Birdie backpacks

[Michael]

But I'm not going to change what I said because anyone in her position that has a breeder that does clip (in fact the breeder for my Greater will clip. It's just the way it has to be for her) needs to know that it's not going to ruin your pet.

I'm sorry but what may cause a delay and inconvenience to you of a few months may forever impact your parrot. I would tell that breeder don't clip or forget it. In fact I did tell that to a breeder. It took me a while to find a breeder for Truman that wouldn't clip and longer still to get viable eggs and bird... but now the delay is forgotten and the result well worth it. When a breeder doesn't know how to raise a parrot without clipping, there is probably a ton of other things the breeder doesn't know either. A breeder that can sell you a never clipped bird is much further on the right track when it comes to handling, knowledge, and experience or they wouldn't be able to do it. I'm sorry if you don't like this but I am really offering this to you with the best for you and your bird in mind.

Check out Truman as a flighted baby if you need convincing about how easy, precious, and fun a flighted baby Poi is.

[friend2parrots]

I don't like clipping period, but if I were going to choose between which kinds of clippings create the most vs least harm, clipping a baby is by far the most. Getting a flighted parrot, letting it be flighted for 1 year, then clipping it for a year, then letting it fly again is far less detrimental than ruining those baby years of learning. That is the age when the parrot can learn to fly around a home, bounce of windows and walls. It won't get injured because like a human toddler it is built to fall. Yet it will learn the flight skills that will be useful throughout its life. Learning these late involves more difficulty, more hurt, and more mental deficiency.

I agree with this 100%

ive purchased clipped pet store birds in the past, when I was younger and clipping was EVEN more standard practice than it is these days. back then, i had no idea that there was a milestone the bird had missed. i just thought it was something that the shops were "supposed to do" - i just assumed that it was something you couldnt avoid when buying a petstore bird. so i would just bring them home and let the wings grow out, because my family has always preferred flighted birds.

it was much only later on that i discovered that it doesnt have to be that way, and that in Europe they dont clip wings as standard practice the way they do in the US!

When a breeder doesn't know how to raise a parrot without clipping, there is probably a ton of other things the breeder doesn't know either. A breeder that can sell you a never clipped bird is much further on the right track when it comes to handling, knowledge, and experience or they wouldn't be able to do it. I'm sorry if you don't like this but I am really offering this to you with the best for you and your bird in mind.

CSLFiero, I agree with what michaels written here too. you should either reconsider your breeder, or *ask politely but firmly* (in other words DEMAND!!! ) for him or her to not clip the wings. if they dont agree, you should walk away.

[Andromeda]

For all of you with flighted parrots, make your vet put in your bird's file "DO NOT CLIP WINGS." I had this done for mine in case someone birdsitting for me ever has to take my parrot in for an injury.

This is such a good idea, I'm glad you mentioned this because I hadn't even thought of what might happen if someone else had to take my bird in due to an injury.

I'm sorry but what may cause a delay and inconvenience to you of a few months may forever impact your parrot. I would tell that breeder don't clip or forget it.

My Poi was clipped and he has never recovered.

Granted, he is a rescue and was of unknown age when we adopted him so I don't know how long he was clipped, but the rescue "guessed" he was about one so it may not have been very long. He has been flighted for ~4 1/2 years now and he still bears scars psychologically from being clipped. He had a severe clip when he came to us and he was extremely fearful and would startle and fall constantly.

That bad clip and all those falls impacted his entire personality. Even today, years later, he is wary and still somewhat fearful. He has a ridiculous bite reflex; if something startles him (and it doesn't take much) he just bites INSTANTLY. The biting has not been reinforced very often as he has only been successful with it maybe 6 times the past 5 years but it's very clear that when it comes to "fight or flight" fight is just ingrained in him as his only option. My husband had to stop carrying him around on his hand because during transit sometimes he would get startled (for no reason that we could determine) and he would bite so hard it left scars.

I have been actively trying to re-fledge him for a year now and he is so hesitant to fly that I haven't really gotten anywhere, even though he is not on free-feed. He has zero confidence in regards to flight and the motivation just isn't there, even when I know he is hungry and I offer him his favorite treats.

