Clipping Cockatiels Wings For Dummies

 Clipping cockatiel’s wings is an easy skill to learn, and it will save you a lot of money if you can learn how to do it yourself.

If you own a cockatiel, and you take him or her out of the cage a lot, it is essential that you keep the wings clipped, no matter how tame your bird seems.  You don’t want to take the risk of him flying away, and it could happen so easily, even to the tamest of birds.  All it takes is a sudden movement or loud noise, and your cockatiel could get a fright and fly away.

I used to take my cockatiel to the pet shop each time, as they clip cockatiel wings, and it cost about R30 a time, which is not a hell of a lot of money, but over time it can add up, and in time too. It also takes a lot of time to chase after a ‘flyaway’ cockatiel.  If you can learn the art of clipping cockatiel wings yourself, you can do it quickly and easily with very little stress to your little pet.

Remember, before you try to clip your bird’s wings on your own, make sure the first time you do this there is someone knowledgeable to help you and watch that you are doing the clipping thing correctly.

So How Do I Clip Cockatiel Wings?

The video above explains beautifully just how easy it is to clip cockatiel wings.

Bonus ‘Clipping Cockatiel Wings’ Tips

1. Have someone help you hold your bird while you are trimming its wings. This will help ensure its safety.
2. Make sure you have the right tools. Use sharp scissors or grooming shears to clip the feathers. Always sterilize the scissors with rubbing alcohol before and after use. The best scissors to use to clip a bird’s wings are blunt-edged veterinary scissors, trimmed to the appropriate size. It is important to remember that you should never attempt to clip a bird’s wings without the proper instruction, training, and experience. It is essential to have a veterinarian or an experienced bird groomer show you how to clip the wings properly in order to avoid any pain or trauma to the bird that can result from an improper trim.
3. Start by trimming the primary feathers, which are the longest feathers along the tips of the wings. Only remove a few feathers or the flight feathers at the tips of the wings. It is not necessary to remove all of the feathers from the wings.
4. Be careful not to cut the shaft. This is the outer part of the feathers. It is connected to the bird’s skin and it is important not to cut it.
5. Trim the feathers evenly on both wings. Make sure to not clip too close to the body of the bird.
6. Be aware of the bird’s stress level during the process, and take your time and talk calmly to your cockatiel.
7. After clipping the wings, pay attention to your bird for a few minutes to make sure it is not in distress.

Some Important Notes When Clipping Cockatiel’s Wings

The best time of day to clip a bird’s wings is early in the morning before the bird has had a chance to become alert and active. If the bird is handled and clipped in the morning, it is more likely to remain calm during the procedure.

Most species of birds do not enjoy having their wings clipped. This is only done to prevent the bird from flying away, but it can be stressful for the bird and may cause them discomfort. You need to make the process as stress-free for your cockatiel as you can.

The trick is not to trim too much off of your bird’s wings, as you need him to still be able to land safely if he falls or decides to take flight, but you want to clip enough off so that he doesn’t head off into the skies.

Do not clip the wings of very young cockatiels before they attain motor skills and know-how.  Otherwise, they will not learn to land and can hurt themselves or break their tail feathers when landing.

When clipping a cockatiel’s wings, be sure to do a symmetrical job, trimming both wings an equal amount. Your cockatiel not only will look good but, more importantly, will be balanced when it flies or sails along. You don’t want to make your pet clumsy.

Never clip more than 10 primary feathers, but keep in mind that the fewer you trim, the higher the bird will be able to fly.

Be very careful not to cut too high up on the feathers, or you could hit a blood feather which will cause the bird to bleed.  If this happens you will need to pull out the entire feather or take the bird to the vet.  Any feathers encased in a white sheath are blood feathers.  Do not cut these.

When clipping his wings, make sure to use sharp scissors.  Hold the bird’s head between your index and middle fingers to prevent him from biting you.  Gently but firmly open his wing and work from the outside in.