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Post by Aardman on Feb 29, 2016 13:59:33 GMT -5
We got our Quaker late last October. Her wings had already been trimmed. Now, five months later she still cannot fly - when she tries she flutters to the floor at virtually the same speed as when we got her. I do see blue wing tips starting to peek out now, but shouldn't they grow in faster?
A wing trimming on the cockatiel we used to have barely lasted three months before he was on the loose again so I was just wondering if quakers last longer or did they damage her wings somehow by over-zealous trimming? We took her to an avian vet to have her checked out as soon as we got her, and they didn't say anything about problems with her wings.
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Post by easttex on Feb 29, 2016 15:52:23 GMT -5
Feathers that are damaged or clipped have to be molted and replaced. Though Trixie might have multiple light molts throughout the year, she will get new flights once a year, at most. You'll know the new ones are coming when the clipped start to drop.
If Trixie was not allowed to fledge properly, she may be reluctant to try flying, even when she gets a new set.
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Post by Aardman on Feb 29, 2016 23:36:58 GMT -5
Feathers that are damaged or clipped have to be molted and replaced. Though Trixie might have multiple light molts throughout the year, she will get new flights once a year, at most. You'll know the new ones are coming when the clipped start to drop. If Trixie was not allowed to fledge properly, she may be reluctant to try flying, even when she gets a new set. Are you saying that a wing clipping lasts about a year? I'd no idea. Our last bird had to have them trimmed almost bi-monthly and it was because we failed to keep it up in that respect (he absolutely hated it and reserved his most wicked bites for the wing trimmer) that we lost him (he took a powder out the door when my son stood there with it open for one second too long). She's not reluctant to take leaps into the air and drift towards the floor flapping her wings at the least provocation, so I would imagine when they come in she'll use them. I'm just not sure I want to let her have that kind of mobility. |
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Post by easttex on Mar 1, 2016 6:30:44 GMT -5
It depends on when the clip is done, really. The feathers don't all molt at once, and a 100% full set is not required for flying. So if you clip once, different flights can molt later, requiring another clip. Her first clip was probably done not long after she was fully feathered, and got all the flights at once.
Being allowed to fly might help her feel less dependent on you, but of course you'll have to decide whether or not you're comfortable with that.
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Post by julianna on Mar 1, 2016 14:09:00 GMT -5
Your Quaker might turn out a little like Oscar. Oscar can fly short distances but he does not know it. He has been clipped since he was very young so he doesn't think he can fly. I have seen him with full fledged wings and still he would not fly. My preference is to keep him clipped but that is not for everyone.
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Post by Holly on Mar 31, 2016 6:10:24 GMT -5
Hi
I also didn't realised clipping Quaker's wings lasted so long. I just got my Norman's wings clipped (more severely than I would have liked but the vet did it) and he can still mostly fly. His wings are tiny now!
I can't wait until his feathers grow back, they were so beautiful!
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Post by biteybird on Mar 31, 2016 18:20:32 GMT -5
I've heard of quakers and other parrots who could still fly after clipping, due to their wing muscles being well developed. But I think these cases are not common. Bonnie has never been clipped, so I'm not sure how long Norman's would take to grow back.
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Post by Jan and Shah on Mar 31, 2016 19:32:29 GMT -5
Shah has clipped wings but he can still fly - just not upwards. I had a cockatiel who had her wings clipped - she took off one day and ended up in the next suburb - took a week before I could locate her.
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