* Pet Bird Chat * NEW

[emjayy]

I'd say a rehabilitation center, if it's wild.

Speaking of wings, long time no post, but my little budgie Quibly grew out all of his flight feathers and had been doing laps all around. He started to run into the walls though, so I just clipped them last night. When his wings were grown out he seemed pretty... anti-social? He was also a lot more screamy. Not chirping, screaming. And just a few minutes after we clipped them he was so much quieter and more social with us. I do want him to be able to fly, but does anyone know if that's how they always act when flighted?

I always find this is the case with most birds! All my little cousins have budgies and I have to visit to clip them regularly because their parents won’t. The budgies are always more confident when flighted because they know they have an advantage over us
When clipped you’re taking that advantage away so they do go quieter and more easily handled. Same with my kakariki. They’re such fast and acrobatic flyers but I have to clip him or he stays fast and aggressive. It’s not a good combination as he gets very bad cage aggression. His territory is a no go for anyone >.<

[frostykitty]

I'd say a rehabilitation center, if it's wild.

Speaking of wings, long time no post, but my little budgie Quibly grew out all of his flight feathers and had been doing laps all around. He started to run into the walls though, so I just clipped them last night. When his wings were grown out he seemed pretty... anti-social? He was also a lot more screamy. Not chirping, screaming. And just a few minutes after we clipped them he was so much quieter and more social with us. I do want him to be able to fly, but does anyone know if that's how they always act when flighted?

I always find this is the case with most birds! All my little cousins have budgies and I have to visit to clip them regularly because their parents won’t. The budgies are always more confident when flighted because they know they have an advantage over us
When clipped you’re taking that advantage away so they do go quieter and more easily handled. Same with my kakariki. They’re such fast and acrobatic flyers but I have to clip him or he stays fast and aggressive. It’s not a good combination as he gets very bad cage aggression. His territory is a no go for anyone >.<

Ah. So I think it'll be a while before I let him zoom around the house, he's smug enough already.

[BudgieLover5000]

Hi guys!
Is it possible to use some Small animal (hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, etc.) toys for birds? Things like willow balls, corn husk rings, wood sticks/blocks, and a sisal ball I found? Is there something they put in small pet toys that is unsafe for birds? The reason I ask is because I am Christmas shopping for my birds and the small pet section has much cheaper things!

If you need specific examples of toys, you can PM me (or I can post them here?)

[Luzien]

@ BudgieLover5000
i think, why not, wih them they also could accidently bite part of and chew or eat it, so they should be animal safe an from natural things like Sisal, Wood, willow balls and such go for it, as long as the Wood is healthy for birds you can use this things^^
there are interesting diy Project from natural things that are healthy and safe for birds..and how you can build your own toys also with parts from toys that are for other pets^^ just try to stay away from metal that is not
i used a Sisal rope to make own toys and wool ropes (both all natural) ad Wood parts^^


@ to the clipped wings
your birds are not really more tame or happy, many when not most of them..they simply are often fearful to try something....see it as if one ties up your legs and let you walk over a narrow brige and jump from things to things....you also would try to not do something stupid and be careful as hell and try not to anger the person who handles and ownes you....most can start to react normal with time look more tame sing and be normal birds...but maybe think about it.. why they change there behavior as soon as they can fly again....!

with this clipping of the wings you take away the last tiny bit of freedom they have away from there often to tiny cage...the possibility to fly freely without fear, to move around to race around the room... to stay safe in the room and move around without fear to fall when they try to fly a tiny bit from one perch to the other and not be able to catch themself.....

sure i could cut my birds flightfeather...but i know my birds would never forgive me this, it is not safe or healthy... and i love how they fly around the aviary, how they come to me because they want too...sure the male i still work on taming, but it always makes me crazy happy when he come to me after a call, or steps on my hand for some moment and loves to be scratched and petted....this is working and training of an animal without force just with time and Patience and sometimes doing one and the same step or move 40times and stepping down in training when they dont want to at this day or week....
i find this more nice and Long time reward,
but i will not ay your are ad or such, to each there own thing...whatever you think works bether for you and your pet...

[zaz]

what if you're clipping the bird's wings for it's own safety? I know a lot of people live in houses with big windows.

[Ranger of the North]

My budgie, Keith, has escaped from the aviary 😞 He's left a mate and chicks behind. He was flying around, but now he's stopped responding, and the moreporks around here hunt budgies, so if he is still alive, I don't know if he'll survive the night 😭

[leiawolfe]

what if you're clipping the bird's wings for its own safety? I know a lot of people live in houses with big windows.

