What A Tantrum!!!

2610 Views 17 Replies 9 Participants Last post by xxxSpikexxx, Dec 7, 2007

Bea

Discussion Starter · Dec 6, 2007

I've got Gracie out with all my birds right now, and although every thing is calm NOW it wasn't to start with. I had to put Mickey out because Gracie is scared of dogs and i figured that for her first time out with the flock she didn't need an extra thing to worry about.

Then Gracie saw a budgie and freaked, took off flying around the room, so then Bailee freaked because Gracie freaked, and Cookie freaked because everyone else was freaking out, and the budgies thought it looked super fun to fly around the room super fast so they joined in too, and OH MY GOD!!! Who thought it would be good for birds to have wings to fly???

Cookie and Fizzy (budgie) had to drop out after a couple of laps because they're both clipped (Cookie only lightly, Fizzy totally - but he still flies, little ratbag). Blinkie and Ozzie (budgies) got bored with the game and landed on the cage, while Bailee and Gracie just kept going and going and going. I was soooo scared one would crash into a window and die.

When they eventually stopped i made up my mind to reclip Bailee. He's been fully flighted on one side for a few weeks and i've been hesitant to reclip cause he's grown in pretty yellow flights and they look beautiful. But after that display of break-neck speed flying i figure that safety is more important.

Now, Bailee bites like a demon when i hold him, so i got a small towel ready to put over him and i have never seen such a tantrum in my life. For such a dummy he managed to avoid me and the towel for about 10 mins, slipping out of some very sticky situations and even squirming his way out of the towel when i did manage to grab him once. By the end of 10 mins he was so stressed i was worried he was going to have a heart attack so i just gave up.

He can keep his pretty yellow feathers for another day while i figure out a way to catch him without stressing him out so much.

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DeBree420

· #2 · Dec 6, 2007

it might help to try at dawn or dusk....i would get a net, and motorbike gloves (or other thick, strong gloves)
but i dont know

, thankfully ive never had a bad biter... the budgies try pretty hard sometimes though

but yeah, i would get a big fishing/aquarium net, but with small netting (my budgies seem to just jump into the net when you cover them with it, never had to get Cinn that way) or a pool skimmer net of some sort to catch, then hold one wing and body at a time with glove on.... i dont see a conceivable way of doing this without someone helping though...
just my thoughts..
i have been told by my vet that it is really bad to clip one wing at a time (and even worse to only ever clip one wing)... as the muscles in the clipped wing overcompensate when they flutter(or fly)
she goes on to say that you should clip all the flight feathers (on both sides) except the first and last 3 leaving a kind of

/_/_/-----l_l_l *body* l_l_l-----\_\_\

pattern in both wings... thats all the knowledge i have on the subject...
i dont actually clip any of my birds... so i have no personal experience on the matter

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Bea

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 6, 2007

I've always clipped my own birds wings, and don't worry, i always clip both wings and never just one.

I keep my tiels lightly clipped with just the first 3-4 flights clipped on each wing. It was just the way it happened that Bailee moulted out the clipped flights one just one side and now has only one fully flighted wing. Seeing as i don't clip many feathers in the first place it's not unbalancing for him. I don't want to use a net because i know that would scare him severely. It's better for me to towel him and do it quickly, but he know's what's going on and doesn't like it one bit.

He's getting too smart for me.

I know some people who clip the way you showed, it's so that some feathers are left for appearance. I've found that those outer feathers left for appearance are enough to give a bird lift though.

Plukie

· #4 · Dec 6, 2007

Oh Bea, you made my heart sing!!!! I always thought that things in your household were organised, calm and everybody getting on with everybody else!!! To know that your birdies can also be insane had done me the world of good. Thank you. LOL!!!!!!

I read your post out to my partner and we sat here laughing at the scene. I love it when you describe things because you really bring it to life.....you ought to write a book.

Bea

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 6, 2007

Plukie said:
I always thought that things in your household were organised, calm and everybody getting on with everybody else!!!

OMG!!! I just can't stop laughing at that idea!!!!!

I have a bunch of total pyscho birds here. They are ALWAYS up to no good.

DeBree420

· #6 · Dec 6, 2007

Bea said:
I've always clipped my own birds wings, and don't worry, i always clip both wings and never just one. I keep my tiels lightly clipped with just the first 3-4 flights clipped on each wing. It was just the way it happened that Bailee moulted out the clipped flights one just one side and now has only one fully flighted wing. Seeing as i don't clip many feathers in the first place it's not unbalancing for him. I don't want to use a net because i know that would scare him severely. It's better for me to towel him and do it quickly, but he know's what's going on and doesn't like it one bit. He's getting too smart for me.

