letting wings fully grow out?

[lucky melatonin]

i know i've only had francis about three months and he's my first birdie, but i was wondering if it would be okay if i let his wings fully grow out. i had told you guys that the guy who clipped his wings only clipped one of them and completely butchered it. so i just wanted to give it a chance to get completely back to normal before i took him for a second clipping.

he's tame for the most part, as far as stepping up and knowing his limits (it's taken a lot of work, ha!) he can fly pretty well now (distance, but not high at all). and i'd say my house is pretty safe (he's not close to the kitchen or the toilets)...really, i just want him to have pretty feathers and not be gimpy anymore. :(

i just wanted to get some thoughts on this...thanks!

[Janie]

Since Francis was "butchered" on the first clip, I would let his/her wings grow back before another clip. They only reason I'd change my mind is if he became unmanageable with too much flight.

[Eliza]

I agree with Janie -- let the wings grow out before considering a trim. Find a good AV or parrot shop to do it or show you how to do it. I personally prefer to have someone trim feathers for me when I'm not in the room once I've seen them do it.

As for letting your little buddy remain flighted... if you can be sure that you will be vigilent during out of cage time, it can be a great thing. You just want to be EXTREMELY aware of things: open windows, open toilets, pots of water on the stove (boiling or otherwise), water in the sink, etc. It's especially important with small parrots. I mean, it's hard to miss if your macaw gets on top of the 'fridge and starts knocking over cereal boxes. Lovebirds, on the other hand, can get into trouble in seconds due to their diminutive size.

Best of luck :)

[tokameaki]

hi....i have never clip the feather of any of my birds so far...and they seem good chichi is not fully tame but he is doing good...bringing tootee (tootee was never allow out of the cage and all he eat was seeds) home .... i see how tame chichi is...and he really is tame doesnt let me touch him but he knows how to tell me when he wants to fly out of his cage, he eats from my hand...but in my spanish lovebird forum...its a crime to clip their feathers:omg: they said is like animal cruelty....just sharing!

[michael]

I've often felt guilty about clipping my lovebirds wings and in a way still feel its a little cruel. That notion fades rather quickly though when I think about my lovie getting outdoors and disappearing when he's supposed to be in my care. Because we have them as pets can be considered cruel also, yet I doubt that we're willing to no longer keep them so we must commit ourselves to their ultimate care and safety. I also keep my lovebird fully flighted even though he's been clipped one time. As long as there are "NO" safety hazards he will likely remain unclipped for the rest of his life. Goofy was in fact very tame before his first wing clip but home repairs posed a small risk of escape. For safety issues clipping may be a necessity. For taming it should be a preference along with some time and thought added before doing so. ;) .............Michael and Goofy

One final note I feel is very important...Whether your bird is clipped or not, if ever out of sight "always always" check the floor first!

[Flapjack]

I've wrestled with the idea of clipping Jack. He is SO active- rarely stays in one place, he's like a pinball- if something comes up and I have to go NOW, sometimes he's hard to catch. At the same time, I love that he has the freedom to fly, he's beautiful in the air, and I really prefer the overall look of having the flights on him. I also don't want to take him to a bird shop or vet if I don't have to, and potentially exposing him to illness. I do know a woman who is willing to teach me to do it myself, if I choose.
Chino is clipped (a little too severely by the breeder). I'm going to let his flights come in for sure. Then we'll see how he does.
It's a tough decision...

[Screamer]

Other than getting her with her wings clipped when she was a baby, she has never been clipped since.

[Janie]

Let me be clear, I don't disagree in clipping and especially for the safety of your bird but, in this case of a bad first clip, I would want the lovie to have normal flight before the next clip. Clipping is a personal choice and most definitely depends on the individual bird(s), some need it and others do well with flight. Right now, all three of mine are flighted but the jury is still out on Shy and Big Boi....they might get a clip tomorrow and they might not need one ( depending on their attitude!) for a while.

[lucky melatonin]

thanks for the advice. i'll probably get him clipped again as soon as they fully grow out again because i'm not quite sure i trust his behavior yet. sometimes, he's an angel...and other times, as my mom says, he's like something out of alfred hitchcock's "the birds"....haha.

i just wasn't so sure it would be a good idea to get him clipped again after they were cut so badly last time. i think i can deal with him getting a little air for i'd say another month or so before they are fully back. let's hope :)