Should wings be kept?
I was told by the vet-not too short because if they do try to fly. If they are too short they can really get hurt because they can't control themsleves and bang right into something.
So what is the story?
Full Version: How Short Or Long...
Its more about what feathers are clipped. Generally four primaries on each side are clipped allowing the bird to be able to still land gently to the ground. Alot depends on the bird too as some need more than 4 clipped.
I always tell ppl if they have never clipped wings before to have a professional do it. Mostly because if they are using the wrong equiptment they can cause injury to a bird. Also if the trim is cut poorly it can be aggrivating to the bird causing him discomfort etc.
Also another thing I guess I should mention is that it should be cut the same on both sides as birds use their wings for balance as well.
I always tell ppl if they have never clipped wings before to have a professional do it. Mostly because if they are using the wrong equiptment they can cause injury to a bird. Also if the trim is cut poorly it can be aggrivating to the bird causing him discomfort etc.
Also another thing I guess I should mention is that it should be cut the same on both sides as birds use their wings for balance as well.
Hi,
I'm no expert but I clip my bird's wings at an angle at least 4 to 5 flight wings in. That seems to do it for my birds..not too short. They have better control to get down if they need to and none of mine seemed to thund at all.
You will get more advise I'm sure. This works out good for them, just a thought.
Joni
I'm no expert but I clip my bird's wings at an angle at least 4 to 5 flight wings in. That seems to do it for my birds..not too short. They have better control to get down if they need to and none of mine seemed to thund at all.
You will get more advise I'm sure. This works out good for them, just a thought.
Joni
Thanks. I am going to let Chachi's grow out. I think he has never had wings and doesn't know how to fly. Could that be-I got him from a pet shop-he was not kept in a a plexi box-so he really never even learned to walk on or in a cage. The more I study him that's what has come to my mind. That's why I think-the vet said he seams very immature for his age. Because he was kept in a plexi box with a perch stand for a year. Does that sound crazy. It's really cute when he is on his perch he try s to flap his wings like he want to but doesn't know how
Oh I really need to get a new keyboad-darn thing is not working
Oh I really need to get a new keyboad-darn thing is not working
Wow! That's too bad...glad to hear that he has a great home now. Is he a QP or the bird in your picture? By the way what kind of bird is that in your picture? he is pretty.
Joni
Joni
QUOTE (crazymommy @ Apr 20 2007, 09:49 AM) 
Thanks. I am going to let Chachi's grow out. I think he has never had wings and doesn't know how to fly. Could that be-I got him from a pet shop-he was not kept in a a plexi box-so he really never even learned to walk on or in a cage. The more I study him that's what has come to my mind. That's why I think-the vet said he seams very immature for his age. Because he was kept in a plexi box with a perch stand for a year. Does that sound crazy. It's really cute when he is on his perch he try s to flap his wings like he want to but doesn't know how
Oh I really need to get a new keyboad-darn thing is not working
Oh I really need to get a new keyboad-darn thing is not working
In the first part of your post, you said he was not kept in a plexi box, and then you said he was..so, are you saying, he had no cage to climb around in? They do hang on and flap their wings whether they know how to fly or not..it's exercise and helps strengthen their muscles so they can fly..but it's sad that he didn't have a place to climb aorund..
Is he a year old? I would go by what the vet says..Is he an avian vet? He is right that you don't want a severe cut, as he will fall rather than glide to the floor. But when you decide to clip him, take him to the vet and let them do it.
But if he doesn't know how to fly, you have to protect him from flying into walls, windows,mirrors etc..he can really hurt himself...
Rebecca
QUOTE (captjo @ Apr 20 2007, 10:27 AM)
Wow! That's too bad...glad to hear that he has a great home now. Is he a QP or the bird in your picture? By the way what kind of bird is that in your picture? he is pretty.
Joni
Joni
Chachi -is the pix. My quaker was Buku
[quote name='Joysmom' date='Apr 20 2007, 10:37 AM' post='285297']
In the first part of your post, you said he was not kept in a plexi box, and then you said he was..so, are you saying, he had no cage to climb around in? They do hang on and flap their wings whether they know how to fly or not..it's exercise and helps strengthen their muscles so they can fly..but it's sad that he didn't have a place to climb aorund..
Is he a year old? I would go by what the vet says..Is he an avian vet? He is right that you don't want a severe cut, as he will fall rather than glide to the floor. But when you decide to clip him, take him to the vet and let them do it.
