IndianRingNeck.com

Well, it can be done either way. Some birds won't step up from inside their cage. You can try and see what happens.

As for getting him back in the cage, they'll normally go back near dusk, to settle in for the night. Ladders do work, or playstands. Or you can use his favourite treat (with a command of some sort as this could be useful in the future, lol!) and drop it in his foodbowl. I think your birdy is properly food motivated, judging from the trick he already does.

Yep, that's a trick. Hanging by his beak, now just get him to do it on command.

http://indianringneck.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=5022

Those are some pics of clipped birds. In the third and fourth one especially, you can see where the wing feathers end on a clipped bird. In the final picture, is a baby unclipped. When folded, the longest feathers from each wing nearly meet at their tips or even cross. But even new feathers growing in can give a bird flight. You should be able to tell. ^_^

Oliver here, is partially clipped as you can see in these pictures.
http://indianringneck.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=5476
You can see how long the primary (longest feathers that provide lift) feathers get and how they cross at the back.

The shorter feathers are for gliding, so we don't normally clip those as we want them to glide to the ground... not thump.

If your bird isn't clipped, it might be a good idea if you're worried about a panicked bird getting free. But if you can keep doors, windows closed, you should be find if you wish to leave her unclipped. It's a personal decision.

I really hate looking in the paper every week and seeing lost birds.

Thanks so much, Melika, for the advice and encouragement. I think Blue is unclipped. His longest feathers, at the tips, cross teach other with about 3-4 cm of overhang. Since I live in Idaho, and it is winter, I want to take NO chances on him escaping into sub-zero temperatures. So, I suppose I need to either take him to get clipped or do it myself. Since, I prefer not to even take him from the house to the car in this cold weather, I would rather learn to do it myself, but am not sure where to find good directions. There are so many sites with various techniques. Mostly looking to make money. But they all seem so very different. And I understand how important it is that it be done properly. So, I want to be certain how to do it. I purchased a nice pair of barber scissors and styptic powder and pen just in case of a blood feather (especially since he is all blue). I know I can handle doing it because I clip my daughter's starling's toenails. My daughter is too nervous to do it. And of course the bird senses it. I just need to get Blue to be comfortable being handled. So far... I am taking it very slow. I haven't actually got to touch him yet. So, I also haven't been nipped yet. He drew blood on my husband when he was first brought home. So, I am being patient. Ha ha ha. Not anxious for that first big bite. I know it's coming. For now, he is bluffing a lot. And I pretend to not even notice. He doesn't actually bite. He sort of pecks with his beak and pins his eyes. When I don't flee, he decides to run away. The sweet little monster!
I love him so much already.

EDIT: my apologies, this could take a few reads... the info comes to mind at such odd times, it's all a bit... confused.

http://birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww19eii.htm

This continues to be an extremely helpful article (with a picture!).

I like how they cut african greys, as I agree with not letting the end of the cut feather irritate the bird's side, lol. So I have more info that should help.

I started with budgies when I was... eleven years old and they needed their wings clipped. And this info helped me (like mom would have taken me to the vet for a budgie?! she still feels the same way, my thoughts have changed...). Plus some more info, to help you feel more comfortable.

You'll need an assistant, who knows what you are doing and how it all works too. So, hello assistant (I'm guessing husband) who is now stuck reading this too. We hope you'll become addicted. ^_~

You and your assistant should go over your game plan ahead of time, and during the cutting don't talk (some say you should croon to your bird, do whichever you wish, you'll know later what works for your bird). When you need the bird turned or flipped, you'll have to signal it. My sister and I do this together. We towel our birds and don't talk, so they don't really connect the clipping with us. We find this to be the least stressful for our birds. Then, when it's all done we get to "rescue" our birds and they love us more!

Birds don't have a diaphragm, so you can't squeeze them within the towel. They have to expand their chest in order to breathe. Our method is something like a cage of fingers, lol, so the bird can't move foward or back out from underneath the towel. We cover the heads of our birds, as uncovered they will freak out. That's up to your bird. So we don't actually press on their# bodies.

Great care is taken when extending the wing, don't pull on the feathers themselves, as that can be a little painful (like pulling your arm up by your hair...). You can feel the wing, and the tension. It can take a moment for your bird to relax while you're pulling out the wing enough to clip. Our birds don't flap anymore, but back then we let the wing go if they did and started over again. The handler shouldn't release the bird if it flaps. Having the bird on it's back helps prevent most of the flapping. The first few times will leave ya'll sweating, lol, but it does get easier.

I use some extremely sharp kitchen scissors (square tip so no puncture risk) for a clean cut.

Best option is, of course, getting hands-on teaching.
If you cover the travel cage and *run* to a preheated car, I'm sure it'll be fine. I've seen pictures of aviary birds leaving their warm side of the aviary to go play in the snow.


More info:
http://www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/index ... ipping/178

Grey clip:
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww25ev.htm
Pics of grey clip being done:
http://www.parrottalk.com/wing-clipping.htm

Great toweling:
http://thetrueparrot.homestead.com/howtotowel.html



#I know I say 'they' but we only towel one bird at a time.

Thanks again. I think you're right. It might be a good idea to pay a professional to be the "meany". And to be sure it is done properly. I assume this doesn't get done very often? Maybe If I watch a few times until he and I both get used to the procedure, then I'll decide if I want to do it myself after a while. A travel cage is on my list of things to buy, as well as a much larger cage for him. The pet store sent my husband home with the poor bird in a cardboard adoption box intended for cats! I am still learning, so thanks so much for your help.

Twice a year for the first few years, then just once a year.