FINCHforum

Hello One And All...

Now that my babies are having babies, there arises the question of leg rings or bands or whatever you call them. I feel that I need to band babies with different colours now, so that I will know who belongs to whom. Don't want mixups later on. I mean I keep a written record etc. But once they colour up, I can see confusion setting in, as my memory is not what it used to be.

Ok, so where does one get started? Where does one get bands? They don't have them in pet shops. I have seen birds banded, so I think I can do it, but would appreciate any advice from all of you.

~Elana~

If you become a member of the NFSS you can order closed bands from them which i recommend. As for split bands you can find them on some sites. A fellow member makes and sells them: https://sites.google.com/site/finchlegbands/

The first thing I did was join the National Finch and Softbill Society. That is where you get the closed numbered bands, and they are traceable as the NFSS will keep track of who gets what numbered bands. Each year is a different color. This year it's a dark green. These bands are to be placed on the bird before it fledges or the day it fledges. This is to prove age.

You can also get numbered split bands for use in identifying your birds, but they won't be used in the same way, as they would be put on older birds and be used for the breeder to keep track of families, etc.

The split plastic bands are what you would use to identify specific birds, male or female, or families, or however you choose to identify your flock.

I don't know everything there is to know about bands and banding, but I do find it a little stressful to try and do it very gently, but it's really not that hard per se. The first time is the hardest, because you're not sure how difficult it will be or how much pressure you'll need to use, etc., and then it gets easier as you get more of a feel for it.

https://sites.google.com/site/finchlegbands/ is where it's at for split plastic bands. The narrow ones especially rock!

DanteD716
Thanks, but that site does not ship outside of the States. I'm in Canada.

~Elana~

lovezebs wrote: DanteD716
Thanks, but that site does not ship outside of the States. I'm in Canada.

~Elana~

Aw man you know what I'll tell you my secret. Just order or go to a craft store and get perler beads. They're inexpensive, maybe 1000 for a few bucks. You can spilt them with a pill cutter or little scissors. That's what the ones in the link are and what many people use

KarenB
Need to figure out where in Canada to get these. I just want to be able to mark which babies belong to which parents, to keep track of these kids. Would be nice to also be able to have year of birth on them, and of course male female.

~Elana~

WrenNAustinTX
Thanks, but they don't ship outside the States.

~Elana~

DanteD716
Wow, thanks. A good excuse to take a run down to Michael's. Are they hard or soft plastic? That is such a super idea. Can you also write a year on them with a super fine permanent marker in tinny-tiny numbers? Lets say, 08/14 ?
I REALLY like that idea . No ordering, no hassle. Thanks again.

~Elana~

I just banded my first and it was nerve wracking with just one person. It would have helped to have a second person, so I'd definitely recommend that.

I ordered from the link above and definitely figured out they were perler beads when I saw them arrive! So swift!

I saw the coolest leg bands once.
It was one of my fellow pottery buddies. (I have a home pottery studio; been into pottery for years.) She made her own bird bands from ceramic. Fired them on a bead tree in the kiln.
Decorated them with underglaze, which allows you to get incredible detail, and then glazed with a clear glaze.

They were lightweight, smooth and gorgeous. I wish I'd taken photos. They were just lovely ceramic bands.
Impossible, I imagine for a tiny finch, though -- these were parrots, so much larger.

MiaCarter
Hi Mia.
I think I will definitely go with the beads.

~Elana~

lovezebs I'd say soft plastic. It can be bent pretty easily m and the marker would have to have a very fine point

Elana, if you can't get the bands you want in Canada, I could order them and mail them to you pretty easily.

DanteD716
Thanks. Sharpie extra fine might do it, on days when my hand is very steady LOL.

~Elana~

KarenB
Thanks, Karen. I guess I'll try those little beads first and see if they work for us, if not, than I'll definitely take you up on your kind offer.
I can see this being an interesting experiment with my bumble fingers... oops, sorry baby, I'll get that off your neck right now. OR I know both legs aren't suppose to go into one ring, just hold still for another 20 minutes. .

~Elana~