Baby conure without leg band?

[mama33012]

I've just been to a breeder in my search for a baby conure. It was an out of home breeder who had many different species. I saw the cages, the parents, all the babies in their heated enclosures. Everything was very clean -as clean as conures get anyway- and all the babies look healthy. They have contracts and health guarantees. But none of the babies are banded. I vaguely recall my aunt making a fuss about how you should never buy an unbanded bird? And I'm not sure why unless you're buying an adult bird. Should I buy an unbanded baby conure? Why or why not? The only thing google turns up is to record your band information with the vet if you remove it from your own bird.

 

[RavensGryf]

Maybe your aunt was referring to when a band would be an indication of it being captive bred, as to discourage the practice of wild caught back when exportation became illegal.

The bands are mainly used for the breeders info. for record keeping and genetics. Most breeders band, but I've bought juvenile weaned birds from bird stores without bands. Maybe because the breeders didn't need to keep track of the babies since they were going to be pets sold from the bird store?

It means nothing to a pet owner. BUT, a good breeder will give a (most likely 72 hr) health guarantee. If you take your bird to the vet during that time, and it is found to have a 'defect' or any tests come back with problems, in order for the breeder to honor the guarantee, they have to have "proof" that this bird indeed originated from them, so a band serves as ID during this period. If they don't band, then ask how they do this health guarantee (if they have one).

Also another rare circumstance where a band would be needed, for example, I used to keep a Cuban Amazon which is on US Fish and Wildlife endangered species list. If I were to move to another state and do it legally, the bird would need a permit. In order to ID the particular bird, I imagine a band would be necessary, though I wasn't going to move far away. My vet who hates bands (for safety reasons) cut it off.

Can't think of other reasons off the top of my head maybe others can. It doesn't necessarily mean bad breeder though.

 

[MonicaMc]

I've had a total of 3 conures now (still have the last two), and only one has a band. Thanks to his band, I was able to find out how old he is (was told he was 10 when he was really 12, now he's 20 - still has his band!) and that he was born from wild caught parents.

Of the 8 cockatiels that have been under my care (I still have 4), none have had leg bands - including the one that came from a breeder. (the 7 other tiels were/are rehomes)

I was given 4 grass parakeets and a lovebird. Once again, no bands.


The only other birds that had bands were budgies, and of the many budgies I've had, I think only two or three hand bands?


And am looking after another bird that also has a band, but will be getting it removed! It's a safety hazard to this bird.




As long as the state you live in doesn't require a band, it's not a big deal. It's more for identification, tracking breeder and maybe determining age of bird. If you get a bird that's large enough, you can get the bird microchipped as a way of proving ownershp!

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I once thought the bands held a significance. It turns out they don't. When I got Peaches back in '95, she didn't have a band. When I got Skittles in 2011, he did. But upon his first vet visit, the vet suggested having the band removed. She said there is no national database for lost birds (like microchips for dogs etc) so the band really isn't useful but to prove where the bird was bred. She told me it can be a hazard as there have been a lot of occasions she's seen parrots lose feet over a band due to it getting caught or cutting off circulation.

If your breeder offers a health guarantee, then the band isn't necessary on your part.

 

[MonicaMc]

Some of the microchipping database companies also accept birds to be registered with their database, so there is that!

 

[MikeyTN]

I personally prefers IF I were to buy a baby bird, they would not be banded. When I was breeding years ago I was going to buy bands before I know any better until the unfortunate thing happened to me when a breeder bird of mine lost her foot because of a leg band. So I tossed out that idea about banding and refuse to deal with bands.

 

[riaria]

Just curious (I haven't thought about this before): if you're breeding CITES listed birds, how does that work? Can you get a certificate for a baby if it isn't rung or chipped?

 

[riaria]

(As a side note, our three birds are all chipped, and registered with our details in the database - so assuming they're scanned if found, they'd be able to trace us through that)

 

[MikeyTN]

I would tell you that most vets don't even bother to scan! At my clinic only a few ever scanned my dogs as they are microchipped. Due to them like to run off....I have seen many different workers and vets at the clinic throughout the years and only two times I've ever recall them checking.

 

[MikeyTN]

Forgot to answer your question. I don't deal with birds on CITES list for breeding so I'm not exactly sure but there's a data base where you can participate to input your CITES bird there. Probably if they needed to ask you for the bird for breeding program just in case.

 

[Hotrod]

I don't think there is anything wrong with you getting a conure that is not banded. I got Hotrod when he was (is) a year old and he is not banded.
Personally, the only disadvantage I find with not having a band on Hotrod is I don't know EXACTLY how old he is.

 

[riaria]

Maybe it's more common to scan for chips here I the UK? I know lots of people that chip their birds, and all their other animals, so perhaps it's just more well known here.

Forgot to answer your question. I don't deal with birds on CITES list for breeding so I'm not exactly sure but there's a data base where you can participate to input your CITES bird there. Probably if they needed to ask you for the bird for breeding program just in case.

I was just thinking about identification - with no chip or ring, how can you prove that your bird is the one that the certificate is for? I don't have any CITES listed birds, but from what I've heard, the bird needs to have some form of identification to have a certificate.

 

[riaria]

Sorry, got off topic there. But as for the original question, I don't see anything wrong with buying an unrung bird, whether it's a baby or an adult (unless it's cites listed and you can't prove that the certificate belongs to that specific individual, because that's probably illegal). You don't need to know the exact age of a bird. It's nice, but it's not necessary. There are lots of older birds without rings, and they need a home as much as rung babies do.

 

[thekarens]

Neither of my sennies are banded and my linnies aren't either. I don't see a problem with it.

I would imagine the breeder will give you some sort of proof of purchase.