My budgie keeps flying into walls.

[Deleted]

I clipped my budgies wings at first, regretted it later when I watched a video of why you should not clip your budgies wings. When they molted and could fly again, I let them fly out into a room(they are not tame) and they keep flying into the walls and then fluttering down. I think this is hurting them so how can I stop this?

[mona]

Could you please post a pic of your birdie which can show the both the wings and tail feathers? It would give people better idea to provide a feedback on the birdie feather, in case they haven't grown back fully or any issue.

Birdie wings shouldn't be clipped.. you are right. It takes away their confidence and builds up frustration too. I'm not aware about the side effects of clipping on flying. Someone experienced will help you though.

PS: Though never clipped, but always encaged earlier, when my male budgie came out of the cage for first time, he bumped into the wall. He couldn't measure the distance vs speed in the room.. Did that twice or thrice.. And he is still bad at landing at new places.. He just doesn't calculate it right and goes for it. Once he is used to any space entirely.. he never misses anything!

[birdguhl]

How long has your budgie been free to fly now?

[Hezz]

This is always going to happen with a new flier. They have no way of judging speed, stopping distances, landing areas etc. They are basically starting from scratch, as a beginner, regardless of age.

How many times have you let them out ... how many times have they hurt themselves?? They are not going to learn without time out to learn the room layout. The more they are out the better they will get at judging distances and learning their restrictions. Cover any windows or glass doors with paper or pull curtains so that they can't see through to think they can get to the outside

[Morgan]

When I took in my first budgie I also clipped her wings because she came to me with a badly injured cere and bruised beak, and when she was all healed she kept flying into everything. I thought she would hurt herself again so I clipped her wings just enough to slow her down. She could gain some altitude (could fly from floor to chairtop for example) but couldn’t really fly around and knock into things.

While this did help the situation at the time, it definitely gave her a learning curve once her flights grew in again. Luckily she was molting when I did it so she wasn’t flightless for very long, but at least a few months.

Start your bird off in a room that it is familiar with, but also preferably a small room so he cannot get up to full speed if he is going to hit something. Fledgling birds in the wild also fly into things as they are learning to fly, but their bones are more flexible and heal more quickly than an adult bird learning to fly and running into things. If he can’t get up the speed he can’t hurt himself too badly hopefully. But there will be some risk while he is learning.

[Deleted]

Dec 5, 2020 10:43:00 GMT Hezz said:

This is always going to happen with a new flier. They have no way of judging speed, stopping distances, landing areas etc. They are basically starting from scratch, as a beginner, regardless of age.

How many times have you let them out ... how many times have they hurt themselves?? They are not going to learn without time out to learn the room layout. The more they are out the better they will get at judging distances and learning their restrictions. Cover any windows or glass doors with paper or pull curtains so that they can't see through to think they can get to the outside

I've let them out 3 times, they've hurt themselves twice... I keep my budgies outdoors so should I put their cage indoors so they can get used to the room that they're going to fly in?

[Deleted]

Dec 5, 2020 6:24:02 GMT mona said:

Could you please post a pic of your birdie which can show the both the wings and tail feathers? It would give people better idea to provide a feedback on the birdie feather, in case they haven't grown back fully or any issue.

Birdie wings shouldn't be clipped.. you are right. It takes away their confidence and builds up frustration too. I'm not aware about the side effects of clipping on flying. Someone experienced will help you though.

PS: Though never clipped, but always encaged earlier, when my male budgie came out of the cage for first time, he bumped into the wall. He couldn't measure the distance vs speed in the room.. Did that twice or thrice.. And he is still bad at landing at new places.. He just doesn't calculate it right and goes for it. Once he is used to any space entirely.. he never misses anything!

how do I hold my budgie? He's squirming a lot I can't take a pic while he is squirming.

[Morgan]

Yes, you would need to bring them in so they can get used to the room before you let them out in that space.

As far as holding them, budgies don’t like being held, and if they aren’t tame it may cause them to lose trust in you if you force them. This can be regained but it is much easier to build trust from the start than to have to re-earn it. Teaching them to step up and stand on your hand (or a perch in hand, or your arm, or shoulder, head, whatever they decide is most comfortable to start with) of their own volition would be much more preferable.

To take a good photo you don’t need to hold him at all. Just get a photo of his wings or whatever you are trying to photograph while he is sitting still someplace.

[Deleted]

Dec 6, 2020 4:21:19 GMT Morgan said:

Yes, you would need to bring them in so they can get used to the room before you let them out in that space.

