Clipping 'Tiels Wings... To Do Or Not To Do?

[TehLizardKing]

Just built my massive aviary, and am ready for the exciting part - getting the birds!

Most of the birds will be just decorative, say zebbies and canaries, but I decided i'd love a cockatiel too, as they are so cute and also tameable as opposed to a finch. I've done my homework and found a store that sells 'tiels already kept with finches, so as not to have any problems there, but there is one thing no one seems to be sure about...

Should I clip my cockatiels' wings?

I'm gonna do my utmost to tame this bird up as much as possible, so I heard tell of people who clipped the birds wings so they needed to rely on them more, which would increase the bond between man and bird.

I then thought, Ah. This 'tiel is going to be kept in an aviary, as opposed to a small, flight restricting cage, so it wouldn't really be fair to take away it's ability to fly while it's watching all the finches and canaries zooming about overhead.

What do I do? I could do with some help guys.

Thank's y'all!

 

[Naunnie]

Is it possible the Cockatiel could be tame already? I would not clip his wings under any circumstances! There are many other alternative methods to taming and training. If he is clipped, he would not be able to fly to perch or investigate his surroundings. That will make for a very unhappy bird. If he spends a lot of time on the floor, the other birds may think he is injured and pick on him.

Depending on the age of the bird....taming could be done very easy in a smaller cage. After ya'll have bonded then release him into the aviary. It is really awesome to have them fly to you.... when you enter the aviary.

 

[TehLizardKing]

Thanks Naunnie

.

You've settled my mind, as that's exactly what I thought. It's not fair to prevent something like a cockatiel from flying! I was actually going to ask if it would be ok to tame him up in a smaller cage

.

I went to get the 'tiel today, and he is a very fine specimen. He's a bit shaken (understandably) from the change in environment, but he seems to be ok. He's definitely not hand reared, but he has no qualms about sitting next to me in his cage and taking treats from my hands.

I've also come across an unwanted homer recently, I found the poor thing half dead on my doorstep, and upon making contact the owner told me that 'I could keep it, or he could neck it' so I now have her free ranging in my almost completed aviary, but it's so hot I've had to leave the door open and she has been confined to a parrot cage, which she is NOT happy about. The bird is reasonably tame. Doesn't like to be touched but will eat from my hand and tolerate humans, and is SO interested in my quail and cockatiel. I let them all out for a while together and they got on like peas in a pod, sitting on the top of the workbench, preening each other. What i'd like to know is will it be possible to keep the pijjie with the quail and 'tiel? (who already live together) in the aviary? There won't be spacing problems but is there anything else I should know?

 

[Naunnie]

Your welcome. Glad I could help.

Yes, you can house the homer with the other birds. I do!

However....I would hesitate putting them all together just yet. Due to the homer flying out in the big wide world, there is no telling what he was exposed to. He could bring in an illness that could wipe out all the other birds. I would try and get more information from the previous owner. Ask if the the bird has been vaccinated/dewormed. What feed has he been eating. Most important....how long was he missing and why is the owner giving him up? You may not get a lot more information.....but I would try. A vet check-up would be a good idea or at least have the vet check a fresh poop sample.

For a little Pigeon care; They prefer to eat seeds/grains on the ground. I use a wide low bowl, but up on a platform. Pigeons drink different then other birds. It's like they are using a straw, so the water dish needs to be at least 3 " deep. They love, love, love to take baths! Tub needs to only about chest deep, but wide enough for him to roll. They will lay on their side with a wing up then switch to the other side. Very funny to watch btw! The tub water has to be clean. They will always taste it first. If it is not tasty, they will not bathe. I add ACV with the "Mother" in it, to all my birds drinking water and their bathing water. ACV in the tub, is very good for their skin and feathers. It will take care of any external parasites! If your birds have never had ACV, start off with 1 tea. per gallon, then increase a little at a time to 1 tbl. per gallon.
Also, pigeons prefer flat perches over round. They like to lay down when sleeping.

Pigeons are highly intelligent birds. They never forget anything! Thank you for taking him in.

He knows you saved him and after he settles in... will bond to you readily.

 

[TehLizardKing]

Phew! Oh i'm so glad about that... I was hoping I wouldn't have to build ANOTHER shed + aviary, and there is no way I'm gonna just abandon him.

That's very interesting about the bathing...... should the bowl be on the floor or a ledge type thing? And yep, I'll contact the 'previous owner' straight away on the morrow to get some more info.

I absolutely LOVE pigeons, and almost everyone else around me wonders why . I love the way they look at you, and the way they have amazing personalities and very developed feelings. When watching something like a finch, it kinda flits about and eats, and if it gets scared, it scarpers. But you can see the workings behind pigeons actions, like it will make a decision before it does something, thinking of the outcomes.

Will he really bond with me? I'm not sure at the moment. He'll let me come into the shed without even a glance, but gets kind of nervous if you try to pick him up to move him out of the cage or something. The thing i'm very happy about though, is that once I've put him down again, he just honks angrily, as opposed to the only other pigeon I've owned, a rescued woodie, who whenever I looked at her the wrong
way just flew repeatedly at the window. Im thinking wild woodies are probably naturally a lot more nervous than domestic pijjies though.

Anyway, thanks LOADS for the advice, i'm hoping i'll be able to acquire a mate (once I know the gender). Oh yeah also, I heard somewhere that it is only the cocks that coo? Is that true or a myth? cos if so, I've definitely got a male

. Every time I leave the shed he goes absolutely MAD, cooing like there will be no tomorrow, and only stops if I coo back!

Thanks Naunny!