# Weird Ringneck Dove Problem



## Sylvanas (Apr 15, 2015)

Hey guys, 

I recently adopted a 2 month old ringneck dove and I love her. She's really tame and has absolutely no fear of anything or anyone. I took her to a vet a few days ago for general checkups and she was in great condition. I've never owned doves before so I don't really know much about them. However the vet suggested clipping her wings to prevent her from flying and smashing into things because apparently, doves are bad flyers at a young age. I had told him that she was going to be a free bird in the house and not locked up. 

Now here's the problem. Prior to having her feathers clipped by the vet, she would flap and fly from the vet to me and never showed any signs of pain, but after her feathers were clipped, she seems in pain now whenever flapping her wings. I witnessed the vet very gently and calmly clip her feathers and she did not struggle at all during the procedure. 

So, what happened? Whenever she flaps her wings now, she raises them in the air for a few seconds before very slowly tucking them in it's as if she's in pain or something. Is this normal for a ringneck dove? Her feathers were clipped about half way, and nowhere near her actual wing bone. 

Please keep in mind she saw very minimal flight for the past 3 weeks that she was with her previous owner. Could this be muscle pain because she never used them much? 

It's weird. She wasn't doing any of this during the morning of the visit to the vet. Only after her feathers were slightly trimmed.


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## bootface (Jun 29, 2017)

Clipping feathers wouldn't cause pain unless it's a very close cut and they're new feathers, in which case there would be blood. No idea if she's in pain based on that description. She could just be realizing she can't fly and giving up. Could you post a video?

Clipping her wings isn't necessary. How is she going to learn to fly better if she can't fly? She might crash into things at first, but she can't pick up enough speed in a house to injure herself too bad, and she'll learn quickly. If you're worried about it, once her feathers grow back you can start her off in small room with easy landing surfaces and no windows.


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## Sylvanas (Apr 15, 2015)

Hey bootface, 

I'll try to record and add a video in the morning. 

It was not my intention on having her wings clipped. The vet suggested it and I just foolishly went along with it. 

But to answer your question. You know when birds stretch out by flapping their wings vigorously in the morning? She shows this weird wing behaviour even after stretching out. Sometimes it's just 1 wing that she keeps lifted in the air for a few seconds and it does not look normal. 

Her wings aren't fully clipped and she can fly short distances by the way. But sometimes she'll try to give up in midair and drop, then keep 1 or 2 wings open for longer than 10 seconds, and then very slowly tuck them in. 

Here's a picture of a pigeon as an example. Look at the pigeon on the right with 1 wing open and hopefully you'll understand what I mean. 

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/4e/02/ee/4e02ee9019b639f0e30913c4d13dc23c.jpg


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The poor thing is confused and wondering why her wings don't feel right, or work the same. Clipping a birds wings can upset them. Not like they can understand what happened.


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## DoveSvN (Apr 4, 2013)

If what you're saying is true, that she did not sustain any injuries during and after the feather clipping, then I don't believe it's pain that's causing her to lift her wings up. 

She's probably shocked she can no longer fly.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I hope you won't clip them again. Just let them grow out when she molts.


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## Sylvanas (Apr 15, 2015)

Well you know that old saying "You learn from your mistakes". I clearly did. 

Still not sure why the vet suggested clipping the wings though. I mean, if the age thing was such a problem, I could've had her locked up for a while until she grew up... 

By the way, sorry for not getting the video as requested because I've been very busy this morning. But I did notice her doing it again after gently flapping to stretch. I might just have to go back to the vet and see if he finds anything. 

Thank you all for the comments.


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## Sylvanas (Apr 15, 2015)

DoveSvN, 

I'm definitely sure no injuries happened during the procedure. I actually got up and close to the bird as her feathers were being clipped and it was done quickly and with no struggle. 

I just dont know what it might be.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The bird simply isn't happy about having the wings clipped. Why would he be?


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## Sylvanas (Apr 15, 2015)

Okay... Let's not put such a huge emphasis on emotions as the answer in this case, Jay3. 

I get it, it was a bad decision to have her wings clipped, but I still cannot rule out pain just yet. I will eventually get some information from the vet and settle this.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I'm not trying to emphasize on emotions. Sorry if it sounded that way. I'm just trying to say that he isn't feeling pain, so not to worry about that. The vet knows how to clip wings, and it doesn't hurt the bird. He is just trying to figure it out is all.


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## Sylvanas (Apr 15, 2015)

Okay so... I'm back from the vet with some information. 

He cannot find any injuries with the bone or any odd complications with the muscle and everything seems normal. I was told to wait a few more months and if she continues to show similar behaviour, I'll have to take her back. 

I do have a question that I completely forgot to ask the vet... I noticed a tiny blood stain on a few growing pin feathers. I looked around the area for any damage/breakage to the quill but couldn't find any. Is this normal for a bird to have a tiny blood stain somewhere when a pin feather is growing?


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