Obsessions and crashes

[Rie]

G'day I have another question about little Gus. We have these full length mirrors in a few rooms in our place. Ever since Gus first found them he has been obsessed. I sticky taped a row of newspaper along the bottom of them so he can't see that other incredibly attractive bird, yet he still loves to go and hang out there sometimes and pick at the paper. He sometimes does ths for a while when he gets into it. I'm sure he still remember "there was once another bird here." When I go to fetch him he is very obediant (most of the time) and will hop strauight onto my finger, and if i give him something else to do like hang out on his gym or put him on the desk with me with his favourite toys, he's fine.
but he does love to go back sometimes, do you think he'll ever forget. he's about 2-3 months old.

Now here's part 2.... about these crashes. Gus had/has a clipped wing from when i bought him. He doesn't seem to learn that he can't fly. when i let him out i'll walk him over to his gym and in his haste and excitement he'll bail off my finger and just plummet to the groung, the gym the corner of the table you get the idea, whatever he hits first in his uncontrolled maner. he will often do tis to get off his gym when he is keen for a wander or off the desk. which is fine, I like him to have some freedom to do as he pleases. but i don't want him to hurt himself. should i let his flight feathers grow back?

[miss_missy]

well. he will eventually after he learns that there is nothing there.Keep it covered up. Try to block the mirror with a board or something and have his toys or something somewhere he can reach them and lure him with millett or something have him learn that you are much more interesting then what used to be over there. He saw his kind and got his hope up to playing with it probley so try to spend alot of time with him, to let him know your are his friend and he is not alone.

[Amy]

Oh dear I hope he doesn't hurt himself!

[Budgiekin]

I like your advice Missy. Covering the mirror up is certainly the way to go. While Gus may end up always having an affinity for that spot for a very long time, at least the mirror won't be visible. I can identify with this kind of "obsessive" behaviour. My budgies, particularly Aries and Kiwi, seem to always like to go up on our fireplace hearth and chew the brick. Well, to put a stop to that, we covered up the brick with a "grass mat" that they can now chew instead. They still spend a lot of time in that spot, but at least they can't chew the brick anymore!

In terms of wing clipping, I am definitely in support of having pet budgie's wings clipped. Many people do not feel the same way, which is completely fine, however, I am of the opinion that it is much safer for your little sweeties when their wings are clipped. Budgies with clipped wings won't be able to fly full speed into a window or mirror, or worse, out the front door never to be seen again. Wing clipping is also a good idea in that your budgie shouldn't be able to fly high enough to land in a kitchen sink full of water and drown, or land on a hot stove and get burned for example. Yes, believe it or not, accidents like that have happened. In fact, some people have let their budgies out in a room with a ceiling fan on and the budgie has ended up seriously injured, and even dead.

I would like to add that budgies can be quite clumsy just after they have had their wings clipped. They almost end up doing face-plants for a few days after a clipping whenever they fly and land. The good news is that they do adjust and recognize their limitations, fortunately! Just give them some time to re-establish their balance. So the fact that Gus seems to be pretty clutzy is nothing to worry about. However, this is not to say that you shouldn't still be careful about where you let Gus out in the house. You want to minimize any risks in whatever room he is in so that he is much less likely to hurt himself (i.e. covering mirrors, closing curtains. . . .) If your house doesn't have soft flooring, you may wish to put lay out a large blanket (that you don't mind getting budgie poop on) so that he has a softer landing.

It is possible that your little Gus has maybe had too many of his flight feathers clipped. Do you think that might be a possibility? If after a few days, he is still really clumsy and is crashing, this could be the case and you may wish to consider having his next wing clipping adjusted so that fewer of his flight feathers are clipped. With a proper wing clip, Gus should be able to fly at about knee level for short distances. Likewise, if Gus is up high (for example at the top of a staircase) and takes off, he will have enough flight feathers to make a relatively smooth and gentle landing. Budgies differ in their flying abilities, so their wing clips should be tailored accordingly (i.e. a great flier needs more flight feathers clipped than a budgie who does not fly all that well even when fully flighted).

I can hear many people saying that "oh, but wing clips are just not natural!" If you think about the concept of having an exotic pet, such as a budgie, that in itself is not particularly natural. If we were truly letting our little budgies "be natural", we wouldn't be keeping them as pets in a cage or aviary, but rather they would be free in their native habitat. Just something to think about.

[Kiwi]

My friend had a budgie (she still might but I don't think so) and when it was young it didn't have its wings clipped and flew into the ceiling fan while it was on. After that it was a strange little bird. Then it got its toe stuck in its eye. Poooor poor bird.

[Rie]

I think you are right budgiekin I agree that he has had a too agressive wing clip because he just plummets with no control. For his next clip i will have this assessed. And you won't believe this, I came home today and found him out of his cage and in front of the only uncovered mirror in the house, the little bugger worked out how to open the door of his cage. well i always knew he would be a genius.

[Amy]

Poor Kiwi's friend's bird! Oh that's terrible.

I agree with Budgiekin, Maybe you shouldn't have his flight feathers clipped so much.

[Shiney_things]

I am in total agreement with budgiekin on clipping. My friend had a parrot... (a kakariki) and it drowned in a water tank that they didnt know was open...
Also expert bird experts reccomend it... At least they do here...
And i can support the safety fact behind this... before i clipped ozzy he flew into a mirror and knocked a flight feather out and he was beeding and in pain because of this... where if it isnt there it cant happen

[Amy]

Definately do it then!

[Budgiekin]

That sounds like a good plan Rie (i.e. getting the wing situation assessed the next time you bring Gus for a wing clip). Once you have determined the proper number of flight feather to be clipped, you will then be able to tell whoever is doing the wing clip so they don't make him flightless! :p

Gus also really does sound like a little genius! I mean, being able not only to open his cage door, but to find the one mirror that wasn't covered! I guess you'll need to figure out a plan to keep him from being a little escape artist!! :D

I would hate to be one of those people who has had a budgie get hurt from a household hazard like a ceiling fan or tank of water. That is not funny at all! I would be devastated if I contributed to the death or injury of one of my sweetie pies.