i need advice

[b]
to make a long story short i rescued a male senegal from a pet store...someone has clipped the flight feathers short on one wing and left the other wing untouched...they also trimmed the tail feathers...my question is do i clip the flight feathers on the other wing to give him balance or do i leave well enough alone and wait for the feathers to grow back in...the bird is either untamed or reverted back to untrained...i have my hands full with this rescue...i was so angry in the pet store that i bought the bird.


dusty

I'd take it to the vet immediately, and get him checked out.
Cut the other wing, birds need their wings to be balanced like we need legs of equal length.

Bless y'alls hearts. I'm glad you found each other.

I would have him clipped for balance, poor fella.

Poor little guy

I think clipping the other wing may be a good idea though.

I just hope everything grows back properly.

Maybe a vet visit should be made?

Who would trim TAIL feathers and WHY?! Congratulations on your new addition, I'm sure he'll be eternally grateful to you. Does he have a name yet?

I'm going to be pedantic and say "don't forget to quarantine him!".

I'd definitely even up the clip. Better to have limited controlled flight than uncontrollable flight, and seriously unbalanced wings would be almost impossible to compensate for. What's with trimming tail feathers???? I can't imagine doing that unless they were broken or something.

I wish I had the means to rescue birds.

Everyday I look at ads for unwanted budgies/finches/cockatiels/canaries. It breaks my heart that I can't give them all a home.

I'll jump on the bandwagon here and say even out the clip. An unbalanced clip is like hobbling a bird, in my opinion. As for clippng the tail feathers, seriously, what the heck? Why!?

Also -- a vet visit.

Probably to throw him off of balance even more... *angry face*

thank you so very much for the responses i will trim the other wing tomorrow...he is quarantined...he is in great shape so i think i will wait on the vet visit...he has to learn step up first...and that dusty's fingers are not food...lol

dusty

i have decided to wait to clip his wing...until he has settled in...poor little guy has it very stressful lately...if you think waiting is wrong please advise me...i am open to suggestion

dusty

I don't think it's "wrong" for you to wait until he's more secure in your home. I'd just try not to walk around too much with him until he can be evened out so he doesn't go into a spiral and crash into stuff around you. Work with him quietly and perhaps while you're sitting so he doesn't have to deal with the panics and spiral flights.

While I don't "tame" birds, I'd suggest working with him for very short periods of time, several times a day depending on his comfort level. For instance - every time you walk by the cage stop and just say "hi, pretty bird" and then walk away. When he's no longer wary of that, progress to opening the door and immediately closing it and walking away; progressing to sticking a hand in, taking hand out almost immediately (better yet, every time drop something awesome in there like a raisin or a small toy) and walking away. The concept is the same as Capt's - leave him wanting. He's expecting you to reach in and get him which is probably what causes him a lot of fear. You're showing him that you won't do anything overly scary to him.

thanks for the great advise...he is terrified for sure...i can get him close to my hand outside the cage but not in...so i will follow your suggestions...you have been a great help...my sengal will thank you in a month or so i hope...

There are many other methods. Mine's only one suggestion. Use whatever seems "right" for your situation. Only you can assess what the bird can deal with or not.

your suggestion was along the lines i was thinking but somewhat better than mine...lol thanks

I wish you the best of luck

with all the great suggestions from my new friends on here i already have the luck...thank you glass onion

dusty

All of the suggestions are correct...I personally would get the wing clip over with before he starts to settle too much and allow him to attribute it to all of the mishandling he has had in the past. That way you can start on a good foot instead of waiting until he starts to trust you somewhat and blowing it. The tail I have seen in pet shops because the cage is almost always way smaller than the bird can comfortably live in they trim them so the bird can move without looking ragged which is always an indication of a cage worn bird. This is how I deal with my rescues I give them 24-48 hours to get used to the mayhem and sounds of the other parrots then off to the vet I take them in to have it done the first time and they start to trust and be curious of the attention the others get faster. This is as usual just my opinion for what it is worth.

trimming now, makes sense...i hate to stress him more but like you say get it over with now rather than undo all my efforts later and have start over again...thank you very much


dusty

I agree with flappinhappy. Get the "bad" stuff done and over with. I think it will make the settling in process easier if you're not waiting for him to settle down only to "traumatize" him again. Not that vet checks or wing clipping is traumatizing, but manhandling the bird later may be.

Actually, my number one vote would be get someone else to do it, but that may not be practical.

ScooterNScotty wrote:

Actually, my number one vote would be get someone else to do it, but that may not be practical.

Ditto if you're going to do it now.

tonight he gets trimmed by me...it's my responsibility and i want to be the one that holds him through what i hope won't be too tramatic...love the little guy already...his name is walter by the way...named after jeff dunham's puppet walter...cranky....lol

dusty wrote:

tonight he gets trimmed by me...it's my responsibility and i want to be the one that holds him through what i hope won't be too tramatic...love the little guy already...

If you want something done right, right? Hope it's quick and painless.

dusty wrote:

his name is walter by the way...named after jeff dunham's puppet walter...cranky....lol

Hahaha, love it!!

dusty wrote:

tonight he gets trimmed by me...it's my responsibility and i want to be the one that holds him through what i hope won't be too tramatic...love the little guy already...his name is walter by the way...named after jeff dunham's puppet walter...cranky....lol

I admire your immediate dedication, it is the stuff rescuer's are made of Walter has it made and I am sure he will be happy to repay your kindness as he becomes a solid part of your flock. He is very lucky to own you.
I would have a 2nd pair of hands if at all possible it is tough to hold and clip a bird that is frantic I know as the breeders we have are most definately a 2 person job but they settle right back down after. (a couple of peanuts and a few sunfower seeds erase memories)