Such a hard decision...

[Jally]

Peanut, our lovie is a daredevil! Because of this, he spends 99% of his time in the bird room. I'd like for him to be with me while I am in the other parts of the house. But, he won't stay with me or on any of the various toys boings that I have hanging around. Instead, he flies from picture frame to wreath to bookshelf to miniblinds and then the most dangerous, to the conures cage!

Like I said, he spends 99% of his time in the bird room where he has free flight. So, if I clip him, he won't be able to fly around the bird room and that would be heartbreaking. We have a linnie that is clipped and it is heartbreaking watching him trying to fly like all the other birds.

And, when he is clipped and they start growing in, he acts as if he is in pain.

But, as soon as the bird room door comes open, off he goes. So, I know if given the chance, he'd be out the front door in a NY minute!

What to do????? Help, please. :( :confused:

[linda040899]

Since our fids don't live in their natural environment, safety is always the first concern! You can trust one thing. If your daredevil got out the front door, he would be absolutely terrified, as there's dangers out there that he's never encountered before!! If nothing else, do a mini clip (4 flight feathers on each wing) so he can't fly quite as well!

You have a tragedy at your house just waiting to happen.....

[Bubblelady]

I know it's a hard choice to make, especially since Peanut is used to flying. I can only speak from personal experience. Buddy is (or was, until recently when she got sick) about the happiest Lovie you could ever meet. :happy: Her vet told me in the beginning that if I didn't want to lose her, she should be clipped. She goes everywhere with me (except the grocery store & eating establishments--and lately I've snuck her into the grocery, tucked in my shirt & no one ever knew she was there, poor old lady.) Of course she is in whatever room I'm in, goes to the laundry room, my mom's, on walks, to friend's (birdless friends), etc. When she was still mobile & in one of her nest/drawers and I left the room, I could count on her calling me within 10 minutes. I'd almost always go get her & if I didn't, she'd walk in to me. Same if she wanted to go back to her cage to eat (I can tell by body language when she wants to go "home") & if I stall too much, she just walks "home". I will admit to being an occasionally distracted fid ma & on a few rare occasions forgot to put her in her cage when I left for work. :(She was in her cage door open, waiting for me every time this happened. She managed to get to wherever she wanted to go, flightless and all. I could never have had her with me this much, or given her as much freedom to roam the house, if she could fly. I figure what she lost in mobility she gained in constant companionship with her "mate". Right now she spends most of her time in her "spa", Happy Hut w/ full spectum light near by. When she isn't snuggled in my shirt. :) I know clipping isn't for every Lovie but I don't think mine would have had it any other way!

[Pips mom]

First let me say that I love the name...Peanut. I actually had brought Pip to the vet for a bacterial infection and during his re-check the vet said to him......you're just a little peanut! and I was thinking.....that would make a cute name!
I don't think clipping a lovie is so bad as some people make it out to be. The trick is to clip the right number of flight feathers so he can still fly, but it's just more work to fly. This works perfectly for Pip, and.....if by some crazy chance too many feathers are clipped......these little guys grow feathers so darn fast! and it only takes like one grown out flight feather for them to have liftoff! as lovies are so light!
Pip is into things quite a bit on some days too, but mostly he wants to be near the other birds, so I find myself shooing him back to his cage numerous times, but I guess I'm used to it! He's really in no danger here, I have covered(wires) or gotten rid of anything dangerous a long time ago!
I think if you clipped correctly and your lovie still had flight, then you could have him out places in the house too, and also be able to keep him in the bird room.....maybe just put some ladders to the floor at first just in case he doesn't make it to where he's flying! I find Pip does this quite often right after a clip until he adjusts to it. Only thing I don't like about getting him clipped is that sometimes he will end up on the floor and I don't like the idea of birdies on the floor!
Also I have found that lovies just tend to be happy birds.... and a wing clip is just a small set-back for them! Pip doesn't even react to some of his clips and when he does, he is over it in no time!

[Jally]

Thanks guys! I do realize that an accident is just waiting to happen and that is why I run right after him and do my darnedest to keep him off the conures cage. But, that also means that I don't get any rest nor any work done but chasing after him. But, after I posted this, I went to another forum and saw another post with the same exact topic! Someone posted, "There isnt much point in having them flighted if they are always locked up. Id rather see a bird clipped if it meant more time out and getting attention."

As it is, Peanut only gets attention when he is in the bird room. And, I am only in the bird room for about half an hour. We still have our nightly cuddle sessions in my bedroom, but other than that, he doesn't come out of the bird room much.

[Jally]

Thank you Pip's mom. A friend of mine said the same exact thing to me and that is how he got his name :)

I made my decision...he is getting a small clip and hopefully we can spend a lot more time together.

[Jally]

Bubblelady, I am so sorry that Buddy is sick :( I hope she gets better real soon!!! Peanut is also a travelling birdy. He has gone to Walmart with me, camping, to a friends house in NY, all in the safety of his travel carrier! :)

[Bubblelady]

Jally, thanks for the kind words. I, too, am sorry she isn't well but she isn't going to get better :( There is no cure for old age....All I can do now is keep her comfortable and snuggle, snuggle, snuggle! She's still highly proficient at snuggling :) And eating--a trait she shares with my mom. My sister & I agree that if either of them aren't hungry, it's time to see the doctor/vet! And Buddy really loves the Avi cakes & Nutriberries I got for her after reading posts here in the Nutriberries thread. It's true to say that members of this community are responsible for making her "golden" months happier :). Buddy is a llittle tub--60 grams. Which is, I believe, a bit on the heavy side for a lovie. Takes after her fidma :(

[Jally]

Update! Yesterday morning, hubby and I clipped Peanut's wings. Hubby clipped where I told him to as I was holding Peanut. Hubby was worried that he'd squish Peanut. Anyway, Peanut has been grounded LOL Not too severe, he can still fly in the bird room but he can not make it any further than the door way.

Thanks for everyone's advice. Oh, and since he has been clipped, he is more loving. It's as if he knows that this is tough love and he is grateful for the boundaries. :)