# banding babies



## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

a little off topic
but if i was to band my baby what age do you do it by?
where do you get the bands from?
how much do the bands cost and how many do you get in a pack or how ever they are sold?
how do you attach it on?
if you know anything bout banding or do band your babies
i love the info for future clutches and possibly banding them...if price is right
thank you all


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I don't know much about this topic but I do know that the babies have to be really young because their feet have to be small enough to fit the band over. I believe you would get them from the National Cockatiel Society but I'm not sure.


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## Flutter Farm (Nov 21, 2010)

you can order bands through the National Cockatiel Society or the American Cockatiel Society but you have to be a member. Once you join, it starts at about $8.95 for 25 small bands or I believe $12.50 for the large bands. (NCS). Not sure of the ACS prices. You can also order through L&M Leg bands.

I order the large cockatiel size and band at around 10 days of age. My babies tend to have huge fat feet and it's tough getting them on too many days past that point. 

To put them on, it takes some practice at first. Hold the baby with one hand, trying to keep the longest back toe forward as you slip the band on. I do this early enough so I can easily slide the band then over the smallest back toe (pointing backards) then adjust the band so it's not past the ankle after I've gotten it over all 4 toes. At first I had my daughter hold the chicks while I banded. Now I can do it myself. Hope this helps.


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

ty flutterfarm

but what does the average chicks need a large or small band?
how do you join ncs?does it cost anything to join?are bands mailed/shipped to you how do you actually receive them?are their shipping/mailing cost,how much aprox?

ty again


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## casualrepartee (Apr 28, 2011)

what is the purpose of banding? Sorry, I'm a bit ignorant here..


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

the purpose of banding is to indentify a bird by its number markered on band.and color of it
they have a hatch date on it too i believe?

but bottom line if you ever lost your bird the band could be what reunites you with your bird.cause the bands have unique numders/letters on it

if there is more to the band please add to what i said about banding and why people do it

thanks all


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## casualrepartee (Apr 28, 2011)

wow...I guess I'm too late with Hemingway at 7 months then, eh?


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

you would need to join the AACC.... thats the only way to get the bands here in canada as far as i know. ive looked into it before. i believe you would need size N for cockatiels. Dally is a size N. and i heard 7 days old for cockatiels.

their website size chart
http://www.aacc.ca/rngsize.htm

but as said, you need a membership with them first! 


casualrepartee, its mostly a breeder thing... it can help trace a bird back to a breeder and such. or if your bird is banded and escapes so long as you know its band code, you can make a positive ID. and yes, positive ID on age


but bands can potentially cause problems. if your parents are not banded and they are still feeding (so unless you pull before they are a week old, this is a high chance) the parents may go at the bands of the chicks. when the bird is older, if the bird sustains an injury to the banded leg, the leg could swell and the leg band could make it worse. leg bands can get caught on things... but these dont happen often and theres ways to prevent it. your main concern is if your parent birds are not banded they might try to remove the band from the chick's leg and can injure the chick


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

maybe someone can explain if an open band could be use for adults or what exactly they are....
and closed bands are only placed on a chick around 10 days max,correct?

any extra info on this topic would help
thanks all


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

Dally
whats the latest age you can apply a leg band on at?
my chicks from the pair i have get pulled at 2wks old is this too late to band?
can another size be substuted for a 2wks old?


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## casualrepartee (Apr 28, 2011)

This must be a primarily Canada-based forum. It would have been good had hemingway been banned I guess. Oh well.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

2 weeks is too old to be banded and split bands are more dangerous. theyre more likely to catch on something.

and banding an adult bird, all you will do is aggravate them and they can mutilate their leg. i attempted with tsuka. i wanted to band him when i got him for ID purposes. so i made a cardboard band to see how he would react, he went nuts! 


2 weeks old, the feet are too big to get the right sized band on and you cant go larger. if you did, the band would slip up the thigh and that would cause trouble. im afraid its too late to band unless you get split rings...


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

there's american ones out there, its just mitch is from canada, american bands wont do them any good. i actually find americans, english, and australians take up the main population here, but theres a good number of canadians


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

so 7 days is the right age to band babies at then?


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

DallyTsuka said:


> 2 weeks is too old to be banded and split bands are more dangerous.
> 
> 
> 2 weeks old, the feet are too big to get the right sized band on and you cant go larger. if you did, the band would slip up the thigh and that would cause trouble. im afraid its too late to band unless you get split rings...


i have a 2 1/2 wk old so hes too old now your saying to band with a closed band?
what is the split ring like ....and applied compared to closed ring bands
only wondering

but am interested in banding for future clutches possibly


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## Flutter Farm (Nov 21, 2010)

DallyTsuka said:


> you would need to join the AACC.... thats the only way to get the bands here in canada as far as i know. ive looked into it before. i believe you would need size N for cockatiels. Dally is a size N. and i heard 7 days old for cockatiels.
> 
> their website size chart
> http://www.aacc.ca/rngsize.htm
> ...


NCS is the National cockatiel society, I don't believe they would restrict sending bands to members in Canada - but I will check into it and get back to everyone. They have a new internet membership at a reduced annual fee because you would have access to the bi-monthly journals online rather than receive a paper copy. It's $9.95/year.

I will get back on this.

I always use the large cockatiel bands - and have no issues with my smaller tiels. Sometimes I can still get them on them at 14-16 days!! The key is to order you bands before your hen starts laying.

We band for exhibition purposes. You can show unbanded birds in NCS, but they can never more up to the Advanced status and will never earn points towards Championship. That isn't important if you don't show - but banding is also a great way to keep track of your birds, sort of like a little barcode for each baby 

As soon as I hear back from the secretary on the band question, I will repost. You can check NCS out at www.cockatiels.org


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## Flutter Farm (Nov 21, 2010)

mitch2006 said:


> i have a 2 1/2 wk old so hes too old now your saying to band with a closed band?
> what is the split ring like ....and applied compared to closed ring bands
> only wondering
> 
> but am interested in banding for future clutches possibly


I also agree that the split band is more dangerous. More likelihood to get caught on a toy or the cage.


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

Flutter Farm;
I always use the large cockatiel bands - and have no issues with my smaller tiels. Sometimes I can still get them on them at 14-16 days!! [/QUOTE said:


> is this true.... it can be done this late of a age?do you have more problems getting it on a chick this old?how do they respond to it?
> compared to a younger chick..
> wouldnt it be harder to get on the leg that old with toes being bigger?
> would it be possible to get it over the feet properly without hurting chicks?
> ...


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## Flutter Farm (Nov 21, 2010)

Mitch ... it all depends on the size of the chicks feet. If they are swelled from all the water in the hand feeding formula - it might not work. But at this point - no matter where you get your bands from, the chicks will be too old by the time you get your bands. You can plan ahead for the next clutch.


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

cool thank you


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

so whats more or less being said is the parents should both be banded because of...
seeing the band as something that shouldnt be on chick and could hurt it trying to get it off...where as banded parents would see this as nornal...right?

and it should be done by 7 days old...
whats the earliest its done?


is there any where else besides the acs or ncs to get the bands through?


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

You can get them through the AACC ( Avicultural Advancement Council of Canada) too.
http://www.aacc.ca/


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

so from what i see 1st you pay a 35$ membership fee then you can order bands...wow.
why do we band anyways?other then lost and found purposes...
im trying to research here which is better banded babies or un banded babies?
thanks all


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## Flutter Farm (Nov 21, 2010)

mitch2006 said:


> so from what i see 1st you pay a 35$ membership fee then you can order bands...wow.
> why do we band anyways?other then lost and found purposes...
> im trying to research here which is better banded babies or un banded babies?
> thanks all


I am still waiting on an answer from NCS - but they do have an online membership which is only $9.95/year. Normal rate is $20 per year.

People band for inventory purposes (keeping track of what you produce and sell or give away to other homes) or for exhibition purposes.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> why do we band anyways?other then lost and found purposes...


It's basically for identification purposes. Show birds have to be banded for the more advanced competitions, and some localities might require it. Otherwise it's not necessary, and many small breeders don't band their babies. I don't band mine.

This isn't really an issue with cockatiels, but with a large expensive parrot the first thing a smart thief would do is cut off the band so the bird can't be identified. Microchipping is a popular way to ID big birds nowadays, but I don't think it can be done with cockatiels because they're too small.


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

he was one month old yesterdayguess its too late for him
but maybe future clutches


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## mitch2006 (Jan 15, 2011)

Flutter Farm said:


> I am still waiting on an answer from NCS - but they do have an online membership which is only $9.95/year. Normal rate is $20


what are you still waiting for flutterfarm?the bands or membership or both??
how old is the perfect age for banding them? 
i'm guessing 7-days to 10 days max,right?but....

what if mom is the only one banded , will dad try taking off/hurting babies trying to take bands off?
your experience on this anyone?


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