*I have no desire to get into a heated debate with anyone but am really seeking some advice*

 

We've had Percy for 3 weeks on Sunday (he's approx 8 weeks old), we've been getting him used to us and he's pretty used to having my hand in the cage to replace food and having a scratch on the top of his head (through the bars). If I put my hand in the cage though, he will move away from it, he doesn't appear frightened, would just rather avoid my hand and at this point is not ready to step up, we're okay with this, we're not going to rush him and are happy to move along slowly building trust.

 

My problem is, he's an escape artist. Every time we open the cage to sort out food etc he tries to make a break for freedom and has succeeded twice. I then panic and have to go round trying to shut doors and close curtains and stuff as I'm worried he'll hurt himself. I can get close to him but the minute my hand goes near him, he's off again and having a right royal time flying around, he then perches in high places and I can't reach him. Both times he's escaped, my husband has had to catch him (which is all good when hubby is home, god knows what I'll do if he's ever not!).

 

I'm worried that he'll hurt himself flying around and into walls, I'm worried that with him not being tame that we're going to cause him to distrust us with trying to catch him (we do it as quietly as we can and talk to him the whole time) and I'm worried about the day he gets out and my husband isn't here to fetch him from the high places he goes for.

 

I wasn't intending on getting his wings clipped but now I'm starting to wonder if it might be a good idea...at least until we've gotten him a bit more tame, used to a few commands (so I can retrieve him when needs be) and used to the house and it's layout. Does anyone else think this would be prudent? I can assure you all that it's not something I was thinking of doing but I'm worried about the birds safety at the moment and know that each time he gets out, we're reversing some of the trust when we have to catch him again. I want him to come to us of his own free will but at the moment, that's not going to happen.

 

I believe we have an avian vet here in Toowoomba that I can take him too to get his wings clipped. Anyone got a rough idea on cost?

I dont know why you assume you will get into a heated debate on wing clipping Even though I don t ever clip wings, I do know there is a need for it for other reasons than my own, so you will get good advice here without any repercussions I am sure

Edited July 30, 201014 yr by KAZ

For your situation, I would clip his wings.

 

I know there have been many debates on wether or not to clip wings, but really, I think it would be a good option to get his wings clipped.

 

It's not painful to them, and the feathers will eventually grow back if you decide to let them grow.

 

I clip my budgies' wings for the same reason you would, but now since I am going to clean out and bird-proof a room just for them I can let them grow their feathers back.

 

Although, there are different reasons why people don't and do clip their birds wings. I think it is totally up to the owner, and their decision.

Edited July 30, 201014 yr by Kassidy

Kaz, I wanted to add my 'disclaimer', I've seen on various websites some of the debates of clipping versus non clipping....as a new budgie owner I didn't want to get shot down in flames on the offchance. lol

 

I just don't want my little mate to get injured and until he's well acquainted with the house and where everything is, I'm worried he will be. He's sitting in his cage at the moment, listening to music and singing along with it...clearly this mornings escapade has been forgotten by him already. Nevermind the fact that I can add a few more grey hairs to my head. lol

 

I think I will investigate the clipping routine a bit more and see if it's the road I want to go down for the interim. Thanks for your input.

It's a very personal choice, and only you know if it will suit your situation or not. I used to have inside budgies, and I clipped their wings. It made hand taming and having them out free range much eaiser as they couldn't fly away or get into trouble. Just remember, it's not a life long thing. Their wings grow back so if after one clipping you decide you want him to fly again, just don't re-clip.

It's a very personal choice, and only you know if it will suit your situation or not. I used to have inside budgies, and I clipped their wings. It made hand taming and having them out free range much eaiser as they couldn't fly away or get into trouble. Just remember, it's not a life long thing. Their wings grow back so if after one clipping you decide you want him to fly again, just don't re-clip.

 

 

i agree with this

however i dont clip wings but this is due to a trust thing and taming

but if in danger i would clip but not to short

still want him to fly

I def still want Percy to be able to fly but today he was on top of the kitchen cupboards and I just cannot reach him when he's up there. If I do get them clipped I'll get the Avian Vet in Toowoomba to do it and it'll be a 'once only' type of thing. Just until he's used to where everything in the house is and until we're able to have him at the point where we can get him safely back in the cage without worrying he'll hurt himself. I just worry that with him busting out of jail each time we open the cage door that something is going to happen. As it is, I'm now a bit reluctant to open the cage to do anything when my husband isn't home as if he gets out and goes somewhere up high (which they all do), I can't get him back. Today I was dragging a stool around to stand on and by the time I got on it, he'd moved somewhere else...I swear he was laughing at me. lol

I know what you mean, it's a difficult decision to make, but sometimes it necessary for their safety and our sanity while taming/training them.

 

I have 6 budgies, 2 which have never had their wings clipped, they are very tame and happy to fly around while not crashing into things. The other 4 had to have their wings clipped because when I was taming them they knew they had an option of getting away from me instead of sitting with me and would also crash into things. It got to the point where they were all stressed from being chased around the room when it was time to go into the cage. Clipping their wings certainly helped and they can still fly quite well, but just can't get much lift to get to out of reach places. I'll be letting their wings regrow though because it's nice to see them fly skillfully around the house.

 

I know the feeling of thinking they're laughing at us when trying to catch them, Alfie in particular likes to tease me when it's time to go into the cage and he doesn't want to. He's wings aren't clipped so he flies to just within reach of me and then when I go to get him he flies off, he does this over and over. With patience I always win and he give's a very indigent squawk when I finally catch him .

3 of my budgies have their wings clipped to slow them down. It doesn't work! The only one who is willing to stay on the floor and have cuddle time is Lexi ( without tempting treats ). Marigold and Skye are fully flighted, and I am pretty sure it is going to stay that way. When the chick's wing's grow back, I'm going to leave them flighted.

3 of my budgies have their wings clipped to slow them down. It doesn't work!

 

It mustn't have been done corrected then. A wing clipped bird cannot fly to any substantial hight. They can glide lower but cannot fly up high. It does make taming eaiser as they can't get away to much.

It worked at first but they were starting their moult. It wasn't done correctly anyway.

My birds wings are clipped as in the past I have lost 2 birds due to the flying away.

My bird can still kinda fly across, but cannot get up into the air if you know what I mean.

 

Its a personal choice and everyone has to make their own mind up.