Budgies are lovely birds that are commonly kept as pets. As a good budgie parent, there are several things you need to learn to ensure that they are happy and comfortable in their living environment. Budgies are playful birds, and they require more space to exercise, fly, and stretch their wings. So, how do you prevent your bird from flying away when you release him?
Yes, you should clip your budgies’ wings. Clipping budgies wings helps to:
1. Prevent Escape
If your budgies are not tame, they are likely to fly away once released from the cage and will not come back. By clipping the budgies’ wings, they cannot fly for long distances and get lost.
2. Avoid Excessive Roaming
Clipping your budgies’ wings helps limit their movements from one place to another. This will allow you to monitor your bird’s whereabouts, thus reducing the chances of it being eaten by predators.
3. Maintain Cleanliness
Budgies flying everywhere will result in budgie poop in every corner of the house. By clipping their wings, they can not fly to many places in the house and will have to poop in one spot.
4. Ensure Your Budgie’s Safety
Clipping the budgies’ wings prevents them from achieving upward flight.
Hence, they will not be exposed to dangerous situations such as flying into mirrors, posts, fans, windows, or hot stoves, which can cause injuries.
5. Strengthens The Bonds
A budgie with clipped wings usually depends on the owner to feed and move it from one place to another. The budgie will learn to trust the owner through continuous interactions, thus creating strong bonds.
6. It Makes it Easy to Train Your Budgie
It’s easy to train your budgie to step onto your hand, as that is the only means of movement it has.
Is it Easier to Tame a Budgie With Clipped Wings?
Yes, it is easier to tame a budgie with clipped wings due to its limited movements. The budgie cannot go far or fly away as it cannot use its wings for flight.
The bird also learns to trust you, as it cannot carry out its normal daily activities without your help. It will always be near you for protection against any predators, thus making it easy to tame.
Can a Budgie With Clipped Wings Fly?
Yes, a budgie with clipped wings can fly. However, it can’t reach great heights. The budgie will take off, become unbalanced in the air, and fail to maintain itself over long distances.
The budgie will also be unable to fly upward and out through an open window.
What Happens When You Clip a Budgie’s Wings?
When you clip a budgie’s wings, the flight feathers are usually cut. Thus the following will happen;
1. The budgie won’t reach the same heights as before when it tries to fly.
2. They cannot fly for long distances.
3. Flutters close to the ground.
4. Budgies walk with their wings slightly open as they try to maintain balance.
Do Budgies Wings Grow Back After Being Clipped?
Yes, budgie wings will grow back after being clipped. If the feathers are trimmed correctly, they will always grow back.
However, it may take sometime before the wings grow back. So, how long does it take for clipped wings to grow back?
It takes between six and eighteen months for the feathers to grow back.
Since budgie-clipped wings grow back when the bird undergoes molting, it’s essential to clip the wings every 1- 3 months after the start of the molting cycle.
How Much Does It Cost to Clip Budgie Wings?
The cost of clipping budgie wings will vary from one place to another.
It will cost between $20-$30 to have your budgie clipped by a veterinarian, whereas it will cost $30-$60 if you take it to a pet store.
The price will also depend on:
1. The Size of the Budgie
Clipping prices vary from one bird species to another. Large birds cost more to clip than smaller birds.
2. The Clinic You Visit
Each clinic charges differently for budgie wing clipping depending on the state, city, or town where they are located.
How to Clip Budgie Wings
For wing clipping to be successful, proper preparation should be done, and one needs to be cautious with the process to avoid injuring the budgie.
The following steps are to be adhered to when clipping your budgie’s wings:
1. Get the Necessary Instruments
All the equipment required should be in place. Ensure you have a sharp pair of scissors, Snopes nose pliers, a marking pen, corn starch, a small towel, and a travel box.
2. Have a Helper
You should have someone help you hold your budgie so that you have both hands free to manage the wings and clip feathers better.
3. Plan Your Cut
Using the marker, draw a line to help cut the feathers to the required length.
4. One Feather at a Time
Since all feathers are not the same length, you should cut one feather at a time.
5. Clip the Feathers
Primary feathers should be trimmed about halfway from the base of the feather to the tip. Secondary feathers should not be clipped.
Don’t clip into feather shafts that are dark in color, as these are blood feathers. If cut, they can lead to bleeding, which can be fatal to your budgie.
Remove the lowest layer of feathers on your budgie’s wings, as they are bloodless and safe to clip.
6. Test Flight
Release your bird and allow it to fly away. Test if it can flap, the height it can gain while in flight, and if you can catch the bird easily.
If your budgie can fly, then cut more feathers.
Bird Behavior After Wing Clipping
As much as wing clipping can be beneficial to your budgie, it can also affect your bird both physically and mentally. This will lead to behaviors such as:
1. Your bird can develop psychological and behavioral problems, such as feather plucking due to an inability to fly.
2. Clipping can irritate, thus leading to frequent picking at the feathers
3. The budgie becomes less playful.
4. The bird is prone to crashing into walls or dropping to the floor as it tries to fly since it cannot control its flight.
5. It makes the bird feel vulnerable, as it can not fly away when faced with danger. Thus, the bird will isolate itself and hide in the cage.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Clipping Budgies Wings?
Clipping your budgie’s wings has several advantages as well as disadvantages associated with it.
So, what are the benefits of clipping budgie wings?
1. You will always have a cleaner house with no budgie poop everywhere, as wing clipping limits the bird’s movements.
2. The budgie will not escape through open windows or doors if left open by mistake.
3. Clipping prevents injury, as the budgie cannot fly into fans, windows, or hot stoves.
4. The bond between the budgie and the owner is strengthened as it will depend on the owner.
5. It protects the owner against any injury while chasing after the budgie if it gets out of the cage. Also, when frightened, budgies can fly into your face.
Cons
1. The budgie will struggle to exercise, as they usually exercise by flying around.
2. Your budgie will need help navigating while playing.
3. The budgie will feel less happy due to the loss of mental stimulation and the fact that it can no longer explore.
4. Your bird will become dependent as it must be moved from one place to another.
How Do You Train a Budgie Without Clipping Wings?
You can easily train your budgie without having to clip its wings by:
1. Using a Bird Harness
The harness helps you pull the bird back to you when it tries to fly away.
2. Spend More Time Around Your Budgie
Spending more time with your bird helps it relax and feel that it can trust you. Your budgie will feel safe with you and will not fly away.
3. Use Positive Reinforcement
Give your budgie its favorite treat if it stays in the cage or doesn’t fly away.
4. Train Your Budgie Not to Fly Away
Only allow your budgie to fly around the room until it gets used to flying around you.
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