But if your bird is impossible to put away and/or has access to exterior doors/open windows (or other hazards), it may simply be best to clip his wings. Better safe than sorry.
- —Guest Kate
Personal Decision
- I think it's up to the owner. I personally don't clip my parakeet's wings, though I did at first. I started to feel bad after a while because it seemed like he wanted to fly around, so I gave not clipping them a shot. He's surprisingly well-trained for a small bird, having had no "formal" training (i.e. almost zero effort on my part - just spending time with him). Birds will never be fully domesticated, like dogs. Most domesticated dogs have lost their aggressive nature. Flying will always be ingrained in birds as an instinct and be in their nature. I love my bird and I personally don't want to take that away from him. That being said, he only has ONE room he's allowed to fly around in. I shut the blinds, turn off the fan, and put anything he might try to chew on in a drawer. Usually he just flies around for a bit... he knocked into the walls at first but he learned not to... then gets tired of it, lands on my bed, and falls asleep.
- —Guest T
Oh my God
- Bird owners are psychotic when they're anti-clipping apparently. Attacking others for having an opinion is senseless. My bird's wings are unclipped, but I'm not opposed to the idea of clipping. It's not the equivalent of cutting off your legs or being crippled, because for them it's only temporary and their wings grow back. Someone pointed out that birds are too smart to run into things... well, my bird's been smacking against the ceiling and the walls while flying around my room. I don't mind her flying around, but I am worried that she will hurt herself. Anti-clippers, calm the f**k down, okay? These people aren't abusing their animals, let them do what they think is best.
- —Guest What
Depends
- I think it depends on the situation. If your bird is untrained, if there are opportunities for it to fly out the door/window? Probably a good idea. I personally clip the wings of my little wild parakeets until they are tamed, but my conure is free to fly around the house (he's potty trained). We have two doors in sequence leading out, and all windows have screens, so there is little chance of escape. So, yeah, I'd say it depends on bird and situation.
- —Guest ra
DON'T DO IT!
- We have 2 Quaker Parrots, one has clipped wings and one doesn't. They broke out of their cage while we were at work and the one who could not fly was captured by the dog! Thank heaven she did not eat her but she did manage to eat all of her tail feathers. The one who could fly was able to protect herself. I will NEVER clip wings again
- —Guest jeri
why i clipped my parakeets wings
- i live in a foster home so i clipped my parakeets wings so she can not fly out my room when i got her outside the cage
- —Guest mowana
yes clip
- I have lost two well trained parrots due to flying away both these birds would come when called in the house but outside they just took off-a coffins2 and a sever macaw now I keep my B&G's wings trimmed as I can't afford to let $1000.00 fly away.
- —Guest doordog55
not my Buddy
- I have a very happy little parrotlet, who is free to fly around the apartment. He uses his flight for access to people, and has rarely used it to escape people--maybe one or two little "catch-the-birdie games." He is very well supervised, and I have trained him. Now, one thing I really must mention is that when I adopted him, I took him to the vet, who did recommend wing trimming. I agreed (not knowing anything about birds). I do believe that the clipping may have served as an important intermediary step in training the little bird, who was initially aggressive toward me. I also know that he has turned into the kid of pet who does not require it, and I would not dream of doing it again under normal circumstances.
- —Guest hw
some times clipping is essential
- personally i dont agree with clipping but i will tell you 1 thing when it came down to my parrot that was constantly ripping wallpaper off and biting when he had his freedom because he lost his clipped wings it was a choice of get rid of him or me get him clipped for the first time as he was before then i guess clipping him isnt so bad when you consider you know he is loved where he is now and he isnt going to be miss treated so i for one am glad that he will be clipped again.
- —Guest jamie
I might temporarily clip her wings.
- I might clip my dove's wings soon. She has a nasty habit of flying into mirrors and avoiding me when I try to put her in her cage for the night. She barely trusts me right now too. I'm thinking of clipping her wings for a while, so she has no choice but to get to know me and get used to me handling her. I'll stop clipping them once she's warmed up to me, and allow her to fly again. I don't think clipping a bird's wings is any more cruel than grounding a teenager.
- —Guest Nomad Realta
No Clipping For Me
- I think it's wrong to clip a birds wings. It would be like getting your legs cut off! That's how you get around!! And as for GuestZ.A: if you can't spell simple words you shouldn't be taking care of birds. How can you not spell words like "back" "cruel" or "locked". What are you stupid?!
- —Guest Hawkie3
Clip Them
- While I can understand both sides of the debate, I think it's best to clip the wings of pet or companion birds. It doesn't hurt them, they grow back, it prevents poop from being scattered about the house and prevents escape from the home to an even worse situation.
- —Guest Ellie
Clip Them ASAP
- My 2 year old sun conure got loose and flew away during a WI blizzard. We can only assume he is dead. Clip them and keep them clipped. He was very tame and well trained. We never thought her would fly off but those instincts kick in and off he went. I miss him terribly and our whole family is heart broken.
- —Guest Laura
cliping wings
- I clip them so they don't fly out the door or fly around and snap their neck because they ran into something.
- —Guest milly
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