Parakeet wing clipping

Question
Hello,
 First, I have to commend you for the information you've previously posted on clipping a parakeets wings because it was very helpful. But now, my question is whether or not I should clip my birds wings. I have four parakeets whom I let fly around my house for about 3-4 hrs a day. They are not tame, used to flying around my house, and clipping their wings is my attempt to try and tame them a little more. I've heard that keets who've been allowed to fly but get their wings clipped become very depressed. What is your opinion on this matter? I love my birds to death and would hate for them to be depressed.  

Answer
Hi, Susana.  Thanks for posting.  Thank you for your kind words.

I'm not sure parrots (not just keets) actually get depressed when their wings are clipped.  Of course, they don't understand why they were able to fly previously, but now they can't.  They bounce back really quickly from this change.  And since flying is instinctual and a natural part of their lives, I'm sure they are confused by not being able to fly any longer.  However, we're not dealing with wild parakeets...we're dealing with domestically bred and raised, caged parrots.  

Clipping wings is a way to help keep tame parakeets tame and the beginning of a process to tame a parrot who is not tame.  In addition, clipping the wing feathers of domestic, caged birds keeps them "grounded" so to speak for their own safety.  When allowed to fly freely around a home, they are subject to many pitfalls, such as flying head on into a wall or window (I've seen this happen several times...bird dies immediately from a broken neck or severe trama to head; birds don't know what window glass is and can't detect it visually), flying onto a lit/hot stove, flying into a sink full of hot water and drowning, flying out an open window or door, becoming food for another pet in the house, flying into ceiling fans...the list is endless of the hazards of permitting parrots to fly freely in the home.  If you don't want them to be depressed, I know you certainly don't want them to become injured or die!  Clipping wings isn't cruel nor painful if done correctly.  

If you want to allow your birds to fly freely in your home, allow them to do so in a room that is free from hazards, but not all throughout your home.  This is not only unsanitary, but unsafe for your birds.

Simply clipping wings is only a part of the process of trying to tame/reteach a parrot.  There's much more to it than this and not all parrots can be tamed if they weren't handfed/imprinted to humans as babies.  In addition, birds prefer other birds to humans.  The best pet bird is a single bird in the home.  You may never be able to tame these guys down!  

Chrys