How to Care for a Pet Parrot : How to Trim Parrot Feathers

It's important to trim your parrots feathers so it doesn't fly out of open windows or doors; learn the techniques of feather trimming your parrot in this free pet care video.

Expert: Kelly Willey
Bio: Kelly Willey is a Certified Veterinary Technician with over 10 years of experience.
Filmmaker: Bob Hunt

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• parrots
• parrot
• care
• pet
• beak
• nails
• talking
• bird
• cage
• toys
• freevideo
• howto

[mstammyt]

This is truely person opinion.. I feel it's important to trim a few flight feathers. Our parrots are able to fly downward for safty and unable to fly upward. It could be veryh dagerous for a parrot to fly onto a hot stove, a glass window or a ceiling fan.

This bird is NOT being hurt..

He is being held by his cheeks,

not his neck or chest.

There is no right or wrong to clipping,

It is a personal preference.

It does no good to call names or fight

about it.

[SJCrazySistersInc]

1. Don't clip the wings as far up as this video shows.

2. Use sharp scissors. -.-'

3. Cut in a straight line.

4. Don't clip a baby birds wings until they know how to fly. Otherwise they may never learn and they will be, in a sense, crippled for life.

5. IF you can provide a SAFE place/room for your bird to be able to fly in, do so. While clipping is for safety, flight is still healthy for birds . . . obviously.

[NaurDulin]

@Quizative1 If you are bringin the bird outside, there are flightsuites that you can learn it to accept, or build a big outdoor cage if possible. And if a bird dont know how to decent, its not cause its been raised in captivity, but because it havnt learned to fly properly, which is a big risk if the wings are being cut (especially if they are cut too early in the birds life)

[Quizative1]

For those that say to train a bird to come back to you...my bird will fly to me. Howver, if you take your bird outside to enjoy the outdoors as I do, you can not control loud, sudden noises like a door slamming or a car backfire and startled a bird will fly instinctively. This just keeps them from getting in a tree where they dont know how to get down. A bird not used to flying in the wild will get confused and not be able to decend. Done correctly, this does not hurt the bird.

[Quizative1]

I prefer the first 3 feathers be left. It does offer a nicer appearance and a more controlled flight if you dont cut straight or hack into the secondary row. I remove 1 feather at a time from each wing and then wait a day to see how they fly. I want them to be able to go from cage to chair or floor safely. Just a little air slipping through will keep them from gaining altitude.

[Quizative1]

@NaurDulin Unless you are going to keep the bird in a padded cell, this isnt practical. If done correctly, it doesnt immobilize the bird or cause it to crash. It just keeps it from getting altitude if it is outside. I had a parrot that got out in a  very high tree - could go from level tree to level tree but because she had been raised in captivity, didnt know how to decend. If you are going to really spend time with the bird it is safer if it cant soar.

[Quizative1]

@Supermatt1999 Even with windows closed because they were either captured as babies or raised in captivity, most if not all do not have control when they fly. Plus most are so large they cant navigate even in a home. They are safer if trimmed.

[Quizative1]

@hjones1 No she isn't . I have been caring for parrots over 30 years. She actually shows the most attractive way too. by picking up each feather individually and not just snipping straight across, she doesnt cut that secondary rom makes it look much nicer. She is also wise to allow enough for the bird to glinde to a gentle landing in the event he jumps of his cage.

[fabboy2010]

@qpwillie its good when you try to train him

[Supermatt1999]

i wouldnt take a birds gift away if i got my bird i would make sure all windows are closed  ceiling fan is off ect. ect. cmon

[123codfan]

I have this video of my cockatoo can u tell me if it's sick or molting

[Kezco123]

@qpwillie Yup, you should always,ALWAYS carry your children around and have them wearing crash helmets and hockey gear to avoid any injuries.I suggest you watch a few free flight videos right here on YouTube,THOSE birds are the happiest ever!I have yet to hear of an un-clipped bird hurting itself while flying, but there are enough tragic stories about clipped-wing parrots that have had some terrible accidents because they're unable to control their flight perfectly.Birds have wings for a reason!