But if he doesn't know how to fly, you have to protect him from flying into walls, windows,mirrors etc..he can really hurt himself...
Rebecca
Darn keys- Yes he was kept in a plexi box no cage. Last week turn 1. I did take him to an Avian vet-she said he seemed immature for a 1 year old bird. So now that I have had him for a month. I was thinking that's why he was immmature-didn't climb maybe never flew either. He just started this week flapping his wings when he is on his perch. I didn't think to tell her he was in a plexi box and they would take the door off when someone was interested in the bird.
He will not leave the perch even if I take him off-he try so hard to go back onto it. They only time he will try to get off is when he wants to go to sleep. Then he jumps down and walks over to his cage. Last night was the first time he landed on the rug.
Since Pionus have a little more body weight than other birds I would recommend only clipping 5 on each side to start with. Lots of people clip all ten primary flight feathers and depending on the birds body style and how heavy they are really regulates how many to trim.
It isn't LENGTH of the cut its quantity. The Primary flight feathers are the first 10 feathers on the bottom edge farthest away from the body. These feathers are clipped up to and sometimes under the primary coverts, depending on the technique used. When we trim our birds wings we try to trim the outermost primary flight at a slight angle so that it doesn't rub and cause an irritation on the birds side.
Some breeders trim babies before they have really learned how to fly which I personally don't agree with. They need to fly a few times to encourage better muscle control and formation in the breast area. After the birds have fledged and had several flights we trim wings and depending on how accomplished of flier, the body mass and control helps us determine how many primary flights to trim. You want the bird to be able to glide gently to the floor not hit like a rock. But you also don't want it to be able to get any lift, so sometimes its a narrow margin as to what's not enough and whats too much. But ALWAYS trim the same amount of feathers on each wing to keep them balanced to avoid injury.
Most birds will hang off their perches or the sides of their cage and flap their wings like they are trying to fly, but in actuality they are only exercising their wings and this helps with pent up energy release as well as helps move oxygen through their bodies.
Again to clip or not to clip is a personal preference, but we've all read the stories about our pets escaping through an accidentally left open door, Or a sudden gust of wind while you had them outside.
I guess, since I know that you have a young child at home, and knowing how they will sometimes not get the door closed all the way, I'd recommend keeping the birds wings trimmed to lessen the chance of an accident. But again, it is a personal choice.
It isn't LENGTH of the cut its quantity. The Primary flight feathers are the first 10 feathers on the bottom edge farthest away from the body. These feathers are clipped up to and sometimes under the primary coverts, depending on the technique used. When we trim our birds wings we try to trim the outermost primary flight at a slight angle so that it doesn't rub and cause an irritation on the birds side.
Some breeders trim babies before they have really learned how to fly which I personally don't agree with. They need to fly a few times to encourage better muscle control and formation in the breast area. After the birds have fledged and had several flights we trim wings and depending on how accomplished of flier, the body mass and control helps us determine how many primary flights to trim. You want the bird to be able to glide gently to the floor not hit like a rock. But you also don't want it to be able to get any lift, so sometimes its a narrow margin as to what's not enough and whats too much. But ALWAYS trim the same amount of feathers on each wing to keep them balanced to avoid injury.
Most birds will hang off their perches or the sides of their cage and flap their wings like they are trying to fly, but in actuality they are only exercising their wings and this helps with pent up energy release as well as helps move oxygen through their bodies.
Again to clip or not to clip is a personal preference, but we've all read the stories about our pets escaping through an accidentally left open door, Or a sudden gust of wind while you had them outside.
I guess, since I know that you have a young child at home, and knowing how they will sometimes not get the door closed all the way, I'd recommend keeping the birds wings trimmed to lessen the chance of an accident. But again, it is a personal choice.
[quote name='Andie's Mom' date='Apr 20 2007, 11:54 AM' post='285330']
Since Pionus have a little more body weight than other birds I would recommend only clipping 5 on each side to start with. Lots of people clip all ten primary flight feathers and depending on the birds body style and how heavy they are really regulates how many to trim.
It isn't LENGTH of the cut its quantity. The Primary flight feathers are the first 10 feathers on the bottom edge farthest away from the body. These feathers are clipped up to and sometimes under the primary coverts, depending on the technique used. When we trim our birds wings we try to trim the outermost primary flight at a slight angle so that it doesn't rub and cause an irritation on the birds side.