Perhaps my Poi was clipped more than once but you still can't just make the assumption that one clip won't lead to permanent physical or psychological damage, because it can.

You say your breeder will clip because "it's just the way it has to be for her" but why is that not negotiable? Why does it have to be that way? Go somewhere else if she insists on clipping.

[CSLFiero]

I don't think it's worth walking away from this bird, and I don't think it's worth walking away from this breeder. In the short time I've even known it's existence, I'm taken with it. Perhaps it's the struggle of finding a rare bird and the right breeder. It can feel like a quest of destiny.

I still respect this community enormously, but this pill is too bitter to swallow. A bitter pill when there is in some 200 vids a glass of sweet water; Kili. Living proof that a breeder's mistakes don't have to be your own.

I have to live with the guilt of Kili having been butchered as a baby every day when I watch her flying funny because of her feather issue and when I see the ways in which she is mentally behind in flight compared to Truman.

Why? Mike, don't you feel one ounce of guilt over her, you've done the kind of good all parrots should be so lucky to receive.

I don't mean to demagogue the issue, but on this I'm adamant. I'll continue to insist on the fullest extend of flight, but also I insist on owning this Greater. Only one of those choices do I retain complete control.

[friend2parrots]

CSLFiero, maybe you could perhaps kinda "investigate" the situation a little like this: maybe you could call the breeder, and just ask very nicely why she thinks clipping would be necessary. take a lot of notes. write everything she says down.

THEN

come back to THE PARROT FORUM and tell us her "Pro-clipping" arguments. we can all brainstorm and figure out what might work to convince her not to clip!!

how about it? your Greater hatchling is pretty little now (just a few days old) so you still have some time.

[CSLFiero]

I actually just got off the phone with her


She agreed not to clip. I might not have been making myself clear. I'm not a great verbal talker, I do better behind a keyboard.

[cml]

I actually just got off the phone with her


She agreed not to clip. I might not have been making myself clear. I'm not a great verbal talker, I do better behind a keyboard.

Congratulations , keep us updated on the little jardine!

[friend2parrots]

Great news, CSLFiero!

looking forward to more pictures of your birdie!

[Michael]

Congratulations, that is excellent news. I told you you gotta DEMAND them not to clip or otherwise they typically do. The suckiest breeders will clip no matter what, the better ones mainly don't clip or will at least agree not to clip when asked. Sometimes it's a matter of proving yourself as capable of safely keeping a flighted parrot.... however, I would NEVER sell a parrot to someone who weren't capable of safely keeping a FLIGHTED parrot but claimed to be able to keep a clipped one. Inevitably those flighted dangers end up claiming clipped parrots just the same.

If I remember correctly, when I sent deposit of full payment for Truman I included a letter in which I made it clear that I would not accept a clipped parrot. I suggest doing something in writing as well. Some breeders make a lot of promises to get you off their back but then don't deliver. The ones I wasn't delivered were petty enough that I let it go; the bird wasn't clipped and that's what counted. Teaching him to use a harness, water bottle, and changing him to Roudybush were things I was easily able to teach myself.

[chewy_num]

Confining a bird into a pack would cause trouble, if you run or walk anywhere with other people there is a good chance they will want to come up and look at him/her, try to poke fingers in and maybe even try to get the bird out... and if there are other animals such as dog and your bird is not sued to them, they could freak out very badly and hurt themselves. Most birds are prey animals and so if they feel like they are being attacked or threatened they will fly to get away from the situation and if your bird happens to be a rarer breed or with stunning features it gives thieves an open invite to see and possibly snatch

They seem like a good idea but could end up doing more harm then good for the bird and possibly your relationship...

Sorry for playing so much on the negatives...

A possibly better idea would be to buy a flight harness, they are like the harnesses for cats or rodents (don't buy one of those though!) and if the bird is a big one like a large cockatoo or macaw a park would be perfect. Because many people will see the bird and know from the beak size to stay away (hopefully). But smaller birds are better in a backyard and move onto larger places.

A gentleman where I live has a cockatiel so well trained and trusting he walks frequently with him on his shoulder/hat. No harness or anything it is amazing!