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Adopting A Dog From An Animal Shelter
Visiting an animal shelter can be an emotional experience for an animal lover. It’s difficult to see all the animals in their pens and not want to take them all home. Such feelings are understandable and commendable; however, just be sure that prior...

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“Dogs have owners; cats have staff,” and I have worked for some wonderful cats in my time. The one I loved best was named Buster. Buster had an unusual mind. He didn’t think like other cats; he didn’t act like other cats. Maybe that’s why I loved...

Dog House Training - How To House Train Your Dog
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Dog Training - The Surprising Way To Train Your Dog Not To Fear Loud Noises
Loud noises, such as fireworks, thunder and traffic, are one of the most frequently cited fears given by dog owners. It is natural for some dogs to be fearful of loud noises, but some dogs are so traumatized by thunder, fireworks and other...

Meet My 4-Legged Family
If you've been reading this ezine for very long, you probably already know a good bit about my wife, Ann, who is also my business partner and soul mate, and my soon-to-be 13-year-old daughter, Amber. Today I want to introduce you to the rest of the...

 
Clipping Your Birds Wings

Clipping a pet birds wings is a common grooming procedure and is necessary for training as well as for your pets safety. You might feel like you are being mean to the bird, but the fact is that it does not hurt the bird and can help to keep him from flying out of an open window or door and becoming lost. Most pet birds would not be able to survive in the wild, especially if your climate is not one that is natural for the bird.

You can clip your birds wings yourself at home, but it is best if you take him into the vet or pet shop and ask if they can show you the proper way to do it before trying it yourself!

Do not try to clip your birds wing until he is very tame and used to you holding him, otherwise the procedure will be very traumatic for you both. You need to make sure that your bird trusts you enough to hold him and open up his wings. Until your relationship has reached this stage, it is best to have this done by a professional.

Once your have your birds trust and are ready to clip the wings yourself, take your bird out of the cage and hold him for a while. You may need 2 people for this as it


can be kind of awkward with only 2 hands. Spread the birds wing out and hold it out with one hand, have your scissors ready with the other hand.

You want to cut only the longest feathers – the one on the very bottom layer. Cut halfway up from the bottom of the wing in a line that is parallel to the wing. Some people leave the very last feather intact so when the birds wings are folded in, you can’t really tell that they are clipped.

This should be a quick and painless procedure. After you have clipped his wing, your bird will still be able to fly, but not for any distance. When he does fly, he will most likely, have a downward motion to the flight, so if he starts off at a high spot, he’ll able to fly to a lower spot with no problem. Make sure that there are no other animals in the house that could hurt him if he lands on the table or floor as he may not be able to fly away from them to protect himself.

About the Author
Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.epet-center.com where you can learn about all your pets needs. Learn more about birds and parakeets at http://www.epet-center.com/pet-birds.html