I know some people who clip the way you showed, it's so that some feathers are left for appearance. I've found that those outer feathers left for appearance are enough to give a bird lift though.

hehe yeah, the vet said that they still would be able to fly a bit, but you can cut down to one on each side of the wing if you needed and in the long run it was better for them... (she is a good avian vet, but there are many ways to do things, few of them wrong)

i wasnt saying that you only clip one wing either,it is obvious by your posts that you provide a more than adequate home for your avian children, i was just pouring out all the info i knew on the subject

i have a fine mesh net(holes about as big as a pinhead)it is soft and light and the budgies dont mind it (as much as they ever mind being caught) i go up to them with the net behind my back and quickly (but not so quick it makes them fly off) put the net over them, they either sit there and look at the net, or jump into the end of the net, i get them out straight away, never let them stay in it! the other thing is my budgies get used to the net by positive reinforcement...
when i get a new batch of vege, millet or fruit that they like i put it on top of the budgie bedtime cage.. then i get the net and open the front door with the net over it, each budgie jumps into the net one by one, as they are used to the door being the way out, i grab them out and place them close to the treat/food, which they happily get into

dosent take them long to get used to the net being nothing to worry about and actually sometimes meaning food...
not saying my idea is perfect or even what you should do, just an option

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Bea

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 6, 2007

I have a butterfly net which i use to catch my aviary budgies.

All my indoor babies are tame though, so they totally freak at the net. Besides, i can usually catch them easier by hand anyway. I wouldn't try and catch my aviary birds without the net though.

Squeak_Crumble

· #8 · Dec 6, 2007

lol hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm when we had Mojo my brothers teil like 2 years ago( he ended up escaping and flying away) he always put the cage outside on a table through the day.One day we realized there was a VERY young baby coming to the cage and we wanted to catch it so we asked a friend and he said that you should try and drench the bird so it cant fly as its feathers are heavy or get it with a wet towel. maybe try on a hot day to get a wet towel and make him wet?????

Bea

Discussion Starter · #9 · Dec 6, 2007

I could do it after our next shower. I don't want showers to become a dreaded thing though, he loves his showers and he might not if i catch and clip him right after one.

DeBree420

· #10 · Dec 6, 2007 (Edited)

hehe, yeah none of my budgies are tame,they are all rescue birds or aviary birds, they are just chill with me cos they know i wont harm them and i bring food and treats(and in some cases saved their lives, they are the ones who get affectionate)

maybe get him early in the morning from the cage so there isnt anything he can associate it with? and give him a wooden 'finger' to gnaw on while you clip him?

Cinnamaroll sees the net as a toy she can climb in and jump on (especially when i pick it up, she jumps inside and swings around)

Bea

Discussion Starter · #11 · Dec 6, 2007

DeBree420 said:
maybe get him early in the morning from the cage so there isnt anything he can associate it with? and give him a wooden 'finger' to gnaw on while you clip him?

I might try that tomorrow.

How embarrassing that Brainless Bailee outsmarted me!

Tia

· #12 · Dec 6, 2007

Birds seem to go all smart on you when you need to catch them! Most of the time Sunni is a total dumb blonde but when I need to get him to the bath or in his cage for the vets...

Aly

· #13 · Dec 6, 2007

Oh that didn't sound like fun! I know what you mean-it seems when one freaks so does the other! And the budgies-well they just join it for the fun I think...Ziggy is scared of dogs as well-we're trying to slowly teach him it's ok but it doesn't help that I don't have a dog living with me. I would love to see the babies fully flighted (all the budgies are) but I'm just afraid they are very clumpsy. Glad all is calm over there now.

Plukie

· #14 · Dec 6, 2007

I think you should drop the "less" now Bea, it should be brainy Bailee, not brainLESS

Laura

· #15 · Dec 6, 2007

Georgie is the same way she gets right stressed out if I try and pin her down she was panting and carrying on I thought for sure she was going to pass out she hates the towel and also bites like a demon even for nail clippings if you come up with anything let me know

olly&izzy

· #16 · Dec 6, 2007

This was such a fun post. I can't wait until I get my tiel in 2-3 weeks. Not looking forward to clipping nails and wings though.

Bea

Discussion Starter · #17 · Dec 7, 2007

Plukie said:
I think you should drop the "less" now Bea, it should be brainy Bailee, not brainLESS

No!!

It just can't happen...!

xxxSpikexxx

· #18 · Dec 7, 2007

Brilliant Bailey

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