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From: susans@cfi.COM (susans)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: RE: Clipping wings
Message-ID: <867@cfiprod.UUCP>
Date: 2 Aug 90 17:27:08 GMT
References: <936.26b173bd@desire.wright.edu> <9720008@hpfcso.HP.COM>
Reply-To: susans@cfiprod.UUCP (Susan Scheide -CFI-)
Organization: Consumer Financial Institute, Waltham, Mass.
Lines: 59

In article <9720008@hpfcso.HP.COM> ron@hpfcso.HP.COM (Ron Miller) writes:
>Wing clips
>
>I've read that cockatiels are appropriately clipped assymetrically because
>a symmetric cut *still* leaves them enough flying capability to be
>trouble - they have a large amount of wing area. As for muscles,
>clip the other wing next time. It won't be long.( Note- I  don't have
>cockatiels.)

	Cockatiels reputedly are among the strongest of flyers.
	I can attest to this: my two can fly short distances with
	only one remaining flight feather.

	I don't go along with the asymetrical clip--one of my
	boys is an attack bird and WILL fly to attack anyone that
	gets too close to me.

	I keep them clipped VERY short because of this.
>
>I have three amazons who live very nicely with clipped wings. One is
>a dunce who falls off her perches and cages but always has a fairly 
>soft place to impact. When they have wings they have an attitude 
>problem. When they can't fly they have less of an attitude problem :-)

	My two birds also fall down--but they don't drop like stones
	like people are implying.  The spread out their wings and
	float down like paper planes--the remaining wing surface
	area is certainly large enough to protect them, unless they're
	incredibly dumb and just keep their wings clamped to their
	sides.

	My oldest has finally grasped the idea that he can't fly, but
	it has taken him 3 years to stop trying--and he's never been
	hurt.

	My baby is learning--but as soon as one flight feather comes
	in, he's back at it.

	I second the idea that they get attitude problems when
	fully-flighted.  I can tell when Flipper needs a clip
	because he starts to bite my cheek if I don't scratch
	him long enough whenever I contemplate letting his
	wings grow back.

	Arg.

	A comment to Ms. Blake--I think there's far more danger
	allowing cockatiels free-flight (unless you choose to live
	in a home with your windows and mirrors covered all the
	time--than there is of them "falling."  And could
	you PLEASE cut down your .signature file???

>Slave to three masters,

	Slave to FIVE,	
-- 
                        Susan S. (susans@cfi.com)

                        Another Friend of Bill's