newbie member wing clipping

[joninvietnam]

Hi from Vietnam,
I am new on the site and have a question about wing clipping that has no doubt been dealt with many times on many forums.
I have had my young Alexandrine parrot for about two months and he will come out of the cage onto his training perch.He won't yet feed from my hand or step up on my finger but he will step up onto a perch proferred with my hand.
The problem is,you guessed it, he flies off after a short while around our small appartment, crashes into the wall and falls heavily to the floor where I can usually get him to step up onto the aforementioned perch and returned to his training perch or cage.
In four outings he has damaged three tail feathers, two of which he has managed to "chew off" after a week or so.
Recently I have kept him in his cage and the taming /training program has been put on halt.

As a complete newbie with parrot's I would like some simple advice. Should I try to percevere and risk more damage with the wall crashes ?. Maybe I should try to install some landing perches, as there is virtually nowhere in the room to land / perch.
I have read quite a lot about parrot training on various sites, and about the pros and cons of wing clipping.I don't wish to clip Coco's wings but don't want him to damage himself any more.

Thanks in advance, best to you all...

[Chantilly]

Hi, welcome to the forum!
Has your alexandrine only just become fully feathered, or gooten back his flight feathers after being clipped? If so, he is probably just figuring it all out still. My counure had quite a few crash landings when learning to fly, and she still does if she gets spooked so if so this might be the case.
If he has been fully feathered for a while, and it is just that your apartment is to small, you dont want him to hurt himself. If this is the case Im probably no help :p Im not sure what Id do... get a new appartment, lol im just joking.
I would probably keep trying to get him more comfortable with you, so he dosnt fly of because he is scared. But he still needs to strech his wings, and flying is good exersize, so pehaps try to train him to put on a harnes and let him go outside with you(with the harness on). the aviator harness has extension ropes(Im pretty sure) so as you can let him fly farther.
Clipping is a last resort thing, and should only be done if flying is affecting you pretty birds health, because it makes them healthy...(not sure if the way i wrote that makes sense..)
Best of luck with your new friend!!
and anyone feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

[Wolf]

The first thing is his age, if you got him as just weaned, I would put in perches so that he has places to land, put something in front of windows so that he can see them as birds can't see the glass and thing that it is a way in or out, maybe put up sheets to cushion his impacts especially if he is older. The most difficult thing is to be patient while your baby is learning to control his flight in an enclosed space, the good thing is that while they are this young they are built to withstand some crashes with less injury, but they lose some of this as they get older. Crashes are a normal part of learning to fly and a few broken feathers are to be expected, just as long as he does not injure himself beyond that, let him learn while he is still young. You will be surprised at how quickly he learns.
I think that the only valid reason for clipping a birds wings is if there is a valid medical reason for it. The ability to fly is hardwired into every major system in a bird to such an extent that removing or seriously impairing this ability can cause both temporary and permanent damage to your bird, physically, mentally and emotionally. Because of this I do not clip any of my birds wings.

[joninvietnam]

Thanks so much Chantilly and Wolf,
Coco is fully plumaged and I reckon he is about 6 months old.
I do not intend clipping, I will continue with his training and try to install some landing places.
Any further ideas or comments are very welcome.

Best to everybody.

[Wolf]

Based on my personal observations, mainly from post in this and other forums the two most common reasons for birds crashing into wall and even windows are panic flights in which the bird is very new to the environment and humans , with the second reason being not enough flight time in which the bird just needs to fly more to develop its skill level to control if flight in enclosed places.

[joninvietnam]

Based on my personal observations, mainly from post in this and other forums the two most common reasons for birds crashing into wall and even windows are panic flights in which the bird is very new to the environment and humans , with the second reason being not enough flight time in which the bird just needs to fly more to develop its skill level to control if flight in enclosed places.

Thanks Wolf
That seems a logical conclusion. I will continue the training and post again later.

[Pajarita]

I would not worry too much about training but would concentrate on making the bird 100% comfortable with me as well as putting perches, stands or platforms for him to land on -this will reduce the crashing if not eliminate it completely. Birds that are learning to fly usually have rough landings but, when they crash into a wall or a piece of furniture, it's because they are spooked so if the bird doesn't feel threatened by your presence, he won't fly in a panic and crash.

[joninvietnam]

I would not worry too much about training but would concentrate on making the bird 100% comfortable with me as well as putting perches, stands or platforms for him to land on -this will reduce the crashing if not eliminate it completely. Birds that are learning to fly usually have rough landings but, when they crash into a wall or a piece of furniture, it's because they are spooked so if the bird doesn't feel threatened by your presence, he won't fly in a panic and crash.

Thanks Pajarita...that also seems like sound advice.
At the moment Coco doesn't even want to venture out of his cage.I put a few tidbits on his adjacent training perch to no avail, but don't insist too much.
Unfortunately he has lost his tail feathers after the crashes...he pecks at his tail and it has disappeared. How long may it take to grow again ? Otherwise he is fine, not too nervous and enjoys a shower in his cage.
Thanks again...any other advice is more than welcome...

[liz]

Just like a human toddler falling down many times while trying to learn to walk, you just have to let him have his crashes. Make sure he knows that windows are there by marking them. As was said before, give him perches that he can land on.
A bird that can fly will bond with you faster than a clipped one. If clipped his personality will change and he will be really scared.
It would be like tying a toddlers shoe strings together so he cannot walk.
Next time he crash lands offer your finger instead of a perch. He may accept your help and then you have physical contact. Always keep your palm down and reach from the side, not above.

[joninvietnam]

Thanks so much Liz,
As he no longer has his tail I imagine that this will affect his flight too.
Could someone tell me how long the tail will take to grow ?