How To Clip A Parrot’s Wings?

Everyone who grows a parrot knows that it is necessary to clip a parrot’s wings if they are intending to train them or put them out of the cage. Clipping the wings of the parrot is the process of just trimming off the feathers of the primary wings known as “flight feathers” of the parrot which makes them incapable of flying unless they shed the clipped feather or grow a new feather in the primary wing.

The clipping is mainly done not to prevent the birds from flying completely but to ensure to stop them from the upward flight and thus preventing them from getting escaped, roaming all over by making places messy and putting themselves in some dangerous situations.

Safe & Easy Steps To Clip Parrot’s Wings!

Most parrot owners are preferring to do the clipping as it is a painless process that can even save their parrot’s lives. As it does not cause any pain there is no matter of injuring the parrots while doing this process. 

Why do you need to clip the parrot’s wings?

 Different parrot owners find different reasons to do the clipping of the wing. Some of the pet holders will find it difficult to train them if they are flying around uncontrollably and so they prefer clipping the wings of the parrots.

Some owners will clip their wings in order to protect them from certain hazards which may even cause them death such as open windows and doors, ceiling fans, water pumping areas, candles and fireplaces, hot iron boxes or hot fluids, and hot stoves or containers in the kitchen, etc.

Other pet holders clip the wings of their birds so as not to allow them to fly around and make the places messy by dropping their wastes all over the house and chewing and destroying different decorating kinds of stuff such as decorating flowers, organic plants, curtains, rugs, couches, bed, books and so on. If done for valid reasons in the correct manner clipping the wings of the parrot can be painless, helpful, and safe.

Advantages of  clipping a parrots wings

• The main advantage of clipping the wings of the parrot is safety. As it is not able to fly completely it will not put itself into dangerous situations like fireplaces, ovens, toilets, doorways, sinks, ceiling fans, etc. Clipping helps to limit their access to these dangers.
• It prevents them from escaping from the owner. After doing this process parrots will not be able to fly upwards which reduces the chances of their escape through open doors and windows.
• As we have already discussed clipping the wings will also prevent the parrots from putting messy drops and roaming all over the house.
• It can play outside the cage safely. Thus the clipping of wings will also help enormously with the initial training and socialization of the parrot.
• As their wings are clipped they will become very dependent thus it creates a powerful bond with their owner.

Disadvantages of clipping a parrots wings

• The parrots may become injured by crash-landing as they can no longer fly properly. It leads to breaking of the bones, damage to the chests, and cuts near the vents.
• It can cause physical and psychological damage to the birds. Many people claim that flying birds enhance their exercise and mental stimulation. Thus they survive longer.
• As they can’t fly there is a chance that the parrots become overweight which leads them to different diseases including heart diseases.
• As the trimming is done before the parrot learns to fly, some parrots will not be able to fly in their life even if new feathers are molted.
• They feel unable to escape from other pets like cats and dogs who might consider the bird as prey.

Steps to safely clip a parrot’s wings

🔷Be prepared – Be prepared to cut the wings of the parrot. Keep an assistant near you, in case you are not able to complete the task he can assist you. Keep a towel, sharp scissors, and styptic powder which is available in the pet store in case of an emergency.

🔷Use a towel and wrap – Use a towel of the size of the parrot and gently wrap the towel around the parrot without forcing. Be relaxed and cautious while doing this process because parrots are too sensitive and there is a chance of heart attack to occur if forced due to stress

🔷Decide which feather to cut – Pull the wing gently out of the towel and find the feathers in the primary wings. These feathers are the last ten and longest feathers on the primary wing. Talk with the veterinary doctor before doing this for the first time, as different birds need different feathers to be cut.

🔷Using the scissors cut the end of the outer six or seven – After this leave a few portions between the cut end of the feather and smaller feathers. Don’t leave the outer one or two feathers for the sake of beauty because this might be enough for your parrot to lift itself and fly.

🔷Avoid cutting the blood feathers – The blood feathers are new feathers that are starting to grow with a waxy sheath and many blood supplies for their growth. You can observe the blood in the feather tube. Try to find this tube and avoid cutting it as its cut may put the parrot in danger.

If you accidentally cut one of these, it will heal on its own. If you reinjure the cut there are chances it won’t heal on its own. If this happens to you, you must immediately stop cutting and put the styptic powder in order to stop bleeding. Actually, birds are small creatures with very little blood, so controlling the bleeding immediately is very important. 

🔷Cut the other wing – Cut it in the same manner you did it with the first wing. Cutting fewer feathers from both sides is far better than cutting more feathers from one single wing.

Final Thoughts

When performed accurately for valid reasons, steps to clip a parrot’s wings can be used as a helpful training tool and it prevents the parrots from different life-threatening injuries. If the wing feathers are cut or damaged during this process, the parrots may find it difficult to fly in their entire life which may affect their inborn talent which is flight. Some parrot owners and trainers chose to cut the primary feathers in order to inhibit flight.

While some other people completely oppose this practice and consider it cruel. There are times when clipping became a failure which led the life of the bird to a crisis. It definitely depends on specific birds in specific situations. So if you are not sure of your knowledge you can definitely seek the help of a veterinary doctor because it is not a silly matter but it’s a matter of life even if it’s a bird. Literally, it is the choice of the parrot owners to do this practice or not.

Actually, clipping a bird,s wings are temporary because new feathers grow to replace the cut feathers just like new hair growing in a certain period after cutting hair, and the same as in the case of nails. And thus the flying ability of a parrot is regained.