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Why do you clip your parrot?

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Why do you clip your parrot?

Postby Michael » Mon Dec 21, 2009 12:45 am

This is a question for people who choose to clip their parrot (or have them or continue having them clipped). What are the reasons for this? Would you ever consider not clipping them? Do you feel that you would lose control over your parrot if you didn't clip them?

And for everyone, what are the reasons for clipping. Is it exclusively for the convenience of the human host? Are there any reasons that do not have to do with the convenience of the human host? I'm really not trying to turn this into a clip vs. not clip debate but would rather get specific opinions that are pro wing trimming. I just want to see if we can get all the ideas for it down. So please, do not post anti wing clipping feedback here as we will have other topics for the other side.

So why clip a parrot?
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Michael
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Re: Why do you clip your parrot?

Postby Natacha » Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:06 am

The only one I clip is Petey and it's for the security of the others as I don't want her to be able to go after anyone. She's proven a while ago that she will do it.
If she ever gets better with the flock (and it seems to slowly be going that way - cross fingers!), then I might allow her to be able to grow her flight feathers in.

Until then, it's clipped to avoid some possible injuries.
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Re: Why do you clip your parrot?

Postby triplebbirds » Mon Dec 21, 2009 8:43 am

Ok Ill bite.
Ok first off this is only the pets. The breeders for the most part with 1 exception are flighted.

1. Control, but not in the normal sence. I can controll where they arent going. They dont fly into windows because i dont let them, They dont get into other areas they arent supposed to get into because i dont let them. Also Jazz and Pugzy really dont like each other. This way they cant go see each others cage.
2. Training, you control their comings and goings sometimes gets ya there faster
3. Legality, as was mentioned in a different post i live in Ohio and my Quakers need to be clipped. Like the road sign says "Clip it or Ticket" Ok so it was click it or ticket and i dont remember what state it was but one of them i went through way to many times.
4. Habit, always clipped their wings.
5. With the babies they get clipped before they go home so they can adjust a bit better. Dont want someones first experience with their bird chasing after him for hours and being so exhausted they dont want to play with their bird and so he just goes back in the cage.


NOW I would consider not clipping them if there wasnt a reason to do it. My birds that are clipped have some flight ability. They just really dont have that up flight. When the babies get clipped its after they have flight mastered, They have mastered turns and all that in the air. They have learned to land. Then we gradually clip their wings so they still have landing controll but just not the upward flight. And its more like a nice gracefull landing. Also every bird that leaves here goes home with their packet. One of the things included in the packet is instructions on how to clip the birds wings and nails.
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Re: Why do you clip your parrot?

Postby MissLady9902 » Mon Dec 21, 2009 8:49 am

Like the road sign says "Clip it or Ticket" Ok so it was click it or ticket and i dont remember what state it was but one of them i went through way to many times.


That's Missouri. My state! just fyi :P
Cathy

Busy beaks are quiet beaks!

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:gray: - Marvin
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Re: Why do you clip your parrot?

Postby triplebbirds » Mon Dec 21, 2009 8:57 am

Ok like i said went through columbia MO many times. Hubby was stationed in Kansas last, so we made the drive from KS to OH almost monthy for a while. Im not sure if any other states have them signs, Im sure they do its pretty common but i remember Mo;s very well.
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Re: Why do you clip your parrot?

Postby tacotaco » Mon Dec 21, 2009 10:52 am

Well, I do know a lot of people on here have flighted birds. As some of you know, I don't. I had a Nanday some years ago, I was way younger and less into birds back then. I loved him (Ziggy) dearly but I was too young to be knowledgable about training them, etc etc. He ended up seeing something outside (I think it was a squirrel) and he darted right into our window and broke his neck.

Still, years later, I am not experienced as most of you and decided to clip my bird for (what I think) is a good reason. I just moved into a very large house..Having never trained a bird or ever having a flighted one I decided that it wouldn't be a good idea to start now. Almost the entire house is windows. Since we are on the water, birds and other animals are always passing by, darting in the water to catch fish, and LOTS OF DEER! I think for a bird, it would sometimes bed istracting. The last thing I would want to worry about is him flying into a window/mirror. I know there are techniques to train them, hang things on the window, maybe even keep the blinds down (but whats the point of having a water view then!) etc, I just don't think I am up to that at the moment being i just got him and it's my first bird that just I am in charge of.

If i lived in a smaller house by myself (which will eventually happen in the next few years) I would be open to learning and training him as a flighted bird.

here is an example of what I'd have to work with...
not fun?! so bottom line...my house is not bird-safe, i clip to avoid injury
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Re: Why do you clip your parrot?

Postby MandyG » Wed Jan 20, 2010 9:23 am

Michael wrote:So why clip a parrot?


Safety.

After Mojo became flighted early this fall his aggression increased incredibly towards my husband. He would fly randomly at him, bite him hard, then go into his full Amazon display of aggression (fanned tail, spread wings, pinned/flashing eyes) and he would continue to bite. And for anybody that doesn't know Zons, when they're in this state you do not handle them and they will attack anybody, including their preferred person. Now prevention is key with attacks like this, no matter how much training you're doing while the bird is cooperative it doesn't mean anything if a Zon can continue to fly at and attack the target of their aggression. After multiple attacks one night (and bloody fingers for my husband and me) and talking to a few people with experience with aggressive Zons, a very mild wing clip resulted. He can still fly across the house, it just takes more effort for him.

So as much as I prefer to keep a parrot flighted, this is why mine is currently clipped.
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Re: Why do you clip your parrot?

Postby Michael » Wed Jan 20, 2010 9:34 am

What could have been done differently so the parrot would not have had to be clipped?
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Michael
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Re: Why do you clip your parrot?

Postby MandyG » Wed Jan 20, 2010 9:57 am

If you're directing this to me, I could have my bird caged anytime my husband was in the house or have my husband shut away in a different room every time my bird was out! We've been trying different types of training, starting slow with just giving lots of treats and praise anytime my husband was near me and Mojo, and that was working fine when we were in those situations. But still, randomly he would attack.

Why suffer attacks and have all of our training set back multiple times a night when clipping is working so well? I don't think it's fair to set the parrot up for failure. As with any training you want to set the bird up to succeed. In our case, clipping does that. And if the relationships with everybody involved in the household have already improved significantly, he can still use his wings when he wants to (with a little more effort), and can still recall for exercise; clipping is much more beneficial for the bird (and us) than being flighted right now.
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Re: Why do you clip your parrot?

Postby Michael » Wed Jan 20, 2010 10:09 am

No, no. This I understand. I am asking you to think back in retrospect (for the benefit of other forum members here) what you could have done differently so that you would not have run into this problem at this point?
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Michael
Macaw
 
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Number of Birds Owned: 3
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal Parrot, Cape Parrot, Green-Winged Macaw
Flight: Yes

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