Dear Parrots magazine,
No more clipping
I read an article by Stephen Lavoie about wing clipping. I too have stopped clipping my bird’s wings, but for a totally different reason. I own a 28 year old Moluccan Cockatoo. His name is Max, and he is a gentle teddy bear. Usually, it takes two people to clip a parrot’s wings, one person has to hold the parrot, while one person clips the wings. He never struggled when I clipped his wings, so I never needed anyone to help me.
About five years ago, I placed Max on the kitchen counter (like I always did), and I turned my back to get some scissors. Max had walked over to the cutting board, and put his head down. I know clipping his wings doesn’t hurt, but from that day forward, I never have been able to bring myself to clip his wings. He is my little Buddy, and I just couldn’t do it.
Dr Allen Dresher, USA