Wingdow

[thegreatkatsby]

Does anyone have a wingdow? http://wingdow.com/

I keep seeing ads for them, and I think they're absolutely wonderful, but I can't imagine spending $200 for a suction-cup window perch when that money could go towards a lot of other great things. Are there any affordable alternatives? Anything similar?

[Michael]

Ok, first of all, why bother paying SOOO much for that when you could buy any free standing perch to put next to the window for a lot less (like my training perches for instance )?

More importantly, what's the point? I think the windows block a very large amount of the natural sunlight and especially UV. I bet you buying a harness and taking the parrot outside for 30 minutes a day in direct sunlight would do more good than sitting on the window all day long.

BTW, I don't recommend putting clipped parrots on window edges like that because it seems to really stress them out and they can't fly away if they are scared. Kili is terrified of windows but she can fly away so it's not the end of the world.

[pchela]

I wonder if one of the shower perches would do the trick?


Michael, I'm curious about what kind of clip KIli had when you got her. The way you talk about clipped parrots makes me think that you've only seen severe clips where the bird falls to the ground if clipped. Also, your adamant arguments against clipping lead me to believe that you've not seen a clip as it's supposed to be. A clipped parrot should be able to still fly from a window perch to a safe spot in the house. If it can't, it's over clipped. Just curious about your experience with this.

[Michael]

What's the point of clipping at all then? That defeats the purpose of clipping which is to make it so that the parrot cannot fly. I think the limited clips are the most pointless ones because the parrot still flies but with extreme difficulty.

[pchela]

Nah. A proper clip only keeps a bird from gaining altitude. It should be able to fly straight and glide downward, not fall to the floor like a feathered brick. It can be helpful in home situations.

But, not reopening the clipped vs not debate.. I just wondered what your personal experience with it was.

[thegreatkatsby]

My BFA does not fly, and cannot fly (to my knowledge--she was kept in a cage too small for her by previous owners and I'm assuming she never learned or developed the muscles necessary). In the past she has shown a lot of enthusiasm for being able to sit at a window and watch people walk by, birds outside, cars driving by, etc. I do have a shower perch (that she chewed the tread off of), and it's OK, but sometimes the suction will randomly give up, and I would feel horrible if she was sitting on it when that happens. The Wingdow seems much more stable to me.

There's also the "pooping all over the windowsill/floor issue", which is easy enough to remedy with carefully placed newspaper, and the "chewing up all the window trim" issue which is harder to remedy... for Earlyn, it's more about the entertainment value of being able to watch the world outside while safely in the apartment. She haaaaaaaaaaaaates the harness, and I also have concerns about a family of hawks that lives right outside that hunts/eats all the pigeons. I'm sure they'd go for a BFA too.

I have a stand that I can position in front of the window, but for some reason I think it would be really neat if she could sit right up against the window and really be able to see outside.

[HyperD]

I do put my shower perch on the window and she enjoys looking outside and shouting at the other birds... Although recently she has taken a liking to the window handles...


The only advantage this has is that it will catch any poo for birds that are not potty trained....

[Rue]

I've seen the ads and I think they look like a good idea...except doesn't the bird have to look through the acrylic AND the glass? I don't know if you can see clearly through the acrylic and that would be frustrating for me - if things were fuzzy or distorted. I imagine a bird might also find it frustrating.

But if it's just to get more light, etc., it's good!

[lzver]

More importantly, what's the point? I think the windows block a very large amount of the natural sunlight and especially UV. I bet you buying a harness and taking the parrot outside for 30 minutes a day in direct sunlight would do more good than sitting on the window all day long.

Sunlight through a window provides no benefit to birds. When Jessie was at the vet last month the vet recommended natural sunlight on a regular basis but specifically said that windows block UV light.

[Mr.Darcy]

I must admit I have been curious about the Wingdow too. I think I am going to use the Happy Perch with suction cups and I was thinking of using the lowtack clear plastic roll used for painting to cover carpet to catch the poop. Or I was thinking of going to Zellers or Walmart for an inexpensive carpet runner that looks better than newspaper strewn on the floor and is machine washable.....If my baby EVER gets here!! ugh sigh moan.....I will experiment and let you know how it goes....