Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!bellcore!att!cbnewsd!bamford
From: bamford@cbnewsd.ATT.COM (harold.e.bamford)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: INDOOR: Still thinking about buying a bird
Keywords: More help requested...
Message-ID: <13351@cbnewsd.ATT.COM>
Date: 23 Feb 90 00:40:44 GMT
References: <8395@cbnewsh.ATT.COM>
Reply-To: bamford@cbnewsd.ATT.COM (harold.e.bamford,ihp,)
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 117

In article <8395@cbnewsh.ATT.COM> seth@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (peter.r.clark..jr) writes:
>A few weeks ago I posted a request in rec.pets for some basic info
>about buying, and caring for, an African Grey.
...
>I've decided to buy from a breeder rather than a pet shop, [...]

Good choice.

>(Ignorance time) What *exactly* does it mean when a birds wings are
>clipped? [...] Anyway, is it permanent? Desirable? If not
>permanent, should I do it at regular intervals?

For an African Grey, the flight feathers are cut to 1/3 of their
normal length.  This is no more painful to the bird than a haircut
is to an unruly and fidgeting 2-year old child.  The bird doesn't
like it but there is no physical pain.  And the cut feathers will
be shed when the bird molts and the NEW feathers must be re-clipped
or you could accidently lose the bird.  As to when to re-clip --
look at the feathers when the bird does its stretching exercises.
When you see new flight feathers, schedule a clipping for the next
week after they have completely formed.

As to its desirability, this is something that is passionately
debated in this newsgroup.  There seem to be three basic camps.

	1) clipping wings is much like cutting the feet off a human
	   being; cruel and sickening.
	2) clipping wings unnecessarily restricts the bird's freedom
	   of movement and self-expression.  The benefits of clipping
	   are out-weighed by the problems.
	3) clipping wings serves to control a bird, both physically 
	   and emotionally.  The benefits outweight the problems.

I discount category 1 as the ravings of the totally inexperienced
and ignorant.  Flames to /dev/null.  I would rather not consider it
further, although I KNOW somebody will now pipe up and present a
pile of half-baked reasons for this attitude.  Or a least a pile of
*something* !

Categories 2 and 3 each have a LOT to consider.  I personally WAS
in category 2 -- our birds used to be unclipped and could fly freely
around the house (subject to my discipline).  I have since gone
over to the 3rd camp and both birds are now clipped and my life is
much easier and the birds are, IMHO, happier and safer.

>Can these birds be trained to be taken outside without flying away?
>Is it difficult? (I'm assuming that it is)

It can be done, but it is difficult and dangerous.  Even a well
trained bird will get startled and fly a few dozen yards away.  But
a few dozen yards is probably farther than a hand-fed baby bird has
ever been.  It will get lost almost instantly.  Generally they will
find a tree to land in and huddle in fear.  Even if you spot the
bird, you may not be able to convince it to come down to you
because a) it can't be YOU - your so small and far away! (really!),
b) flying DOWN is hard for an inexperienced flyer, and c) you're
yelling and obviously agitated; I must be in trouble!

And that's assuming you can find the bird at all.

And of course birds-of-prey will find a parrot an excellent meal.
It would be all over in a second, even if the parrot is on your
shoulder.  No joke.  Even if the hawk/owl/osprey or whatever
doesn't carry away the parrot, it will be severely hurt.

Some people may recommend training with a "foot leash" which is a
short cord or chain on one leg of the bird attached to the
perch. The problem is that if the bird falls off the perch (which
happens more often than you might think), it could be left dangling
up-side-down.  An African Grey doesn't particular mind being upside
down but it may be startled and start to scream and thrash about,
possibly injuring itself.  If the leash is long enough to let the
bird reach the ground then it is too long; a bird can forget about
the leash and try to fly away, ripping its leg off in the process.
This is generally considered bad form.   :-)

I don't recommend taking unclipped birds outside without a cage.
If you discount the bird-of-prey problem and have a PROPERLY
clipped Grey, taking the bird outside is great!  Merlin (my Congo
African Grey) and I have enjoyed many walks outside, with him
riding on my shoulder and checking everything out.  He loves it!

>I was planning on getting a large cage with a perch on top, and
>probably putting a perch or two on the first floor of the house.
>I've also thought about hanging a perch from the ceiling. Any
>comments on this?

I can recommend a "Jock" cage.  The full size one I have is
probably twice as much as Merlin (my Grey) needs, but he likes the
cage.  The top opens up to give a high perch and the door is damn
near impossible to open from the inside.  But some birds are gifted
with the ability to get out of anything.  It comes with four
feeding cups and has glass inserts at the bottom sides that serve
to help contain the mess when he starts flinging food (a common
practice among birds, particular Greys).  Merlin loves his, I'm
sure.

Mobile perches made from PVC pipe are easy and cheap to make.  Make
a couple and make them easy to "take down" for traveling to
friends' houses.  Use coarse sandpaper on the perch so that your
bird can get a grip.

By the way, the cage should be in the room where everybody
congregates normally;  the bird should always be around people and
not kept in its own room.  It is too easy to banish a bird to its
own room for some misbehavior.  A more effective punishment is
being caged and then IGNORED.  With people all around, the bird
wants to come out.  In its own room, the bird may be perfectly
happy to play by itself.  Eventually the bird will train *you* to
leave it alone (depending on its personality, of course).  This is
especially true of noisy, shrieking birds.  Put a cover on the cage
to quiet the bird but don't banish it to another room.  Others will
be happy to give you a lot of advice on this, I'm sure.

Good luck.

-- Harold