Pouty birds

[Buy A Paper Doll]

I'm sorry, but birds that can fly up to the ceiling fan + hubby who forgets to turn off the ceiling fan when birds are out = tragedy waiting to happen. That being said, today was wing clip day for M&M.

Of course they both threw fits. Melody let me know she was not happy with being handled by leaving a nice, deep puncture wound on my thumb. Can't say that I blame her; she's "told" me before that she doesn't like it. Not much I can do about that! I do wing clips in the bathroom because I have more control over the situation in there. Turn off the lights, get birdy positioned in my hands, then turn the light on and clip quickly.

Mel broke the "birds don't fly in the dark" rule and took off in pitch darkness just seconds after I hit the light switch. I got the light back on just in time to watch her get tangled in the shower curtain and then crash land. :x I told her, "and THAT, my little princess, is why you are getting your wing-wings clipped today!"

Now, both birds are pouting. Hubby's pouting too. He said, "I thought I told you guys not to fly in front of Mommy." :roll:

[butterfly1061]

Awwww, poor M&M. I do hope millet was available to take care of the pouting. Of course, not for hubby ;) I clip mine in the bathroom too. After I clip then we look at the birdy in the mirror - it helps.

[Buy A Paper Doll]

Definitely no millet for hubby!!!!! Do you know what he just said to the birds? "Do you guys want to come out and see Daddy for a little while? I won't clip your wings."

>: >: >: >: >: >:

[BarbieH]

Hi Mel; this is Gracie. George and I got *our* wings clipped yesterday. We are being quiet and oh-so-obedient today, but we are plotting ... oh yes, we are plotting ...

[Janie]

Aw, I feel for them Jennifer. I know it's a necessary evil and Big Boi and Shy are going to have to have one soon. They are too curious and just can't be trusted. Oliver hasn't had one since last fall and my plan is that that was his last one. He is the happiest little birdie, fully flighted and he does not leave me when I take him out of the bird room. Stays right on my shoulder, hiding under my hair, till he's ready to go see the boys and then he'll fly to the banister and wait for me to take him down. That of course means he will never go outside again but I think he'd choose flight over trips to the garage on my shoulder. Right now BB & Shy can go from the floor about 6 feet up so they are past ready for a clip and I'm sure they'll be very unhappy about that.....I'm sure Oliver will be grinning from ear to ear! :D

[linda040899]

Jennifer,
I happen to agree with you completely. Birds and ceiling fans just don't go together! I've never seen what happens when they occupy the same air space but I've been told it's not pretty! Birdies need a wing clip and daddy needs a stern lecture on why it's important to remember to turn off the fans when birdies are out and about! My ex used to be real bad about that until I laced into him a couple of times. His own macaw almost got nailed by a fan blade just about the same time I was on his case, so I think that made what I was saying a bit more understandable!

[Janie]

I specifically requested a ceiling fan when we had the bird room enclosed and it has never been turned on. Luckily, it can be turned off and on at the base of the fan, not at the light switch, so no one can make that mistake and when there is more than one person in a house you know mistakes are going to be made and that one could be drastic. I thought they'd be in their cages more and would enjoy the fan but that isn't the case so it was a waste. I have several fans in the house but I am the only one who takes Shy and BB out of their bird room (and not for long cause they are nothing but trouble, :D) so *I* am careful and make sure all downstairs fans are off but I could not trust any other family member to think that far ahead. Oliver doesn't "do" fans! :D Two years with Oliver did not prepare me at all for real lovebirds! I've read all the stories here about what they can and will get into but it's hard to believe it until you've had two that do! :lol

[Buy A Paper Doll]

Sadly, Milo seems to be taking the wing clip worse than I initially thought. Or perhaps the construction going on in the back yard is stressing him. Or (most likely) maybe it's a combination of the two. Since his wing clip he has been plucking constantly. :(

He seems to be itchy. I *know* there is nothing medically wrong with this bird because he tested negative for EVERYTHING about 6 months ago, and has had no exposure to any other birds since then. So I gave him a warm bath and extra special attention, and I gave him a teensy bit of childrens Benedryl as directed by the vet. Hopefully he will settle down before I have a little bald bird on my hands again.

[butterfly1061]

:( Poor, poor Milo birdy!

Milo baby, You can't keep pluckin' those purdy feathers :eek: You's the reason everybody got a violet birdy. Cause you's soooooo purdy with your feathers attached. That bed ole noisy construction will go away soon so you's won't have ta be 'fraid. Go eats some millet, that'll takes your mind of everything. :)

[Buy A Paper Doll]

It's always so hard to tell what exactly is causing the picking. At least I know it isn't a medical issue.

He's in a bad molt right now, and I fear that this will send him back into bad overpreening habits again. Melody is not doing a very good job with helping him with the pinfeathers on his face; this morning I had to do it. I also gave him a nice tepid dunk bath this afternoon, soaked him to the core. Tomorrow I'll make up a bunch of foraging toys, they seemed to work well the last time he was picking like this.

Just in case it happens to be the construction that's stressing him out, I think I'm going to keep the birds in the back bedroom for the morning, when they come to pour the concrete slab for our new screened porch on Monday.

[butterfly1061]

Oooo, a screened porch sounds nice. Birdies can spend more time outside without any fear :) I miss mine :(

[Buy A Paper Doll]

Oooo, a screened porch sounds nice. Birdies can spend more time outside without any fear :) I miss mine :(
Yep! I can't wait. Right now, when I take them outside, there is a hawk that starts circling as soon as he hears my little guys chirp. :x Even with them in their cage, I do not feel safe as long as that hawk is around. The porch will provide an additional level of protection and peace of mind.

Hopefully Milo will understand. ;)