So... I need to learn how. I have 3 that are flying right now that shouldn't be. I've clipped toenails but not wings. Any suggestions??? I'd take them to the vet but it's a $60 charge PER bird.

when i used to clip artemis' wings, i cut the first 5 primaries. it's easy as long as you have a helper and you make sure you don't cut any blood feathers. i've since stopped clipping, though.

if you don't mind me asking, why do you feel your 3 need to be clipped?

No helper... but five is good to know.

Well, Wasabi gets bitey when he's flighted. He's sweet as pie when his wings are clipped. I don't know why... My Red Rumps fly around and get my Beagle all excited which makes me nervous. She otherwise doesn't show any interest in the birds and I prefer it that way.

i think it can vary on the number, but 5 seemed good for artemis so he could still glide to the floor. ivy came to me with 3 clipped on each wing and she can fly like a pro lol! do make sure you find a helper first though, someone needs to properly restrain the bird while you clip. unless 'sabi is willing to let you pull his wings out, which i am guessing not since you say he is bitey lol.

i think birds tend to calm down in general when they are clipped, maybe since they "rely" more on you and feel more vunerable? i know mark had lots of good behavior changes in cleo when he had her clipped, cleo had aggression problems before that. you might want to talk some with him, he probably has a lot of good tips!

good luck hon!

Emily,

Yeah my RR's will let me pull out their wings (I tried, just to look at them and see their reaction) but I may need my friend to help me with mean ol' Wasabi. It definitely takes his attitude down quite a few notches. Not that he's a real lover, but right now he's even getting cage aggressive which is a new thing for him. He's been clipped before so I know it helps, I've just never done the clipping. Thanks again.

oh awesome, that will make things a lot easier on them. good for you for researching before doing anything. i think it's so much less traumatic for the little guys to do it yourself than to take the birds to a vet/groomer. i used to take artemis to the store i got him to get him groomed though, and he was so good for them!

clipping nails gives me a heart attack! i have quicked artemis on more than one occasion, even though i can see the vein in his nail. sent me into tears because it's so hard to stop the bleeding AH! i am trying to keep his nails down with perches, but it hasn't seemed to work yet.

ANYWAYS, glad i could help some lol! wasaaaaabi, sounds like an appropriate name for the lil guy! feisty!

Yeah and then there's that. Although I love my vet and Wasabi loves car rides I think it will be less stressful for him if I do it. He's so little though it makes me nervous. So you said you don't clip Artemis anymore? Is he fully-flighted now?

Oh my gosh - me too! I've had to clip the Linnie's because when I got them their nails were so long and curled it was hard for them to even walk or climb. So I got the styptic powder and have done it twice without getting the quick, but with every nail I worry that if they move I will clip their little toes off. The Linnie's like to grab the nail cutters with their feet which is awful and my male Tofu screams with each nail even though it's not hurting him. Last time I "thought" I made him bleed and packed it but I never saw any blood. I'm hoping their pediperch works as well and they stand on it a lot but I can't tell. The vet says I didn't take enough off the first time so I have one left to re-clip..agh. After meds and nails I'm sure I'm not at the top of their list right now. lol

You know, I should have named him "Sugar" because he's definitely living up to his name.

lol, well, he WILL be fully flighted once his feathers grow back out. he keeps breaking them for some reason, he never used to do that before. he would be full flighted again before i knew it! he keeps busting up his tail feathers too, and it's not like he is falling a whole lot.

oh geez, artemis is a drama queen about nails too! the screaming without having done anything is ulcer inducing, to say the least. i just got him a sandy perch in hopes that it will help with grooming, as the wood perches i have for him just don't seem to be cutting it. that is so sad with the curled nails though, that sounds painful! glad you were able to clip them. i hope i never have to clip ivy's nails because they are black AH!

awww little sugar!

Andreya, I think it's the p'let's personality.
Winkie was doing the same thing before I got him clipped. Now he's a real sweetie.
Just a warning though, Winkie can still fly quite well, even w/ about 5 feathers per wing clipped. But he's still sweeter than he was before.

I trim the first 5. Even with that, some birds can still figure out how to flutter arond, so like Leah said, its the personality.