To Fly or Not to Fly

[linda040899]

I was looking around for an article that I remembered seeing on one of my mailing lists but found this instead. Thought I would share it with everyone.

http://www.naturalencounters.com/ima...eve_Martin.pdf

I have the greatest respect for Steve Martin and his work is having an impact in the world of aviculture.

[Dancelady]

That was the best article on this that I have seen, and I agree with everything he's said. Some of my lovebirds (11) are clipped, some fly just fine, and some are still learning to fly. I am letting them get quite used to flying before they are clipped, and then it isn't too severe -- they can still fly a little bit. I will never take them outside! People who do this will someday have a problem with losing their birds. And one person uses "sticky tape" to keep her bird taped down (instead of a harness) and just recently the bird threw off the tape and could fly away.

[Sweetpeaches]

Linda,
Excellent article..thanks for sharing.

[michael]

Great article Linda. Thanks for sharing it!..........Short story here. At first when my daughter aquired her lovebird "Jones" she allowed him to fly everywhere including the great outdoors. Apparently the breeder (true salesman) who sold him made mention this was fine as long as they were bonded. Thinking this was the norm, business and life went on as usual followed by trips to the Giant Eagle store where she was employed to shop with lovebird in tow. Obviously an attention getter everywhere she went they were mindfully greeted by most with kind amazement. Still, knowone made mention of the extreme risk she was taking with her beloved Jones. Mind you, she really is the type of person who not only loves her pets dearly but takes caring for them very seriously, so, had anything happened to Jones she would have been totally devastated. Thankfully after visiting one day so I could meet Jones, they entered (following a short flight around the yard) with him perched upon her shoulder. Sparing a few details, that was his final trial run for what would have likely resulted in an Amelia Earhart type ending. Unfortunately as fate would sometimes have it, my daughters beautiful Jones, who's calm warm dispostion and loving character is so far matched only by my own Goofy lovebirds personality traits (ironically they are originally of the same clutch) passed away in a toilet bowl filled with a cleaning agent while left under the care of her long forgotten EX-boyfriend. Its been quite some time now and we still miss Jones very very much...................

[linda040899]

Unfortunately as fate would sometimes have it, my daughters beautiful Jones, who's calm warm dispostion and loving character is so far matched only by my own Goofy lovebirds personality traits (ironically they are originally of the same clutch) passed away in a toilet bowl filled with a cleaning agent while left under the care of her long forgotten EX-boyfriend. Its been quite some time now and we still miss Jones very very much

The battle of the toilet bowl lid has been fought many times in my house. All bowl lids are down when no one is using the facility! "I forgot" is not an excuse! When I was growing up, we never lost any birds in this manner but we had a few that thought the bowl was a great place to try to bathe! Not......

[jayme]

This article is really good. Lately I have been debating about whether or not to clip my bird's wings or not. I think I'm going to because it's just not worth the risk of her flying out the door as the doors here open and close alot.

[bbslovie]

Hi, we went through the same turmoil in thought process when deciding about a wing clip as well. We just decided it was best for Bea. It went well and Bea is absolutely fine. She's had to adjust just a bit but she's doing great and that was the whole point so we're glad it was done. Didn't make it easier on the fidma or fidpa at the time but had to put that all aside!

[michael]

This article is really good. Lately I have been debating about whether or not to clip my bird's wings or not. I think I'm going to because it's just not worth the risk of her flying out the door as the doors here open and close alot.

Jayme. This would be a prime example of why a parrots wings "should" be clipped. Although many poeple who keep birds would prefer "not" to clip, their companions safety supercedes all other reasons. Personally, I choose not to clip my lovebirds wings, but, while doing home repairs the risk was too great so it was absolutely necessary. I also found there was plenty of "bird proofing" that needed to be done as well, and not just the usual stuff either. There were many things my lovebird got into I had no idea would be a problem. His chewing habits alone were enough to keep me busy for quite some time. From plastic shower curtains (he's not allowed in the bathroom for many reasons!), to material items like our couch, leather chair, electrical cords, etc. We also had to make sure there were no "hiding places" like holes in the walls, as well as familiarize ourselves with areas behind furniture and inside or around various appliances. The time it took to learn his habits along with finding alternative toys and adventures was well worth a clip or two. Besides, they always grow back (sometimes a little too soon). One of his favorite "hiding places" is on top an open door. This is really a very dangerous place for a bird should someone close the door . He makes it a point to perch there quietly while you frantically call his name while searching for him .

[unstuckpilgrim]

We recently had two young lovebird babies at my work. They were getting older and more rambunctious and were starting to fly quite well. So we decided to clip them. I took them into the office and took one out and clipped him. Then I took the second one out and clipped one side and as I was moving to do the other, he slipped out of my hand and hopped out of the office. I followed him out and saw that someone had left the door wide open. He took one look at me and flew out into the great wide open. I could have died right there on the spot.

I spent the next two hours running myself ragged trying to follow him around the neighborhood, watching him fly from tree to tree. I must admit that it was kind of glorious seeing him zip around like that. I couldn't get him though. and the blue jays and crows started circling and it started getting dark and he was sooo smart and just shut his beak and made himself small and unnoticable and the sun went down.

Having to leave him outside was so hard to do.

The next day we put his brother outside in a small cage, which we put inside a larger cage... with millet sprays. And I could hear them calling to each other! And finally he came down and flew into the larger cage to eat the millet and I am serious when I say that I have never felt more relieved in my life.

That was one lesson learned the hard way. And he's doing just fine now, and is well-adjusted and very friendly with people. AND his wings are clipped.

[chromasnake]

We recently had two young lovebird babies at my work. They were getting older and more rambunctious and were starting to fly quite well. So we decided to clip them...

oh my gosh, I had a heart attack just reading it and went faint with relief at the end.

I am a firm advocate of wing clipping for in-home parrots after a few near-disasters with my adult birds, but have been undecided with the babies who are also flying quite well right now.

So here is another question to those of you with oodles of experience seeing your precious babies go to new homes: do you let these younguns go to new homes clipped (my gut instinct says yes, clip them, for safety sake, they'll have enough new and frightening things to experience!) or unclipped, and let the new owner decide?