I am getting Cleo's wings clipped. When I got her, they were somewhat clipped and she couldn't fly very well. But now, in the past week, they are grown out and her flight skills are very very good. Good to the point that I can't safely own her anymore.
Point: I can't EVEN begin to think how I'll get her into a carrier to transport her to the vet. I have absolutely NO, Zero control over her now. This has occured inthe past week. Used to, on her cage, I could bring the perch, offer a grape and she'd grab it and step up on the perch. Now, she growls at the grape and launches into the air. Prety much flying loose wherever she wants. I LOVE watching her do that. But, I can't own a bird irresponsible either.
Don't get me wrong, at this point it's not control, it's basic safety. It's either leave her in her cage 24-7 or have her clipped. That's what I"m down to.
At this rate, she's either gonna hurt herself,that'd be aweful, or hurt some of my family, that'd be worse. When she flies thru, it scares my daughter cause she swooped at her once. I don't think she was gonna hurt her, but it is intimidating.
My hopes is that once her feathers are clipped, she'll calm down and realize she can safely be transported on a perch or finger without attacking it.
I have come a long long way since July 4th with her. She's a sweetie, but at this point, I worry about her safety. I CAN'T EVEN GET HER TO THE VET FOR A CHECKUP!! What if she did get hurt? What if a tornado is coming and I need to take her to a basement? I can't do ANYTHING with her at this point except scratch her head while it's on her cage.
I hope I can have em cut this time, she'll realize it's ok to rely on me or a perch and she'll be ok. Then, let them grow back out and leave her flighted.
This is what I HAVE to do, or as I said, leave her in her cage and that's just not right. She's too proud for that.
I'm not asking permission. These are personal choices. I hated to spank my lil boy when he knowingly did things he shouldn't have, but if you are responsible for a living thing, human or not, YOU have to make unpopular decisions. My decision is based on her safety and quality of life.
Clipping her now might be pretty good cause she's only developed this 'attitude" and flight skills in the past two weeks or so.
So...all that said:
Do I have any suggestions on getting Ms. High n Mighty into a carrier to get to the vet?
Mark
*This thread is NOT intended to debate clipping. There are plenty of threads for that. This thread is for reading about events with my bird and also to find solutions to getting an unmanageable flighted bird safely to the vet.

I hate doing it, but have you tried toweling?

I think you're going to have to towel her Mark. Have the crate ready and waiting to stick her in to. You don't think if you sat the crate on the ground in a room with the door shut that she'd go in there on her own for a yummy treat? Just a thought... You could always try that before toweling.

Can you get or do you have a smaller travel cage that you can carry? That is how I transport Winston to the vet - granted he's a budgie and his travel cage is easily carried, but I simply have him hop into the travel cage (he's used to it because it was his first cage) and we go. I know I'd have to restrain him to get him into a carrier and I have that way around restraining with the travel cage and it works well.

When I've tried to towel her before, it's possible, but it's a scene. If I loose grip, she screams like a scene from Halloween, kicks, claws, bites then just growls, flips on her back and starts lunging. Made me wanna scream like a lil girl and run for cover.
I know I'll have to distract her and let her get on her tree in the living room, then roll her cage out of her room, remove the window blinds, take all the other stuff out or she tries to get under em. Then, when I try to get her back on the perch in the living room, she'll fly back to her room., I close the doors.
Then in there, I've got these options:
-I have a large dog crate, big door, I could sit on the floor and put the treat in there. It's doubtful she'll just go in there on her own. But I might could "herd" her in there with a towel. She'll run from a towel as if it's kryptonite.
-take the small carrier in and towel her and put her and the towel in the small carrier. That's a tight fit and seeing as I've not proven successful in the towelling effort (not doing something right) it'd be hard to get her in that little door without bloodshed and stitches.
-put the crate in a doorway, hang a big sheet from the top of the door to cover the opening in the doorway but leave the cagedoor open and herd her into it that way.
I dread this cause it traumitizes her AND ME! LOL. And my wife cause she'll be helping.
But, I have to do what's best for her. She's completely unmanageable now. It's sad really folks. She wants to be with us, she screams, begs to come in with us, but if I try to perch/hand her to go in another room, she looses her birdbrain. I just look at her and say outloud" "CLeo, Honey...I know you wanna go in there, eat, hangout, get scratching, watch a movie so..JUST GET ON THE STOOOOPID DADBLAMED DURNED GOSHFIRED PERCH...MS> THANG!!!"
Ok, well not the last part, but my inside voice says that.
For those of you with compliant birds,,,,hug em..buy em a toy. Put em on your fingers/perches. enjoy the fun. This ain't fun and I"ve worked so hard. If I had any hair left from sleepless nites with kids, it'd be gone by now from this Cleo.
Mark

Mark, I found this site about how to towel a bird. I thought maybe some of the tips might be helpful to you. Just remember to tell Cleo amid all your "busy work" that old parental line: "this hurts me more than you". Just kidding, I'm sure you will do fine. Here's the link:

How to Towel Your Bird

WOW..great advice. I will read it again before I begin the fracas in the morning.
THANKS!
I like this part:
5. Place the towel over and around your bird’s back.

If I could do it that easily I wouldn't need to towel her. When I open a towel, she flies off. IT's basically, no kidding, I have to throw the towel on her on the floor. That's why I have to get everything out of the room or she'll run/fly under it.
But I like the resource,
Thanks!

LOL Glad you think the link might be helpful. Btw, was wondering if you could hold up on your plans until my purchase order for more stock in the band-aids company goes through? I'm thinking stock prices might increase after tomorrow. Just kidding!

I've seen someone once who was pretty good at catching a bird on the floor with a towel. From what I recall, he crouched low over the bird and quickly threw it over the bird, head and all, and then swooped in and picked the bird up inside the towel. He held it just like the link I gave you says you should with the palm of his hands on the bird's back and his hands around the front and just under the bird's lower beak (bird can't bite you then I guess). He was just trying to catch the bird to put back in its cage and not to medicate it -- so he did not wrap it in the towel like shown in that site.

I will say that my birds are much less likely to fly around if the lights are dimmed, which is one of the tips given by the site. Of course, I know there is a huge difference between a bird that flies voluntarily and one that flies out of panic.

Again, good luck! Can't wait to hear how it all goes for you and Cleo. Now where did I put my stockbroker's phone number......

I dont know if you can handle her or not, couldnt quite tell but assuming no. Is her perch on wheels? I would be getting her into the bathroom Then you can get her into her travel cage.

If you can hold off and decondition her to that cage it might be easier, like start putting all her food in there and keep it open.

If it's a dog kennel you can remove the top (like the kennel cab) then when she goes in GENTLY place a sheet over the top and front when you wanna put the lid on, and THEN put the lid on/ The sheet will keep her in and give you time to assemble the cage.

LIke a circus tent version of toweling but not as traumatic. Have the sheet sitting right on or next to the cage initially anyway so she doesnt see it coming from a distance then it's only about six inches you have to move it.

It's a good idea to take her to a vet anyway they can be really helpful in showing clients how to hold birds in tricky ways. MOst of those ways can be scary for the bird, though so I'd reserve that for an ACTUAL TRUE emergency. The vet gripping thing....

I know the whole problem is getting a flying bird to come to you and there is no magic answer for that if there's no predictability yet but the perch is the one solid thing you said worked so go with that and food in your hand. Then keep feeding her and walk to the bathroom

BTW dont stretch your arm out. You want to carry a bird in front of you facing INWARD to you at chest level below your chin. They cant see as well to fly off that way and dont make it such a smooth ride meaning walk kinda calmly while talking to her but quickly sorta causing a bit of holding on....when they have to hold on they dont think of flying off so much. And cant if they are facing you. Once you get in the bathroom it's much easier.

Try a shirt over her head even, maybe one of yours like the flannel ones in the photos. She's used to that fabric as you. The whole thing is to keep her from flying off so over the head is the only sure way if you dont have time to finesse her.