Personally, my budgie Peanut doesn't fly around much, but every so often (maybe only about 2-3 times a year? It is not really on a routinely basis, it just kind of depends on whether or not he's very flighty that day or not) we clip his flight feathers just a little, but enough so that he can do some flying up to his cage but not going around berserk - although, you may have to clip them a little more often, because Peanut is more of a "I'm gonna perch right here and talk to myself for the rest of the day" kinda budgie.

My budgie, Keith, has escaped from the aviary 😞 He's left a mate and chicks behind. He was flying around, but now he's stopped responding, and the moreporks around here hunt budgies, so if he is still alive, I don't know if he'll survive the night 😭

Aw, I'm so sorry, I really hope that he knows his way back.. Good luck, Ranger~

[Luzien]

@

kitana. wrote:
what if you're clipping the bird's wings for its own safety? I know a lot of people live in houses with big windows.

what has th Windows to do with clipped wings? a bird can fly and react faster to danger, llike when they fly around they can turn around with more ease when wings aand te muscles are trained and work well... a bird will lose lots of muscle needed for flight when they got there wing or even more bad both wings clipped. There are interesting Video about clipped and unclipped birds....

some may never fly again or as well as bevor, after feather could grow back after they where clipped for some years...(no muscle for flight anymore or badly working ones...some Need years to fly again halfway good, other who atleast had the space and got only a light Clip and could use the wings a bit more could lear to fly again faster...)
from what i did see...birds are more happy, safe an healthy when not clipped.
but when you think or feel that it works bether for your bird i will not say something against it...who knows with some it may be so...
and with the winows....you could put a swing or perch stand in front of it...maybe?^^



@

My budgie, Keith, has escaped from the aviary 😞 He's left a mate and chicks behind. He was flying around, but now he's stopped responding, and the moreporks around here hunt budgies, so if he is still alive, I don't know if he'll survive the night 😭

im sory for this, hope you catch him soon!!!
could you maybe set up a bird trap at the aviary with food he does like? or set up a small cage next to it so he can fly in there...
hope you find him soon....most birds are best caught in the early morning or beginning of night, as you can use a blanket or net and a flashlight to blind it for a second to faster catch it! good luck!

[emjayy]

I have both clipped and I clipped birds. I clip them for their own safety. For example my cockatiels are unclipped because they don’t fly fast and are lazier birds. But if you have ever owned a kakariki you know they need to be slowed down in doors. My kak is extremely fast and he crashed into things in a small room. He doesn’t sit and talk, he explores and climbs up curtains and hangs upside down of lampshades, he’s crazy. So I clip his wings just enough to slow him down. Same with my little cousins budgies. They have small bedrooms and twice one the budgies have flown too fast and got caught behind a wardrobe or down the back of the bed. We don’t clip to stop flying. But captive birds with high energy are a risk. I would never ever clip my African greys wings. Just depends on the species to be honest

[sinensys]

I don't mean to start conflict or accuse anyone, so forgive me if I sound mean, weary, or anything of that sort.

I personally do clip birds' wings as well. My house is not always safe since it is a vast space where the kitchen, dining, and living rooms coexist. Instead, there is a fair-sized corner of the house devoted to the birds. They do have a room dedicated to them which is bird-safe, but it is a remote room that no one passes through, and isolating them that way is about as healthy as keeping a growing child locked away in a pantry for years. I clip their wings as a safety precaution; my two parakeets cannot fly upwards, but they can gently descend downwards. My tiel, even with clipped wings, has the muscle strength to fly from the cage + perches/stands to the ceiling fan, where he likes to chatter and just hang out.

Clipping a bird's wings is not clipping a bird's happiness away. Happiness and free flight [or even flight in general] are not always related. My grandfather and I have built large stands of natural and safe wood with gaps large enough so they can jump from branch to branch and exercise their wings by flitting to and fro. The two keets jump from branch to branch, and when they do so, they exercise their wings and in general. Wings only atrophy if there is zero exercise [which I think is impossible for some birds tbh xD ]

Please don't assume that birds with clipped wings are going through abuse or are unhappy. They can be happy if cared for properly, even with clipped wings.

-end tirade-





@BudgieLover500
!!
My birds love to shred alfalfa cubes, and sometimes the local store has the alfalfa tubes for guinea pigs!
Anything in that isle is most likely bird safe, but the internet has plenty of sites that answer if any specific woods/treats are not okay for your bird(s). c: