Most Terrifying Day of My Life

[Kirsten]

I almost lost my precious Skittles ( ) the other day. I got too relaxed and made a stupid mistake by taking him out with me to make a quick appointment to get my car looked at. We were in an enclosed garage, but the door opened, spooked Skittles and he flew up on the roof of the dealership and then was scared away by crows. I was running around calling for him hysterically for what felt like hours. The dealership was kind enough to let me go on their roof to look for him, but there was no sign. I called and looked in the trees across the road and everything. Then my dad came to help in the search and I was telling him what happened and where I had looked when suddenly I heard the most wonderful squawk I had ever heard.

We found Skittles underneath one of the dealership's cars, waiting to be rescued. I scooped him up and he ran into my shirt to hide in the process. All of the staff and customers clapped and cheered and I skipped making a car appointment and just took him home to spoil the heck out of him and made a vet appointment to make everything was okay.

So, I already feel like a terrible bird owner for that but there's another thing I did that I'm not proud of...I clipped his wings again. I know, I'm about to get a wall of angry text from you guys about how it's my fault, not his and I realize that. I SHOULD have him trained on a harness if I want to take him out with me so this type of thing doesn't happen. The fact that I lapsed in his training is my fault entirely. But I am just SO AFRAID that something like this could happen again before I get him trained well enough to go out with unclipped wings. I want to be able to take him out on the front or back porch so he can see and hear the sights without being terrified I might lose him. This is the only way I can do that until he's harness trained.

Believe me, I am really, really sad about this. Watching him learn to fly was sort of like watching your kid learn how to walk. I was so proud of him. He was even learning how to fly to his perch! God, I feel so bad...but I just don't see any other way until I get him using a harness to let him see the outside other than carrying his travel cage around...

Lessons learned:
* Cutting a flighted bird's wings feels really, really awful
* Don't get too relaxed when your bird is around
* Birds will never be predictable, even when you think you know them, you don't
* Harness training, harness training, harness training

Ugh, part of me just wants to go find a dark corner and hide...

[GreenWing]

When I started to read your post - you have no idea what it did to me. I felt sick but then read the happy ending.

I hope it's okay for me to say this, but I don't think clipping the bird's wings is the answer. Even a clipped bird can fly away. Heck, my pigeon had a broken wing and he flew off. I'm glad you're going to use the harness now.

All I can say is that I am VERY glad you got him back. Because some of us aren't so lucky. And my bird-flying-off situation was/is completely different than yours. A girl from my neighborhood lost her cockatiel who flew from the house. She, like me, is absolutely devastated. You can't imagine how much it hurts when you lose a bird and they're not found.

I'm just glad Skittles is safe and you didn't lose him.

[Kirsten]

Greenwing, I would agree about the wing clipping and it's my own fault I hadn't been vigilant enough in training Skittles to wear a harness in the first place. I've heard what happened to your bird and I can only hope you're as lucky as I was. You and Tiki are in my thoughts.

[Pajarita]

Yes, punishing the bird because you made a mistake is not the right thing to do. Unfortunately, now it's done and it will remain so for the next two years.

[cml]

I am very glad that you got him back!

You are not going to get a wall of angry text, but I feel sorry for you bird that he will be handicapped for a year or two until he can regain his flight feathers, if you let them grow out .

BTW, regardless of whether he is clipped or flighted, never take him with you without either a harness or a carrier. Even clipped birds can fly away in a gust of wind, or panic and manage a short flight despite a clip. All it takes is a second of misfortune, and he can be gone.

Please dont let him! It doesnt matter how much you train him, its VERY dangerous anyway.

[CSLFiero]

it's a shame.. but you have 30 years to make it up to little skittle-man which you wouldn't have had if you lost him.

[CSLFiero]

I know you feel awful for what happened.. but i have to ask..

Q: What do you say when Kirsten nearly lost her lovely conure and rescued it only to make the regrettable choice of clipping the bird later..?



A: Kirsten Dunced!


Hope that wasn't too harsh, but i couldn't resist..!