Clipped Mikey!

[Asue]

I finally clipped Mikey's flight feathers. Let me tell ya... I was paranoid that I clipped him wrong, and he'd start plucking himself crazy-like. It's day four and he's not plucking. I was scared that I had clipped his feathers too short, and the ends may poke his sides. BIG change in attitude, Mikey's calmed down a bit. Not biting everyone. I think maybe clipping him was something I should have done a while ago?

[Angela]

Good for you! I'm still at the stage where I'm a afraid to do it...:p

[Janie]

I would never tell anyone that they absolutely had to clip their birds wings (or have them clipped) but for my birds, I'm totally in favor of it! It does calm them down. It's also a huge safety factor for my birds with four humans living in the same house. Unless you are living alone and don't have to worry about a door or window being left open or a ceiling fan getting turned on while the bird is out or so many other things that can happen when a bird is flighted, a clipped bird is safer, IMHO.

Glad it went well and that Mikey seems to be OK with his new wing-do! :D

[Angelwing]

He'll most likely bond with you better now, as he has to rely on you more. Good job on clipping Mikey's wings! He'll be more safe now. :)

[Elle]

I finally clipped Mikey's flight feathers. Let me tell ya... I was paranoid that I clipped him wrong, and he'd start plucking himself crazy-like. It's day four and he's not plucking. I was scared that I had clipped his feathers too short, and the ends may poke his sides. BIG change in attitude, Mikey's calmed down a bit. Not biting everyone. I think maybe clipping him was something I should have done a while ago?


It's never too late to make that decision. I went through the same thing with Blu. I clipped her In may, then in Oct she was flying again. There was a big attitute change when she started flying but it was positive. She was now coming ot us and spending time with us on her own will, knowing she had the freesom to fly away. Then it changed. She would only fly away. So I clipped again in Nov, 4 feathers on each side. Didn't stop her from flying this time. :lol She can still lift from the floor to the tp of a door. It takes more efforts.
To be honest with you, I don't regret it. She is becomming a velcro baby and even if she can fly, she still depends on us. She can't fly very far anymore. As far as the plucking goes, it may have been Mickey's way to make you feel guilty. Lovebirds are good at that :lol Blu was was so upset the first time, she had great pleaseure in chewing holes in all my sweaters. :lol

Glad to hear Mickey is becoming reasonable again.

Regards,

[Asue]

Mikey's vet said lovebirds are heavier bodied, and clipping the first five or six flight feathers is enough to prevent them from gaining lift. Yeah, right...;) Mikey was still flying ( kinda ) but he had to work three times as hard to gain lift! Poor baby tucker himself out!
Well, Mikey vented his frustrations on his ball, tossing it around and kicking it with his feet. It was funny and kinda pitiful at the same time!!!:rofl:
Anyone else clip their birds themselves?

[mjm8321]

We clip our birds ourselves. It would get darned expensive to be charged $8.00 per bird to have someone else do it. :lol

Each bird, even lovebirds all have different strength in flying. Some of the birds get 3-4 wigs clipped while others 7-8.