Parrot Care – Do You Need to Clip Their Wings
Whether or not to clip your parrot’s wings will be debated forever. There are good arguments made on both sides. In the end, only you can make that decision. I urge you to consider all aspects of the debate before you make that decision.
There are many who say that clipping a bird’s wings is just like getting a haircut. The only problem is that we don’t depend on our hair to get around or to avoid danger. Your parrot does. It is true that feathers will grow back. So, if you decide that clipping is not the best thing for your bird after you done it, they will grow back and your parrot will be able to fly normally again.
Proponents of clipping say that a clipped bird is less likely to fly away or be injured as a result of getting to dangerous objects like toxic chemicals around the house or a hot stove. But even clipped birds have been known to fly away. For this reason some people advocate clipping both the primary and secondary flight feathers.
Advocates argue that a clipped bird is less likely to get away through an open window or get injured in the home. A flighted bird will be able to get to dangerous items in the home like toxic metals or a hot stove. A clipped bird will be easier to handle since it can’t fly away.
Opponents of clipping argue that a bird is meant to fly. A bird that is allowed to fly will have a stronger respiratory system. They argue a clipped bird has its best defense taken away from it; he is no longer able to get away from cats and dogs or other dangers. A bad wing clip can lead to plucking and sometimes in extreme cases to injury.
You’ll have to decide what’s best for your bird given the environment he will live in. Just be sure to consider the decision carefully. Maybe it’s to only keep your bird clipped for part of the year when the weather is warm and the windows are open. Consider the options and then decide.
Related Reading:
- The Dangers of Poor Parrot Diet
The main cause of any number of parrot problems stems from poor nutrition. A poor diet can drastically reduce a parrot's life span. Some of these birds can live to be over...
