Modifying flight suit.

[kaylayuh]

Maybe a light clip won't hurt. Just clipping a few feathers on each side to still allow flight, but a little less wild..

I considered that, but normally he's not that wild and will gladly step up. Of both budgies, he steps up and allows himself to be handled most reliably. I think he was just scared and already panicked because he was hurt. Even after she was done with him, he stepped up happily for me to scritch his head. I was kind of just chalking it up to him not liking her moreso than he's wild.

[Michael]

Wrap a towel around the carrier so it is dark and also to prevent an escape path as the hand reaches in. This way the towel fills in the empty space around the hand and entry. Obviously I'm not recommending this kind of stressful approach in general but for a once in a while vet visit, if the bird is likely to fly off, this is an ok approach when needed. It just sounds like that vet is totally inexperienced both in taking birds out of carriers and in general to be recommending clipping because of her own screw up.

When I brought Kili and Truman to the vet recently, I took Truman out in the waiting room and already had him on my hand when we walked into the office. The nurse just asked him to step up and he did and she played with him and made him feel at home. There was no undo stress upon the bird and I grabbed and played with him while they looked around him a little bit. Then I put Truman down unrestrained while we looked over Kili. Kili would step up for the nurse but when she tried to grab, Kili flew off, flew a few laps and then landed on my shoulder. If the nurse didn't hesitate so long, I think Kili would have let her grab. I just grabbed Kili and showed her. This worked out really well, it wasn't forceful, and it didn't traumatize the birds or make them unhappy.

However, a few visits before when it was the vet handling the bird roughly, using a towel to hold, and being really forceful, it was terrible. Especially because the birds are so tame and would have been willing to cooperate if it was done more nicely. I definitely appreciate a good vet that knows how to handle birds.

[kaylayuh]

She's not my favorite vet, but the one that we normally see left the practice so she's the only certified avian vet there. She was nice enough, but I think she was put off by the fact that he's allowed free flight of the apartment. It's a couple months until Pigpen and No Name need their well bird visits, but I think I may find another vet for routine check ups.

I'll definitely have to bring a towel with me next time. I didn't even think of it this time because I was so upset over his leg and thinking it was broken that I just grabbed him and the carrier and ran out the door to get over there. I'm thinking now that if I did have a towel, it would've gone much better, especially as he likes to be covered in blankets. Pigpen isn't much of a blanket or towel fan, but I'm sure once in a while won't hurt.

When you take the birds to the vet, how often do you find that you have a bad visit? I've noticed some of the vet technicians there are really nervous around their avian patients which makes the birds more stressed than they need to be. I've only been going back because of the other vet, but now that he's gone, I'm thinking it's time for a switch to a practice that has more experienced and bird friendly staff.