WARNING....Cage doors and closed bands, a close call

[debbie276]

The perler beads are like Will describes, more rubbery and soft, they will stretch if left on the banding tool too long.
Glad you were home to make the save!

[cindy]

Debbie, some of the perler beads (from Walmart) will not, they are thick. I need to remove one from a finch and had to pry it off using a dental probe and both thumbnails...the ones that do loose their shape that are thick are from Ikea (more pliable). Never tried any from the craft stores.

The bands that are split for finches from L&M, Redbird loose their shape if stretched to far, but are not the same size or thickness that are used on the Budgies, the bands for them are actually thicker....less pliable more like a perler bead.

I have both (Ikea and WalMart), but you can't use them on Budgies, bourkes or scarlets. The one she had on that the breeder used was a closed one, it stretched but did not break away or allow her enough room to pull the foot though since she was at the angel the foot was caught and upside down. Scarlet and budgie feet are very large, there was no way to get her foot to slide out of it.

I won't use closed bands, I always use splits. Not sure the aluminum splits would have given way any easier. She is also wearing a closed numbered band, if she had been caught by that instead of the plastic band it may have caused more damage in the struggle.

[EyesofFreedom]

yeah what I use are the old style rubber bushings for RC airplanes... you would put them on the end of rods to prevent marring during full travel of the servos...

they are actually quite flexible and you could get them in all sorts of colors and sizes...

hard to find online but some better stocked rc hobby shops may have a stray pack of two for sale... they haven't really been used mainstream since the 90's

[cindy]

Will, that might work well for finch cages but I would be concerned with the rubber and hookbills...scarlets and budgies, parrotlets like to chew, bourkes not so much.

Going to the home improvement store to see if I can find some sort of stainless steel fitting that can be clamped onto the door hooks to close in the gap for the hookbill cages. Not so worried about the finches doing this as I am the hookbills, they climb and are more active, they slide down the cage bars, hang upside down to play, mouth everything.

[EyesofFreedom]

you should be able to find a split bushing... or even an eyelet and just cut a slot in it with a dremel... may takes some pliers and some work but you can close that gap


http://www.google.com/search?q=metal+ey ... 66&bih=628

[cindy]

I have a cage door that I removed to put up a nest box..taking that with me...just have to make sure there is no zinc in the fitting, it can be aluminum or nickel plated or stainless steel.

[EyesofFreedom]

well those eyelets come in those materials... try craft stores too... you may have to double them up (smaller one inside a larger one)

if your hubby is handy he can probably even solder something together for you for a permanent bond ;)

[cindy]

He is but to do so we would have to haul 5 ft long 3 ft high flights outside....easier to clamp something on.

[EyesofFreedom]

no I was talking about if you had to put a few together... you could solder them outside... then bring them in and put them on the cage

[cindy]

gotcha!!!!

[debbie276]

Never tried any from the craft stores.

My perler beads were from a craft store and they are easy to get off with just my fingernail when I've had to change colors. If the bird got hung up the band would pop off, glad I didn't have any of the stiffer ones.

[cindy]

what store did you get yours from, we have Michael's here.

[debbie276]

It was many years ago but either a Michael's or rag shop

[30 Seconds to Bob]

Just noticed this post. So sorry that this happened Cindy, and yes, thank God that you were home. I view bands as a "necessary evil" for serious breeders to identify and keep track of their birds. That being said, I really despise bands. Over the years, I've had them get caught on cage hardware, toys, and even the stiff straw-like material used to construct the bamboo type nests. I've had them grow into and constrict legs, causing one canary to lose it's leg and two others to need the bands to be surgically removed. Again, no offense to those who band their birds - I realize sometimes there is a good reason for it. But , when acquiring new birds, i always look for young birds without bands and would never band one of my own. JMO Bob

[cindy]

Than you Bob. She must have been scaling the cage wall, considering how the hook was bent it was hard to imagine how she got caught up in it.

I have noticed when selling at shows it does help to have bands of different colors on the birds, people buying multiple birds like to see who can be paired with who. I use split bands. I got aluminum split bands for the budgies, bourkes and scarlets. The splits are easier to remove though they are still a risk.