# Clipping Doves Wings



## dawgtrainer

hI i HAVE A LOVELY YOUNG RING NECK DOVE. HE LOVES BEING OUT OF HIS LARGE CAGE AND ENJOYS OUR COMPANY THOUGH HE DOESN'T SEEM AMENABLE TO BEING HANDLED. IT IS SO HARD TO GET HIM TO PUT HIM BACK INTO HIS CAGE. I HATE HAVING TO CHASE AND/OR STRESS HIM TO REPLACE HIM. iS CLIPPING HIS WINGS AN OPTION OR IS IT A POOR IDEA. tHANKS FOR ANY IMPUT.


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## spirit wings

I usually do not like clipping wings.. but is some cases it is fine and needed... like yours I think.. because he is a lone dove..you will want to interact with him alot and let him be out..so if the clipping will help him not hurt himself and makes it less stressful to put him back then do it.. as long as he still can flit up to his perch and go from perch to perch.. then it should be fine.. they do grow..so you can always decide to let them grow back if you feel it is not of any help..


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## Jay3

dawgtrainer said:


> hI i HAVE A LOVELY YOUNG RING NECK DOVE. HE LOVES BEING OUT OF HIS LARGE CAGE AND ENJOYS OUR COMPANY THOUGH HE DOESN'T SEEM AMENABLE TO BEING HANDLED. IT IS SO HARD TO GET HIM TO PUT HIM BACK INTO HIS CAGE. I HATE HAVING TO CHASE AND/OR STRESS HIM TO REPLACE HIM. iS CLIPPING HIS WINGS AN OPTION OR IS IT A POOR IDEA. tHANKS FOR ANY IMPUT.


If you darken the room, so that he can't see, you can then fairly easily pick him up to put him in his cage without clipping his wings and taking away his freedom. Wings are what makes a bird a bird. He would hate his wings being clipped so that he can no longer fly.


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## spirit wings

Jay3 said:


> If you darken the room, so that he can't see, you can then fairly easily pick him up to put him in his cage without clipping his wings and taking away his freedom. Wings are what makes a bird a bird. He would hate his wings being clipped so that he can no longer fly.


they grow back... it is not permanent..


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## Jay3

Yes, they grow back, but why do it if you don't have to. Why take away his flight if there are other ways. Don't think it's fair to the bird to handicap it just so that it gives you more control.


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## spirit wings

Jay3 said:


> Yes, they grow back, but why do it if you don't have to. Why take away his flight if there are other ways. Don't think it's fair to the bird to handicap it just so that it gives you more control.


because of the stress of catching her.. she needs to be out and interacting with her human.. if she was not the only one then I agree about the not clipping.. but I think this will keep the bird safer..people do it all the time with no ill effects.. it just depends on ones opinion on and what is best for both of them... either way the bird is being thought of.


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## Cyreen

If your dove is an indoor bird and restricted in his ability to fly safely anyway, it is often advisable for the bird's safety to clip their wings. I would suggest only a light clipping - maybe the first four flights halfway to slow him down but not take away his flight. He needs to be able to land safely.


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## Iceland

If you darken the room, you can easily pick him up.


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## spirit wings

Iceland said:


> If you darken the room, you can easily pick him up.


mine were not so easy to pick up from the ceiling fan or the top of a window ...lol.. even in dark they would try to fly from my hands and crash... if the dove could not get up high because she had clipped wings then she could darken the room and just go pick her up as she will not beable to fly up high on something.. been there done that..lol...


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## TN_PIGEON

Shifting gears just a tad:

I'd suggest trap training him so that he'll put himself back in the cage.


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## spirit wings

TN_PIGEON said:


> Shifting gears just a tad:
> 
> I'd suggest trap training him so that he'll put himself back in the cage.


brilliant!


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## Doves1111

TN_PIGEON said:


> Shifting gears just a tad:
> 
> I'd suggest trap training him so that he'll put himself back in the cage.


Ringneck Doves are not as smart as pigeons to trap train. I am not for clipping wings either...but in this case a light clip on the flight feathers will cut the taming time of this dove in half. It sounds cruel, but it will be a lot less stressful on the dove then letting it fly wild and out of control. When you go for the dove...say step up...or up up. Put him against your chest and pet him for awhile. This will calm him. Don't pick him up and immediately put him back in his cage. Pick him up...cuddle him...and then put him back where he was. Do this over and over and eventually he will become calmer when you go to get him...knowing that you are not going to put him back in his cage every time you pick him up.
As for the clipped flight feather...they will grow back when it molts. If you want the flights to grow in faster...all you have to do is pluck the cut ones out. They will grow back in around 6 weeks.

Dawn


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## spirit wings

they may not be as smart..but they can be motivated by food the same as pigeons.. would take awhile though..


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## Jay3

spirit wings said:


> mine where not so easy to pick up from the ceiling fan or the top of a window ...lol.. even in dark they would try to fly from my hands and crash... if the dove could not get up high because she had clipped wings then she could darken the room and just go pick her up as she will not beable to fly up high on something.. been there done that..lol...


Ever hear of step stools? That's what they're for. Better than handicapping the bird.


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## spirit wings

Jay3 said:


> Ever hear of step stools? That's what they're for. Better than handicapping the bird.


pick on someone else... Im not in the mood... you have your opinion and I have mine.,... take it some place else...


