So I went to a different vet

[Kirsten]

Just for the heck of it and because I actually wanted to speak to this particular vet because I'm considering going to vet school a few years after nursing school and that's what she has done. Anyway, she did waaaaay more than my last vet ever did.

I had never been asked to bring in a poop sample or seen the vet check his eyes and look down his throat. In fact, this vet went through every step and told me everything she was looking for while showing me. Overall Skittles is as healthy as can be.

Then she saw his wings. Skittles had finally gotten to the point where he was learning to fly. He had been flying from my shoulder to his perch and back, but he had seemed like he was coming down hard and having a difficult time turning. She told me that whoever had clipped him last had clipped this feathers on the inside that they weren't supposed to. Weeeeelll, the last person to clip his wings was my last vet...

She explained to me that a bird's wings are like an airplane. The part of the wing that is closer to the body helps to control descent and direction, where the outside just helps him get off the ground. So that basically explained why Skittles was flying, but was kind of all over the place.

So, in order for the feathers to grow out together, she had to clip his flight wings again. Now Skittles is back to falling like a rock. It's just frustrating that we'd finally grown out Skittles wings to a good length and he was learning to fly and now we have to start all over! Oh well..

[liz]

Rambo does not have flight feathers. To keep all parts of him exersized I put him on my finger and lift my hand up and down. He always flaps on the down. I aim him toward the sofa and when he thinks he has enough lift he flies to the sofa. It is only about 5 feet.

Trying to fly Rambo flaps like a humming bird.

[marie83]

Brilliant that you've found a better vet. I didn't know just how rubbish my last one was until we found our current one. Hopefully skittles stands more of a chance of growing them out properly now which will be much safer for when he does although he may still be a bit all over the place to start with he will learn fast and build his strength up from there.