As far as holding them, budgies don’t like being held, and if they aren’t tame it may cause them to lose trust in you if you force them. This can be regained but it is much easier to build trust from the start than to have to re-earn it. Teaching them to step up and stand on your hand (or a perch in hand, or your arm, or shoulder, head, whatever they decide is most comfortable to start with) of their own volition would be much more preferable.

To take a good photo you don’t need to hold him at all. Just get a photo of his wings or whatever you are trying to photograph while he is sitting still someplace.

ok thanks

[Hezz]

I would definitely have them in the room you will let them out in. They will get a sense of where things are and the space of the room.

[Deleted]

I'm planning to let my birds out today, worried if Biscuit flies into a wall, has anyone's budgie died from hitting a wall?

[Morgan]

Dec 30, 2020 6:01:35 GMT @birdlover123 said:

I'm planning to let my birds out today, worried if Biscuit flies into a wall, has anyone's budgie died from hitting a wall?

Well, the short answer is yes, that has happened from what I have read. That is why it is important to let him learn in a small space that he is familiar with so he can’t get up to full speed flying in a straight line into a wall or window. You only moved him to your room very recently I think? You may want to give them more time in their new space before letting them out to fly, but others will advise further.

Once your buds are used to the room, if it is very small he should be okay, but you can also hang up fabric on the walls so he can see better that there is an obstacle (I’ve noticed that white walls seem to be harder for them to see), and also make sure windows are covered so he doesn’t fly into the glass.

Lastly, if they aren’t feeling well (vomiting, mites?) you may not want them to use all that energy flying around, and instead keep them warm and comfortable until they have been treated and are feeling better. But then again maybe some exercise would be good for them. Again, others will advise better.

[mona]

Agreed with Morgan.

I would say one thing at a time. Treating them for mites and vomit would be the first thing to focus on. Cleaning the cage with birdie mites & vomit would be easier..letting them fly across the room would be difficult to keep it mite free and clean, as per my opinion. Until the birdies aren't fit and alright, I wouldn't let them out of the cage, to preserve their energy, keep them warm and let them rest as Morgan said. I keep mine inside even when they are moulting or feeling down due to weather change.

They need to be familiar with the room, or you will end up with super scared budgies in the room, whom you would have to catch to feed them. When they are too scared, they skip meals. It would be a scary memory for them. I don't have experience with clipped wings birdies, so I wouldn't be the right person to advise on it, but I have read the same.

Unfortunately, Breezie has bumped a couple of times into the wall, when he came out of the cage for the first time (even though his wings were never clipped). Fortunately, nothing happened and he is alright. He had trouble aiming, calculating the distance vs speed and landing. Even inside the cage, if the perches are rearranged or changed, he has trouble aiming and landing correctly..he would fall down on the cage bottom.. Once he is used to the alignment of everything, he can fly very fast and land correctly.

[Deleted]

Dec 30, 2020 8:50:54 GMT Morgan said:

Dec 30, 2020 6:01:35 GMT @birdlover123 said:

I'm planning to let my birds out today, worried if Biscuit flies into a wall, has anyone's budgie died from hitting a wall?

Well, the short answer is yes, that has happened from what I have read. That is why it is important to let him learn in a small space that he is familiar with so he can’t get up to full speed flying in a straight line into a wall or window. You only moved him to your room very recently I think? You may want to give them more time in their new space before letting them out to fly, but others will advise further.

Once your buds are used to the room, if it is very small he should be okay, but you can also hang up fabric on the walls so he can see better that there is an obstacle (I’ve noticed that white walls seem to be harder for them to see), and also make sure windows are covered so he doesn’t fly into the glass.

Lastly, if they aren’t feeling well (vomiting, mites?) you may not want them to use all that energy flying around, and instead keep them warm and comfortable until they have been treated and are feeling better. But then again maybe some exercise would be good for them. Again, others will advise better.

Ok, I'm planning to go to the vet with Bluey anytime soon, probably also with Biscuit but I don't think so because the vet only wants to look at Biscuit's stool, not Biscuit. Biscuit has been wanting to fly out of the cage, even though he is sick he is still active, jumping all around the cage and playing with his toys. I do have a small room that he can fly in, it has a window with a curtain. Should I let them out in that room instead? I think I only let Biscuit this time, Bluey's wings are clipped(they haven't grown back yet) so he will probably stay inside the cage. 

[mona]

I guess Biscuit has got the mites, right? You need to remove tiniest mites via cleaning, so that they don't find their way back, if I'm not wrong. I'm not sure if I'll let a birdie with mites fly around the room..

Let's wait on what other knowledgeable people respond on the thread..