When EXACTLY to Clip?

[claudzilla]

Hi guys! How do you know exactly when it's time to clip your p'let's wings? Saturday is getting to the end of her molt and she's got about 4 flight feathers on each side. Today she flew almost to the top of a door frame. I'm worried that if I wait much longer to get her wings clipped that she will get hurt, but I don't want to do it too soon and have to take her back to the vet a second time when the rest of her flights grow in (the vet is far away and expensive). What do you suggest? Should I wait until her wings are competely grown in, or should I cut to the chase (or clip to the chase, I guess)? :confused:

[Cheryl's Fids R Gr8]

I would wait until her molt is complete. Since she can already fly with what she has got, it would (in my opinion) make no sense to have to take her now and then take her again in a short time.

Just remember to be careful and extra cautious as to her whereabouts in the meantime.

I do my birds wings myself. If you know how to do them, you can do them yourself, but be careful to look for blood feathers before cutting.

[Wuzzoluvr]

It's really quite easy to do yourself. Look on you tube for a video clip. I did Bennie's today...my hubby was tired of him flying all over the place.

[ParrotletsRock]

When I keept mine clipped I did it myself also...I used a quill clip... you follow the feather down to the bare shaft and clip there...one by one. I used a pair of cat claw sissors ( bought new and only used on my birds) That way you can cut fewer feathers and clip them as needed... just make sure the quill is not dark if it is do not cut as it is a blood feather. Also make sure if you cut a feather on one wing , that you cut the same feather on the other wing to keep them balanced.

[Jinx n Noodle]

I cut when they get annoying... i.e. when they fly so well and get into trouble:) Only because Noodle hates me grabbing him to do it. (Lydia doesn't care and doesn't really bother to even attempt to fly, she rather walk or asked to be picked up and everybody else in my home are fully flighted:) )

[Callie]

I agree that it's easy to clip flight feathers yourself. I do it alone but you can have one person hold your bird while you extend the wing and clip the feathers. If there are a couple clipped ones that have not moulted out, just follow that same line with the ones you want to clip. Just double check to make sure there are no blood (new feathers, not completely mature) in the ones that you will be clipping.

When you have someone hold your bird, make sure there's no undo pressure on the chest area, as birds need to move their chests in order to breathe.

[claudzilla]

Thanks! I'm going to wait a little longer until the molt is complete and then have the vet's office clip her. While I'm there I'll ask them to teach me how to do it - I'm really nervous about accidentally breaking a wing or something. In the future I'd like to do it myself, but for the first time around I want to be shown by a pro.

Saturday seems to be learning to fly for the first time (the pet store where I got her clipped her really dramatically, so she hadn't ever really flown :(). She seems to like it, although she can't totally control where she goes. I wish that she could be fully flighted, but I'm going to go for somewhere in-between. My vet said that she could clip Saturday so that she could fly laterally but not up, which I think is perfect. She'll still have freedom and mobility, but will avoid the worst hazards in my home.

It's so thrilling to see my bird really grow into her birdness like this!!!

[Callie]

If Saturday is not a skilled flier, it sounds like her flight feathers were clipped too young so letting all flights grow back is really the best option. Let her learn to fly well before you clip them again. I agree that limiting flight so that she can fly horizontally but not go up is a good option. Make sure your vet or whoever clips those flights knows exactly what you want or you might get an unwelcome surprise. Without instruction on what you want, the person doing the clipping will do what THEY want and you may not be happy with the results. Been there, done that.

[enborgle]

Thanks! I'm going to wait a little longer until the molt is complete and then have the vet's office clip her. While I'm there I'll ask them to teach me how to do it - I'm really nervous about accidentally breaking a wing or something. In the future I'd like to do it myself, but for the first time around I want to be shown by a pro.

Great idea!

[Sally]

Just be careful. I never cut wings, but if you do, learn how. Chipper loves to fly and it keeps her muscles strong.