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## Jay3

spirit wings said:


> pick on someone else... Im not in the mood... you have your opinion and I have mine.,... take it some place else...


Get over yourself. You're right. We have two different opinions. I was just giving ways in which the bird could be caught without taking away its flight. Wasn't picking on you at all.


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## spirit wings

Jay3 said:


> Get over yourself. You're right. We have two different opinions. I was just giving ways in which the bird could be caught without taking away its flight. Wasn't picking on you at all.


then stop quoteing my post and picking them out... just post to the thread starter.. I don't need your advice....it is adversary and do not appreciate it.... you ruin more threads than anyone on this site... pfft !.... not in the mood..

and I did use a stool... still did not keep the bird from crashing landing flying away from my hands... and yes it was dark...


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## Jay3

spirit wings, you quoted me several times. I didn't take it personally. Just figured you were responding to what I had said. That is usually why a comment is quoted. I was simply answering your comment about not being able to reach a bird who has landed in a high place. You are just being defensive. All I was saying is that there are ways around clipping wings. It really isn't that hard.


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## spirit wings

Jay3 said:


> spirit wings, you quoted me several times. I didn't take it personally. Just figured you were responding to what I had said. That is usually why a comment is quoted. I was simply answering your comment about not being able to reach a bird who has landed in a high place. You are just being defensive. All I was saying is that there are ways around clipping wings. It really isn't that hard.


yes Im defending myself...so stop it..save your advasary remarks for your pm... you assumed I did not use a step stool or whatever...it was a smartass remark and you know it... you don't need to say your disagreement at every turn... just post your opinion to the thread starter and be done with it... quoteing others just to be disparaging gets old... if you need to get your opinion across more then quote ones you do agree with and be positive...not nit pic on others who are posting...then they feel they have to post back and defend themselves and then there is another ruined thread..like this one.. congrats....


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## Jay3

It wasn't meant as "smart ass". It was an attempt to be funny. I was kidding with you because you have mentioned that you are short in previous comments. But if you feel that way, then don't quote me, and I will not quote you either.


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## spirit wings

Jay3 said:


> It wasn't meant as "smart ass". It was an attempt to be funny. I was kidding with you because you have mentioned that you are short in previous comments. But if you feel that way, then don't quote me, and I will not quote you either.


"ever heard of a step stool?"... was your comment... what is so funny about that.. it is belittling and rude and hostile... try to back peddle all you want.. I know what your intentions were... and it worked... thanks.... if this was said to you Im sure you would just laugh your butt off... right... usually I ignore this crap but Im just tired of you being such a negative aspect of this site.. so just keep away from my post please and lets end this now.. on with the wing clipping theories and how we can learn and decide which is best for certain situations and when it may not be....


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## Jay3

Like I said, get over yourself. All in the way you wanted to take it.


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## spirit wings

Jay3 said:


> Like I said, get over yourself. All in the way you wanted to take it.


all in the way you wanted to give it..and your good at it.. must be proud of yourself.. does not seem to bother you at all ..and Im sure that is what really matters... and I do not even know what "get over yourself " is supposed to mean.. guess it is just another bully tactic to make me feel bad.. thanks..


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## ptras

Can't we all just get along?


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## Jay3

dawgtrainer, sorry if this post got off topic for a while. I know you are just trying to do what is best for you and your bird. I guess I was just trying to say that there are ways around clipping, and that I think you would get more enjoyment from the relationship between you and your bird, by his learning to trust you, rather than taking his flight away, as he should be flying and toning up his muscles as a young bird. Normally they won't fly in a darkened room, so you could try that, but only you can decide what you need to do. I know how great it feels when I have earned the trust of one of my birds, and they come to me, not because they have to, but because they want to. Sometimes takes a while, but is well worth it, and is how I like to do it. The hardest to win over are a pair of mated birds, who are handicapped and lost their flight. I think they feel at a disadvantage because they can't fly to get away. So they feel more vulnerable. I really think that their handicap gets in the way of their learning to trust me. And I know that what you want to do is to build trust in your bird. Once you do that, it will last a lifetime. Good luck with your little one in what ever you decide. Please let us know how it goes.


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## Cyreen

I understand your point of view and I very much agree. However, with windows, mirrors, walls and fans, it's very hard to completely bird proof you home for powerful flyers. It is possible to clip wings without removing their ability to fly; slows them down, prevents injuries, while still working muscles. This isn't a black and white issue.


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## Jay3

Then I guess you would have to learn how to trim the wings for that purpose. So that they could still fly. There are so many different ways of trimming them. One says do it this way, and another will say to do it that way. You would just have to know what you were doing.


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## dawgtrainer

Thank you all for your input. I appreciate the words of encouragement and suggestions. I do find it stressful for both me and the bird when he flys blindly and worry that he will injure himself, and do believe that he needs time out of his cage. Would like to find someone who can expertly clip him so he can get around but just not soar. I know that this is a sensitive subject. I had another ring neck who I adored that never had this problem. She was a total pet and gladly stepped up always.. Againi thank you all. I will stay in touch.


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## Jay3

I wish you the best of luck in what ever you decide.


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## DannysDoos

Just clip the very tips of about 5 primaries closest to the end of the wing. Cut them so the wing is slightly shorter (about 1-2") and not quite as broad. Stops them flying too much but they can still build up their flight muscles and get around. People often do this when training droppers, such as owls and fantails, for racing pigeons.

Hope this helps,

Danny


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