To clip or not to clip (her wings)

[AmberC]

I dont know if I want to clip her wings or not. (My cockatiel) Shes not a very good flier, but I'm sure she'll get the hang of it. I bought her when she was a couple months old. Her wings were clipped and I haven't re-clipped them yet. They are pretty much all grown out. (I DO know how.. I've done it with all 15 of our birds that we had all at once before ranging from parakeets to hyacinth macaws.) I've never had a bird with unclipped wings before. I let her out on a daily basis when the dog is outside and she plays on her cage when shes not being held. She really doesn't try to fly unless she wants off her cage. Shes actually flew farther today than she has so far. An advantage to leaving her unclipped would be that if she ever got loose when I'm not home and the dog is in, she'd have a better chance of getting away (which I highly doubt would happen. Shes got a new 130 dollar cage and I know for a fact she cant get the doors open LOL). Dis would be sometimes I forget shes out and keep my back door open (no screen cause dog and baby took it out for me :/) What would you do?

[Jodi]

Quote: Originally Posted by AmberC What would you do?

I would clip.

[sunshine]

can you afford to put in a doggie door for youre dog and then get a screen door for the back ,. just a thought , i have a doggie door for my dog , i also have 90 percent full flight , and 10 percent not full flight for serveral reason either they are new to the house and they came that way , other then that it is really youre call

[elfomatic]

It is really your call depending on the risk to the bird of escaping. I would definitely clip until you get the screen door fixed. All takes is, like, a one second window (pardon the pun) for them to escape forever. It happens all the time because people believe it just won't happen to their bird.

Clipping the wings won't make much of a difference if your bird is attacked by a dog. Dogs are faster. There are plenty of unclipped parrots who get killed by dogs ... so a cockatiel isn't going to stand a much better chance. I would suggest, instead, that you only let your 'tiel out under supervision and never, ever, leave it alone exposed with your dog.

[debbie450]

Personally, I believe in keeping wings clipped.

[Boo]

I'd clip too.

[Chrisanne]

i'd clip....