Wing Clipping & Clicker Training

[smspringer13]

Sorry - I know I've been asking a lot of questions lately, but they just keep popping up in my head! :) I have 2 quick questions.

1 - Ellabelle had her wings clipped by my friend Lisa, who has a lifetime experience with birds. However, they look pretty uneven. Her left side still looks nice and the feathers look rounded while the right side is pretty "square" and looks "hacked off" in a sense. Should I have this fixed? She also can still fly fairly well and I am not quite sure how much she should be able to fly. If I get them clipped professionally, where can I get this done? I am assuming local Petsmart/Petco places do not do this..? :confused:

My last question is about clicker training. I am in the process of taming Ellabelle and we've been having "sessions" out of the cage every day. She comes out willingly but is still very hesitant to come near me unless I'm feeding her treats. (Which I understand, we've only been working for a week!). I'm just wondering if anyone has tried the clicker taming/training and what you've thought?

Thanks guys. I really have been learning *so* much here! :)

[Elle]

For the wing clip, because a bad wing clip can affect their balance, you want it as even as possible between the two wings. A clip lovebird should still be able to glide to the ground and not crash. I've had a lovebird who would still fly with a full wing clip but she was very slow. She had to flap four times harder to get around. The other thing is it would limit how far she can go. So still being able to fly with a wong clip can be okay.

To your second questions, I've heard of people clicker training. I tried it with my African Grey but he became aggressive so I stopped. He loves praise so much more and it's so much more efficient.
I have seen a vidoe of someone clicker training a lovebird so it's very possible and doable :)

[Janie]

Hi,

I know that some Petco's and Petsmart's in my area do wing clips but since you really want a good one to fix a bad one, I'd go the route of an avian vet this time. It's a good idea to have a well bird exam anyway and the clip can be done at the time of that visit. As you become more comfortable with your lovie (and him/her with you) you'll probably find that you can do your own wing clips. I swore I never would but it really is easy and I've done my lovies clips for the last year.

If you don't have an avian vet, I'd start looking for one now. It's better to have that relationship in place before you have an emergency and are frantic looking for an avian vet. A "well bird" exam also gives your vet a base going forward regarding your individual bird.

I have no advice about clicker training. I should have tried that with my human kids! :whistle:

[donna1064]

I tried clicker training with Baby, and it works, but its so much easier to just give them praise and verbal interaction than it is to go pick up the clicker, (if you can find it) and click it. Besides, I have young grandchildren who frequently visit who liked playing with the clicker, and I was afraid it would just confuse Baby. Plus, trying to find the doggone thing after the grandkids leave is always a challenge.....:whistle: