leg bands

[mangotiki]

I was wondering what everyone thinks of leg bands. I would like to use them simply because i am concerned that because I will be having babies that look the same, I don't want to mix them up!!! :rolleyes: (I survived twins by always using purple for one and pink for the other... 8o ). Also, I ahve heardstories of people stealing birds and thought this would be a great way to identify my birds in case this ever happened :eek:

The babies are too old I think to put on closed bands, especially If I am just ordering them now, but i understand there are split bands...can anyone tell me about these and if I can/should use them on my birds?

Thanks for your input...
Traci

[Jezz]

i don't recommend split rings as they are dangerous, they get caught on things. Also, if your birds do get stolen (which i hope never happens) split rings are easy to remove. I would only recommend closed rings but obviously you can't put them on the babies now as they are too old.

[mangotiki]

thanks Jeremy. I guess they could remove the closed ones too, couldnt they? I dont know why anyone would steal my birds but hey, I have read more than a few fidnap threats on this board!!!

are the closed ones safe, and are they easy to get on, how old are the babies when they are put on, and is stainless steel better than aluminum?

thanks again. I think that is all the questions I have.

[mjm8321]

The only way a closed band could be removed from a lovie older than 3-4 weeks would be to break their toes or take their foot off. Stainless steel is harder than the aluminium, but a bit more expensive too.
Banding is a great idea, if you will be selling birds as they can be traced, as long as you supply the band information to a leg band registry.

[Jezz]

I'm not 100% sure when baby Lovebirds should be banded, you should do it when they are a few days old, so before they start getting their pin feathers. They are pretty easy to put on. You have to make the two front toes point forward and the two back toes face backwards so you can get the band on. Just slip the band over the two front toes and up the leg so the back toes are threaded through and that is it! You can put Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly) one the back toes to glue them to the leg.

[Joanie Noel]

MJ, I have to disagree with you on the removal of closed bands. My Colada had a closed band and no vet would remove it from her, but her beak looked so bad after picking at it out of irritation -- so my dad and boyfriend removed it themselves. No broken toes, no nothin' wrong. We used wire cutters or something like that... And she was well over 4 months old. :2cents:

~ Joanie

[mangotiki]

the place that sells the bands also sells cutters...i am assuming they are for removing the bands. My mango is the only one banded and you would never know...he ignores it completely, but I have heard of lovies picking at them.

traci

[Hon_lu]

The only way a closed band could be removed from a lovie older than 3-4 weeks would be to break their toes or take their foot off. Stainless steel is harder than the aluminium, but a bit more expensive too.
Banding is a great idea, if you will be selling birds as they can be traced, as long as you supply the band information to a leg band registry.

Sorry to say that you're wrong. I've had closed bands remove by my vet and there was no breaking of anything. They clipped them and there was no damage done to the bird. The only way that the bird can be traced is IF the breeder is registered and ALL the bands are registered also. Having a leg band is good ONLY if the breeder is registered so that they ca be traced. If they are not then that is just something that is on the bird that can cause the bird pain down the road.
I have removed all the bands that are not tracable because the breeder has not gone through with what is right and regeistering the bands so that they can be traced.
Breeders think that putting bands on their birds is good but if there is no way to find the breeder waht is it worth. Breeders spending money for a leg band so they can pass the cost on to the buyer.
I feel that all leg band SELLERS should requier (sp) that the buyer of the leg band be rgistered so that all owners will know who was the breeder and can find out where the bird came from. Who the parents are........

I truely feel that it should be a LAW that anyone that sell or trades bird are required to have them registered with leg bands

[Sasq]

the place that sells the bands also sells cutters...i am assuming they are for removing the bands. My mango is the only one banded and you would never know...he ignores it completely, but I have heard of lovies picking at them.

traci

Both our lovies pick at their bands. I dont think they annoy the birds so much as its something to do occasionally.

Id also have thought the bands easy to remove in a variety of ways from wirecutters and remals to proper tools.

Our Senegal does not have a ring - and ive thought of adding one in case she is stolen or the likes. But at the same time, i dont really want to in case it annoys her, or gets caught etc. Also it be so easy for a thief to remove its proberlby not worth it. She a one person bird, so with any luck if she is stolen and we do find her, she will recognise us.

[mjm8321]

I stand corrected, however the point I was trying to relay is the "average" person probably would not remove a band unless they have a professional do it. Joanie, I understand in Colada's case you wanted it removed and had two guys (with tools! :lol ) who helped her out. I'd never be able to do it myself...

Larger birds can now be micro chipped, which I'd consider if I had larger birds, but the lovies are too small to have the procedure done (or so the vet says).

[Buy A Paper Doll]

My vet will remove leg bands. She actually prefers to remove leg bands because she has seen birds get them caught on part of the cage. The bird panics. I'll spare you the details but it's not a pretty sight. That's why Milo doesn't have one. I haven't had Melly's removed yet.

I still have Milo's leg band; it's in 2 pieces but I can get the information off it if I ever need it.