# Education on leg "Bands"



## Naunnie (Sep 2, 2009)

Tell it all. Some us of need to know.


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## Kevin (May 13, 2009)

I usually put the bands on at day 6 then check on them again to see if those cute little toes slipped out of the band.


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## Naunnie (Sep 2, 2009)

I realize, some use bands with I.D. information on them, but I would like to know more about the different kinds of bands. Pros and Cons, Metal vs Plastic. Example: Are the plastic bands kinda like a very small spiral, open on each end and come in different colors? Blue for cocks, red for hens, etc.... 
Kevin, thanks for your reply. At what age to band is something I wanted to know also. 
What about removing bands? If you have adopted a bird with a band, do you remove it, replace it?
I really want to know any and everything there is to know about Bands. Thanks ahead!


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## sky tx (Mar 1, 2005)

Metal or plastic makes no difference-Not many new bands are metal anymore-Most pigeon bands are seamless--at least for racing they have to be. Different breeds--Homers--Fancy takes different sizes. You can get "snap on" color bands for special markings and bands with your name-address-phone number-Etc.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

bands, you have seemless bands that are permanent, as said they go on the babies at about 6 to 8 days old, you slip them on the leg and they have them their whole life. you can buy racing bands or personalized ones with your name and phone# or address on them, or NPA bands which is national Pigeon Association for fancy show breeds. there are roller pigeon bands too.. the clip ons lock on and can be put on adult birds, they have plain color ones or you can get those with your personal info on them as well.
the spiral ones are small and usually are for marking a bird you want to breed or just identify for some reason, but you have to watch those, some can poke into the leg...I do not like the sprial ones, the snap on ones work much better. you can take a permanent band off, It would have to be cut off.. but there is no reason IMO. you can add a personalized clip on on the other leg if you want someone to know that is your bird and where he belongs. also my birds are all white so, they have permanent seemless bands but also personalized ones that can come in blue for cock bird and pink for hen...so you know at a glance who is who...it can be hard with all white birds. so seemless is permanent and the clip or snap ons are not and can be put on later..the seemless have to be put on when they are hatchlings, depending on what you are doing with the birds tells you what kind of seemless you would put on your youngins.


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

Naunnie said:


> Tell it all. Some us of need to know.


*Hi Naunnie, The most inportant thing about seamless bands that you should know is. They come in different sizes and if the wrong size is used it can be harmful to the bird. One must use the proper size band. Remember that differenct pigeon breeds also come in different sizes a KING is big while a Figerita is small.. All baby birds are small at six days and therefore any size will go on BUT the danger here is the a small band can be put on most any baby pigeon ,but as the bird grows the band becomes tight and cuts off circulation to the foot when this happens gangrene sets in and the birds foot will die and the foot will fall off.So be sure that you have the correct size band for the breed of bird that you will be banding. * ...GEORGE


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## Naunnie (Sep 2, 2009)

Hey Everyone. Thanks so much for your replies. We just adopted...well more like rescued a pair of white doves. The previous owner obtained them for his photography studio. After a while, the lovely pair got laid off from their job! They were just placed outside and mostly forgotten about. Anyway, they HAD the spiral type of bands on. The hen's leg and foot was very swollen. She would not put any weight on it. We had to cut it in 4 different places to remove it, because it was so embedded in her leg . It must have been like that for A while . The previous owner was totally clueless. He wasn't even sure which was the hen and which one was the cock. The cocks band was okay, but we removed it as well. She is doing much better now. I was fighting back anger when we discovered this. I have never seen this type of band before and wondered if it was something out of the norm. Thanks to y'all I am not as angry now .


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## Naunnie (Sep 2, 2009)

Oh! I forgot... Just curious. Are the spiral type meant to expand as the bird grows older? Okay... maybe I'm still a little angry! What is the benefits of using this type of band?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Naunnie said:


> Oh! I forgot... Just curious. Are the spiral type meant to expand as the bird grows older? Okay... maybe I'm still a little angry! What is the benefits of using this type of band?


like I said before, it marks a bird you want to breed or remember it's sex or mark for identification....I also said I do not like the spiral bands, your bird is an example, the spirals are not meant for growth, they just are a different kind of band, glad you got it off your bird, a seemless band is smooth and does not hurt the leg of the bird, unless you get the wrong size as George has already said. read over the pre posts for reminders of what benifits the bands have. spirals are the only ones I do not like.


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

Naunnie said:


> Oh! I forgot... Just curious. Are the spiral type meant to expand as the bird grows older? Okay... maybe I'm still a little angry! What is the benefits of using this type of band?


*Hi NAUNNIE,Sprial are used to identify sex or mated pairs, things of that nature. Sprial bands are aold type band there is a newer type that is called snap on these are a better type to useas they can be easly remover and reusedon another bird* GEORGE


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