Some breeders trim babies before they have really learned how to fly which I personally don't agree with. They need to fly a few times to encourage better muscle control and formation in the breast area. After the birds have fledged and had several flights we trim wings and depending on how accomplished of flier, the body mass and control helps us determine how many primary flights to trim. You want the bird to be able to glide gently to the floor not hit like a rock. But you also don't want it to be able to get any lift, so sometimes its a narrow margin as to what's not enough and whats too much. But ALWAYS trim the same amount of feathers on each wing to keep them balanced to avoid injury.
Most birds will hang off their perches or the sides of their cage and flap their wings like they are trying to fly, but in actuality they are only exercising their wings and this helps with pent up energy release as well as helps move oxygen through their bodies.
Again to clip or not to clip is a personal preference, but we've all read the stories about our pets escaping through an accidentally left open door, Or a sudden gust of wind while you had them outside.
I guess, since I know that you have a young child at home, and knowing how they will sometimes not get the door closed all the way, I'd recommend keeping the birds wings trimmed to lessen the chance of an accident. But again, it is a personal choice.
Thanks. I will let his wing go out- I think it is mean that he may have never learned. Then I'll clip them. But ya know clipped birds can stil fly away.
The way the house is set up-it would be really hard for him to fly away. Doors are never left open nor unlocked(the NY in me). As far as boy goes-at 5 he is more retentive about his pets that any kid I have met. He tells me birds are not ment to walk on the floor-pick him up.
I always sit on the floor any play with them. We have a crested gecko-he would not take her to show and tell he was scared if some one would scare her or pull her tail-if a crested gecko losses thier tail it doesn't grow back. He would cry at just the memtion. I can't even talk about Buku-because he feeks out. Just yesterday-we were doing school work and I said Do you remember Buku would count.The bird would count when ever we did homework-he would go 1 2 3 it was so funny. Any way he got so upset ran to his room crying-then I started to cry-I am crying now as I type. Thanks again- I don't cut the birds wing I leave it up to the vet
Since Pionus have a little more body weight than other birds I would recommend only clipping 5 on each side to start with. Lots of people clip all ten primary flight feathers and depending on the birds body style and how heavy they are really regulates how many to trim.
It isn't LENGTH of the cut its quantity. The Primary flight feathers are the first 10 feathers on the bottom edge farthest away from the body. These feathers are clipped up to and sometimes under the primary coverts, depending on the technique used. When we trim our birds wings we try to trim the outermost primary flight at a slight angle so that it doesn't rub and cause an irritation on the birds side.
Some breeders trim babies before they have really learned how to fly which I personally don't agree with. They need to fly a few times to encourage better muscle control and formation in the breast area. After the birds have fledged and had several flights we trim wings and depending on how accomplished of flier, the body mass and control helps us determine how many primary flights to trim. You want the bird to be able to glide gently to the floor not hit like a rock. But you also don't want it to be able to get any lift, so sometimes its a narrow margin as to what's not enough and whats too much. But ALWAYS trim the same amount of feathers on each wing to keep them balanced to avoid injury.
Most birds will hang off their perches or the sides of their cage and flap their wings like they are trying to fly, but in actuality they are only exercising their wings and this helps with pent up energy release as well as helps move oxygen through their bodies.
Again to clip or not to clip is a personal preference, but we've all read the stories about our pets escaping through an accidentally left open door, Or a sudden gust of wind while you had them outside.
I guess, since I know that you have a young child at home, and knowing how they will sometimes not get the door closed all the way, I'd recommend keeping the birds wings trimmed to lessen the chance of an accident. But again, it is a personal choice.
Thanks. I will let his wing go out- I think it is mean that he may have never learned. Then I'll clip them. But ya know clipped birds can stil fly away.
The way the house is set up-it would be really hard for him to fly away. Doors are never left open nor unlocked(the NY in me). As far as boy goes-at 5 he is more retentive about his pets that any kid I have met. He tells me birds are not ment to walk on the floor-pick him up.
I always sit on the floor any play with them. We have a crested gecko-he would not take her to show and tell he was scared if some one would scare her or pull her tail-if a crested gecko losses thier tail it doesn't grow back. He would cry at just the memtion. I can't even talk about Buku-because he feeks out. Just yesterday-we were doing school work and I said Do you remember Buku would count.The bird would count when ever we did homework-he would go 1 2 3 it was so funny. Any way he got so upset ran to his room crying-then I started to cry-I am crying now as I type. Thanks again- I don't cut the birds wing I leave it up to the vet
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