If you decide you want to keep him clipped, you can take any number of feathers from zero to six - there isn't an "all or nothing" magic number that you have to use. I like to keep my birds lightly clipped, taking three feathers on each wing. They fly very well with this number but it does slow them down a little, which makes it less dangerous when they crash into something because there's less impact at a lower speed. Several years ago I had a beloved bird killed flying into a window that he knew perfectly well was there, and ever since then I haven't felt safe letting them be completely full flighted.

Oh, that's a good reminder. It's easy to start trusting him when he does so well flying around, but all it takes is one little mistake and there are a million and one things around this house that could hurt or kill him. Especially since my house is small with lots of nooks and crannies, maybe I will just keep his first two feathers clipped back because I swear, it seems like he flies just fine now and his wings are all lopsided and a mess (symmetry-wise). I can only imagine how fast he'll be once he's full flighted.

That said, he's such a good flier, I so wish I had a setup where he could be safely fully flighted.

You know, it's weird, but I swear to you he did not fly for the first like 2 months he was here. Just a couple of flutters here and there from his cage to me or down to the ground if he lost his balance or whatever, but he never actually flew. I thought it was strange because the day you brought him over, he flew just fine when we tested out the clip but I guess I was just thinking he was a couch potato. But now that he's gotten more comfortable here and especially since the budgies have been out here, he's flying more and more, swooping through the living areas and dining room... it's fun to watch him fly but a little nerve wracking too because of my ancient cat.

Birds tend to be a lot more subdued than normal for the first couple of months in a new home. Birds are prey animals who are always on the lookout for danger, and it takes a while for them to start feeling confident that they're safe and there's nothing dangerous lurking around.

I have been lame about putting the flightsuit back on Coyote, so I put it on him again today. This third attempt was faster and easier than the last, so it seems we're both getting the hang of this (and/or Coyote is getting worse at effectively fighting it). He got the hang of not getting his feet caught inside it much faster this time around, so maybe I don't need a smaller size. Still, it seems to me that it should be a little more snug so that he can't get his feet inside it as easily as he can. There is currently a little gap on the underside that seems like shouldn't be there, so now I'm back to thinking maybe I do need to order a slightly smaller size.

He's chewing it and hates it but he's gotten his balance figured out much more quickly this time around. I'm going to leave it on him for most of the afternoon and then take it off for the day.

As of this very second, I can tell he's getting more used to it because I just had to shoo him off my keyboard because he's desperate to tear my keys off (he's done so three times since last evening... it just takes 30 seconds of inattention and pop! pop! pop! he just walks across the keyboard popping off each key in less than a second a piece, little turd.)

He has also flown in it now, just a little flight right after I got it on him and he was mad at me so now he realizes he can still get around in it. I think that's helping him accept it a little more. I hope he comes to really accept it so I can start attaching the lanyard and trying out going in the back yard!

Most flight suits have a little "bag" under the vent area so the bird can drop poop into it and not have the poop pressed up against their body. If that's where it's loose it's designed way.

Peach has a harness. She doesn't love putting it on but she LOVES going outdoors with it on. She goes to the pet store and her vet with it on. Also of course she hangs out with me in the yard in it. If I can remember how to use Photo bucket I'll post a pic.

Do you use the Aviator harness? I was going back and forth on them but the whole diaper thing on the flight suit won me over. That and it seemed like the flight suit would be easier to put on. However, the harness looks like it's made more for letting a bird actually fly with it on while the flight suit is more to keep your bird from flying away (the lanyard isn't very long).

I'd love to see Peach in hers!

I'd love to see your birds in the flight suits...

New pics for me is gonna take a while. My phone is screwed up and it takes a lot of time and effort to take pics and get them uploaded, etc. I will take a pic soon though. Coyote's in his suit now, trying to chew it off. But getting it on was even faster and easier than yesterday, so improvement!

I have the aviator suit. The lanyard isn't very long on it either. She can walk around in the grass though and she likes that.
I can't remember how to post the picture.