Free Articles on Pets and Animals and many other topics
Another free Pets and Animals article for you by Cliff Hagberg
Titled: Wing Clipping Get the Pets and Animals category RSS Feed

Wing Clipping

Article Summary: How to clip your bird's wings.

Wing Clipping

I’d like to talk a little bit out clipping your bird’s wings. There are good points and bad points about whether to clip or not. I thought I’d try to set them out for you so you can make your own decision.

There are two ways to clip a bird’s wing. You can clip both wings or just one. The reason to clip only one wing is that, when the bird tries to fly, they will end up flying in a circle because of the clipped wing. The bird gets frustrated because they can’t fly in a straight line and keep missing what they’re aiming at. Eventually, they give up and stop flying. By clipping both wings, the bird can’t get enough lift to stay in the air. Many people like to clip both wings as it keeps the bird symmetrical and looking good. Both methods work and it’s a matter of preference.

Clipping a bird’s wing is a fairly easy and straightforward process. The goal is to remove the primary flight feathers. These are the longest feathers and the end of the wing when it’s extended. Removing the first four or five flight feather is usually sufficient to accomplish the goal. Removing more than that is not necessary. Clip the feather far enough back so that the covering feathers cover the cut part. Be very careful not to cut a blood feather. A dark vein running inside the quill can identify a blood feather. When a feather is new, it is fed blood to help it grow. If you cut a blood feather, you will know immediately. The best thing to do is to then remove the feather completely by grasping it, often with a pair of pliers, and remove it completely to stop the bleeding. If in doubt, don’t cut it.

As long as your clipping the wings, it would be a good time to trim toenails as well. Using a set of clippers, remove just the very end part of the claw. If you cut too much, you run the risk of cutting into a vein and causing the claw to bleed. Use a styptic pencil or some other method of stopping the bleeding. Be sure to have it on hand before you start just in case.

Your vet can do both of these for you and, in many cases, a local pet store will often offer this service. I personally do not clip my bird’s feathers. I don’t like the way it looks but that’s just a matter of personal preference. Do some reading and decide for yourself what’s best for you and your bird.

Article Source: http://www.upublish.info

About the Author:
Cliff Hagberg
About the Author Cliff Hagberg has worked with birds for over 30 years. He can be reached at info@birdcityusa.com. He is the owner of Bird City USA, an internet store for bird supplies that also supports a parrot rescue. Click Here for Bird City USA