Clipping Vs. Flighted

[cag40oz]

So my GCC came clipped and we have had him for a week now. And like any new owner, I have been all over the forums and websites learning about them. I'm trying to figure out if I should keep him clipped or not. We have 6 children in our house, two of them are 4. Last summer, we had a huge problem with the dog getting loose because the kids would leave the door open. I like the idea of him being able to be flighted, but I am also concerned he will get outside.

Can he truly be happy if he can't fly? My finacee' doesn't want him to fly because she is scared he will get hurt, and I'm kind of having mixed feelings.

Thanks alot.

[cml]

So my GCC came clipped and we have had him for a week now. And like any new owner, I have been all over the forums and websites learning about them. I'm trying to figure out if I should keep him clipped or not. We have 6 children in our house, two of them are 4. Last summer, we had a huge problem with the dog getting loose because the kids would leave the door open. I like the idea of him being able to be flighted, but I am also concerned he will get outside.

Can he truly be happy if he can't fly? My finacee' doesn't want him to fly because she is scared he will get hurt, and I'm kind of having mixed feelings.

Thanks alot.

He will be a much happier bird flighted, and may develop serious mental problems if he is clipped. In fact he might not even develop as he should mentally because he's crippled.

The get hurt bit is a myth, and a long lived one at that. Flighted birds are actually LESS likely to injure themselvs than clipped. Think about it like this, a flighted bird can fly away from trouble or save itself from a fall, whereas a clipped bird is stuck or falls as a rock.

Please read my reply here (scroll up a bit):
http://theparrotforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&p=67074#p67074

I also reccommend you to read Michael's blog on clipping, and keep an open mind. It gets into detail about all the downsides to clipping as well as dispells some of the myths regarding flight/clipping.
It can be found here:
http://www.trainedparrot.come/clipping

With regards to your children, the solution is that you cant let your parrot out unless you are sure where your kids are, and or they are supervised. Infact, children shouldnt interact with parrots unless supervised anyway (they do sudden unexpected moves which freaks parrots out), so it'll be your best bet. Either that or if you can, perhaps lock the door from the inside so the kids dont run out and forget the door open by mistake. That could be a could solution as well.

Welcome to the forums!

[GreenWing]

I am of the firm belief that birds are meant to fly, and therefore should fly. When they're flighted, they live longer, are happier, less aggressive, alllll of the good stuff.

Do you have an adult around at all times, to watch the kids and make sure they stop leaving the door open? Leaving the door open is indeed problematic because not only could your bird fly away once it's flighted, but your dog could also get seriously hurt as well. As Cml suggests, locking the door from the inside is a good idea.

Anyway, with your new bird now getting settled, I think this is a perfect opportunity to talk to the children about the bird's safety and safety precautions, how to take care of it, what not to do, etc. This goes for the other beasts in your home, as well.

[friend2parrots]

i agree with cml's and greenwing's posts that keeping your bird flighted will be better for your birds health, wellbeing, and behavior. i also agree with them that sitting down with the kids to explain whats necessary for the safety of the bird would be a great idea, and making sure the doors lock from the inside.

about the locks on the doors - i'm not sure what kind of locks you currently have, but you may want to consider installing all the doors of the house with the kind of lock that requires a key from both directions. I am not sure what its called - but basically it needs a key to lock and unlock whether youre going out, or coming in. it should be readily available in any hardware shop.

you may also need to implement certain rules such as, the doors are not allowed to be opened unless the bird is in the cage. you may want to set up a flowchart for the whole family as to what needs to be done before the bird is let out of the cage, and before doors are opened, etc. to make things systematic and regimented. also, make sure to completely bird-proof the home, and avoid the common hazards: make sure everyone knows not to leave toilet seat being left up, or leave standing water in the sink, and to make sure not to have the bird out while cooking, etc.

also wanted to mention that Green cheeks are smart and usually figure out how to let themselves out of their cage by manipulating the cage lock with their feet. a bunch of us on this forum including me have GCCs that know how to do this. so you should definitely get a lock for your GCC's cage as soon as you can. all the best and let us know how things go

[marie83]

In your situation I would install a lock which requires a key and I would also lock the door key away somewhere the kids can't get it and don't know where the keys are kept. I might even go as far as putting an additional lock on which needs a seperate key which is kept somewhere seperately from the other key to be doubly sure.

Of course the downside of that is that if there is ever a fire or other emergancy at night and you need to get out quickly its going to slow you right down.... So I would probably put a lock on the cage so the kids can't let him out, have a seperate, small and lightweight "night cage" so you can get the bird out without having to faft about unlocking the cage, putting him in a carrier and then muck about getting the keys from the two seperate locations.... and then keep the keys by the doors just at night time. I would also double lock the windows if possible.

Thats a lot of inconvenience and expense but alot better than a bird that isn't healthy physically and emotionally because it cannot fly, cannot get itself out of trouble, can't get away from the kids so will turn to biting instead, additional vet bills etc etc. That would be far more trouble and unfair on the bird IMO.

[pennyandrocky]

oh definately allow full flight.when we first got penny he was clipped within the first week my son who was 3 at the time almost smothered him and pulled out every last tail feather by stepping on his tail because he could only walk on the floor instead of flying. my house is a main hangout for kids in the neighborhood from age 3-10, we have a gameroom with every game and a huge playground in the backyard, but the kids all know the rules with doors and if they are caught breaking the rules they are banned.

[Pricey_boy]

you could put one of those auto shut things on your door so if it opens it will close again

[cag40oz]

Thanks for the replies. The kids most definitely are supervised to the best of our ability. You have to remember, there are 6 kids. In the warm weather they will try to run in one door and out the other door. We do our best to manage this, but it will never be completly solved until they get a little older. Trust, you wouldn't believe how many times I have to correct these rascal just to save on the electric bill, lol.

I think I am going to look into getting one of them alarms that sounds when the door is open, that will make you aware its open and you'll make sure to close it.

[Polarn]

If your in a house and has the possibility to screen the porch/build a screened box or whatever outside the doors, or have hallways that would allow double doors that would most likely be your safest bet. I use double doors and doesn't even have kids... But just to be absolutely safe nothing gets in or out that shouldn't... When it isn't supposed to.

And we'll to be honest a mechanical rig using door shutters to prevent one door to open if the other isn't closed wouldn't be that hard to rig... Even if it would be easier to rig one with electronics.... But the downside of electronics is that if it fails you may not be able to get out at all... Wich would be a nightmare incase of a fire... But then again that's solvable too making all locks open mechanically as soon as the power goes.... Anyways double doors are good even if one of them is just a screen door... Problem is learning to close one of them before opening the other... And especially hard if their too close together...