Birds outside?

[sleeepy2]

Now that it's getting warm, I'd love to take Cleo outside with me. His wings are clipped and he can only fly short distances, and only down (at least he hasn't yet flown up to anything since he's been clipped). I'm afraid from all the stories I've been reading on the 'net that if he gets startled, he could fly up into a tree, or even further. I really don't believe he can fly far, but I would hate to be wrong. I know my budgies could fly quite well with their wings clipped. I'm going to get a harness/leash, but it will probably be months before I can get him to wear it. Does anyone take their un-leashed birds outside? Any bad experiences?

[Mrs.Birdy]

My cockatiel (I wrote about this in another post), jumped off my shoulder and into our pool. She was saved, but it could have been a disaster. Her wings are always clipped. Needless to say, she stays indoors, unless I put her cage outside.

My budgies don't go outside because they fly with clipped wings.

I am getting a flight suit with leash for Marcel because I heard that stocky birds like pionus and amazons tend to fall off the shoulder and hit their beaks hard on the pavement, etc. This can badly damage their beaks or cause brain damage.

I know I sound like gloom and doom, but I read everything and worry about everything (overly cautious I guess). Better safe than sorry, right?

I would wait to get the leash for Cleo before venturing outside.

Good luck

Roseanne

:)

[Jenny]

I agree with Roseanne, I'd wait until you get the leash just to be on the safe side. There's a helpful article on www.birdsupplies.com on the best ways to get birds used to the harness/leashes that should help. Me on the other hand, I take my blue-crowned conure outside without a leash, but I always check before that no new feathers have grown in and he can only hop/flutter to get places. I usually keep him on my hand, or let him play in a certain tree while I water our landscaping so I am close by to watch him. The tree is no taller than me, and the branches are very long, so I don't worry about not being able to get him down. My other birds only go outside in their cages when I can watch them, since they're flighted.

[pionuspasion]

Loki, my Amazon, is quite content to have me hold one of his feet down with my thumb as I'm holding him on my hand, and this helps tremendously when I'm taking him outside. Even if he jumps, I still have his foot and he doesn't go anywhere.

-pionus_passion

[birdygirl]

Pumpkin goes outside only in her cage. Sophie is either in the carrier or on her leash. Otherwise she knows it is a nono to go outside.

[jackie]

I hold down jake's foot when we go outside...it took him a while to accept it, but he finally realized that the choice was that or being inside. i let sam just walk around on the deck (he is extremely overweight and couldn't flutter if he wanted too....also, after his accident, i don't think he's going to be going anywhere any time soon).

i would wait until you have the harness, because i check jake's feathers before we go out, but they can still fly pretty far if they can catch an air current.

[Jenny]

My conure Mortie doesn't like his feet touched, but if I'm walking around and it's even a slight bit windy (which being in Kansas, it usually is!), I cover his back with my hand. He can't fly at all, but sometimes he gets startled if a car goes by, so it keeps him from jumping down to the grass in response.

[Redstorm1721]

Hello,Jackie what happened to Jake? I bring out my keet,but she stays in her cage. She is flighted. I haven't brought Pearl out yet,my tiel, because she had her wings cliped and she still can fly quite well.I will in her cage. I have brought sunni out,no leash and I put her in a small tree like Jenny does and water my landscape. Their room is on the road side so, that doesn't seem to bother her. When I am walking I put her on my chest and I hold her like a baby. Untill we get to the back yard. Then she sits on my shoulder the whole time we are out. It hasen't been the best of weather here, still chilly,so she hasen't been out much!

[JSimko]

When the weather is warm, I take my blue and gold everywhere. Sometimes I drive him to the park of take him out to get fast food and ice cream. We always get strawberry ice cream with real strawberries on top. Other times I just take him for a long walk around the block. I never use a harness or a leash of any kind. His wings are clipped and he will not leave me. If I put him down he follows me and comes to me when I call his name. Also if anything scares him, he hides his head in my shirt. I usually take the dog when we go for walks, and Taz helps by holding one end of the leash.

[Blueiis]

When I got my lovebird, his wings were clipped, and I walked everywhere with him...Through my apartment building, outside to the car, everything. Till one day. I was holding the outside door open for my fiance, when Indigo caught sight of some seagulls. I guess he decided it was time to try to fly "like the other birds". Despite the fact that his wings had been newly trimmed, off he went! I was sobbing when we finally found him, a good quarter of a mile away. I think he actually ran into the side of a house, and that's the only reason he stopped.

My advice? Unless you're absolutely, positively sure you have control of your bird, don't go outside with it. I almost lost my best friend.

[Mrs.Birdy]

Good advice Blueiss and well taken.

:)

[pionuspasion]

Thank God you found him. That's a very heartwarming story.

[sleeepy2]

I'm happy your story ended well, Blueiis. I can't imagine how I'd feel if I lost Cleo. I'm 98% sure he'd never fly away, but that 2% is what's making me keep him in until I get his harness.

[Jenny]

Better to be safe than sorry!