My opinion is that is is best to keep a pet birds wings clipped. The only time I would be hestitant to do so is if there were cats or other animals in the house that threatened the bird when he was out of his cage.  Clipped birds are much tamer (as you have noticed) and much safer. They are not able to fly out a door and disappear forever, fly into ceiling fans, boiling pots, etc.  If you are not extrememly experienced in clipping, always take your bird to a reputable vet or pet store to have his wings clipped property, as a wrong clip can cause bleeding and worse. Good luck!

I have to add this and am not disagreeing with Snowbird--but those hazards she mentioned--Clipping does not prevent those things from happening with several types of birds--if anythng gives them lift--a breeze form a window etc. they can still hit he fan--fall into water etc--get out a door or window--so while clipping makes them easier to handle you still have to watch out for the pitfalls.        Katz

Yes, and overclipping can cause them to fall to floor VERY hard if something spooks them.  My poor Rosco is going to break his little chest bone one of these days, he falls SO hard.  I hate it and wish he weren't even clipped now.  Citrus can officially fly now, but she doesn't ever take off and fly because she wants too.  Not yet anyways.  If something spooks her now she can fly to me or my husband, or another cage for safety.  She's even flown to under the kitchen table before when she saw a buzzard flying around out the window.

Of course a bad clip certainly has it's downfalls as well, that's why I suggested an experienced person clip the wings. My birds are clipped property and can always float to the ground, but not get enough height to get into danger. Not to get into a "do clip" "don't clip" debate, this board has been down that road before, I would just suggest that anyone who is on the fence on this matter go onto one of the lost bird sites such as birdhotline or many others and read how many birds have been lost out an open door or window due to unclipped wings. And yes, a clipped small bird such as a budgie or cockatiel can sometimes get some height and distrance if clipped and partially grown out, but rarely enough to carry it high into a tree or a great distance. I personally know an extremely caring and wonderful fid owner who lost her beloved cockatiel forever due to an overdue wing clip. I also know of birds who have flown into boiling pots and ceiling fans as a result of grown out wings.   But for those who can unequivacally state that their bird could never escape out an open door, and who don't mind the bird flying freely around the house, I would say it is certainly a option for them not to clip.

Actually there have been MANY of those debates on this board over the years--and also sad stories from clipped birds. Professionally clipped at that!

My Conures were both profesionally clipped.  Two days after I got them the vet did it for me at their well baby check up.  I think Rosco's problem is that he never learned to fly to begin with.  The breeder clipped my birds before I ever got them and before they learned to fly.  I'm allowing Citrus to learn to fly but don't plan on keeping her flighted forever.  Once she shows full capability I will clip her, MYSELF this time, little by little until the float to the floor is juuuuust right.  Same with my Rosco.

I also feel that nobody should tell anybody what they should do.  Just because someone does something doesn't mean that it's the 'right way' or perfect for everyone.   We're all adults and understand the risks of a bird flying out the door.  There's also risk of an airplane crashing on your house at night, or a burgalar coming in and stealing your parrots.  We all get to pick and choose what we think is reasonable.  We're all individuals and that's what makes us all so interesting to each other, and how we can choose to learn from each other.

Tivabird--so sorry if I offended you--we are not all adults here and if we were all experienced bird keepers I wouldn't have said a thing. But have thought for a long time one of the purposes of this place was to not only share info but to educate new bird owners.  To tell somebody that those dangers don't exist because of a clip when a home still has to be bird proofed  whether clipped or not just caused me to put in a caution. That somebody would argue on that point seems --just stupid--so I answered back.

To the original question--a clip will change your birds attitude. And it will change back as soon a the wings start to grow back. So thats one fix--the other is to just patiently work with the bird and redirect the behaviors you don't like. Myself--I would do the clip--but work very consistently with the bird on the behaviors at the same time. Hopefully the behaviors will be gone when the wings grow back if you choose to leave the bird flighted.  JMO!    Katz

 

Oh Katz, you didn't offend....I wasn't referring to you, but to the whole 'to clip or not to clip' thing.  In fact, I got from your last post that you and I were agreeing.  I feel the same way you do about the fact that clipping doesn't void those dangers.  Good and bad things can happen in both situations where birds are clipped and not clipped.   Everyone should make their own decision based on their own situation and feel supported for doing what is right in that case.  

Thank you all for your advice.   I know the pros & cons of clipping or not clipping so

I guess I have to decide.   He seems so happy being able to fly.  I hate to clip his

wings again and take that away from him.   It's sort of like amputating a persons legs so they can't walk anymore.   I am careful about open doors and boiling pots.  And also when his wings were clipped he liked to go and hide under a table or a desk and I was afraid of him getting stepped on.   So I think for now I will leave him have his ability to soar.   And if it makes him a little less friendly then so be it.   Thank you all for the interesting info.   I didn't know you had a board.  So that was interesting to know also.