# removing band/ring on leg - best method



## Gully97

Hi There! I have a racing pigeon that was given to me. I want to make her into a pet and do not intend to race, etc. My question is how do I remove the metal ring around her leg? I don't need it and it has the info of the former owner. Can you cut it with wire cutters or something? I do not see any seams on it.

Thanks!


----------



## Margarret

I watched a rehabber remove a band for me from a bird's injured leg. She used a very small pair of wire cutters, the kind you would use for making jewelry. Is the band all metal? If it is plastic, it may have some metal in it. The one I saw removed was metal covered with plastic. She just cut it with very small snips until it was cut through. Took just a minute or so.

Margaret


----------



## Charis

Another thought may be to leave the ban on. Should the bird get out and found by someone else, they may perceive a banded pigeon to be of more value than a feral. You also could copy the band information as a way of identifying the pigeon if the need should arise.


----------



## Gully97

Is there a way to change the info that is in the band if I leave it on? I cannot see a way to get the paper out of the ring (it is metal with a plastic cover BTW). Or perhaps I can change the bird's number with my name and phone number at the registry that the band is linked to? I don't know much about this. I just don't want somebody contacting the info on the band if she ever gets lost because it is old info. Maybe I can write my phone on the plastic with a Sharpie  
Thanks for the info!


----------



## Pegasus

*My Suggestion to you Gully...*



Gully97 said:


> Is there a way to change the info that is in the band if I leave it on? I cannot see a way to get the paper out of the ring (it is metal with a plastic cover BTW). Or perhaps I can change the bird's number with my name and phone number at the registry that the band is linked to? I don't know much about this. I just don't want somebody contacting the info on the band if she ever gets lost because it is old info. Maybe I can write my phone on the plastic with a Sharpie
> Thanks for the info!



I wont remove or try to remove the band, since you said she might get out/ lost or someone might see her how are they going to trace or know whe she from if she dont have any identification...From your statement she was given to you, why dont you try to contact the pigeon club where she use to fly and ask if you can keep her with out any discussion in the end. I apologize for my wrong assumption. Now unless otherwise the person who gave her to you stole this bird and wants you to take off the band in case the bird got out and fly back to the original owner and she wont be distinguish...If you think she might get out from you and fly away and not sure where she is really from, leave the band there and if you want to put another identification with your info please do so, in case she accidentally escape or fly out and someone sees her with 2 ID's they can contact either one of you or whoever is closer, thats how I look at it...Anyway, there is another leg for you to put the other ID on...I'm not trying to sound like smart Alec just want to state my point...


----------



## learning

I have never tried this but I think if I were faced with removing a band I would use a Dremel type tool. You have a lot more control with this type of tool.

I think the best solution for you is to put another band on the other leg with your information on it. There are several types of removable band on the market that you can personalize. The original permenant band probably should stay on the bird. This is similar to the licence plate on a car. You can sell the car but the licence plate stays with the car, not the previous owner.

Dan


----------



## Gully97

Thanks Dan. If I contacted the Club and told them my new info, would they be able to update that in the computer? I could get permission from the original owner (who bred her, by the way) to do this, just not sure if that is standard procedure with a change of bird ownership...? I don't have a problem keeping the band, as long as the info in the ring is correct for me in case she escapes. I cannot band the other leg, still swollen from her injury.

Thanks!
Felicia


----------



## Lovebirds

Gully97 said:


> Thanks Dan. If I contacted the Club and told them my new info, would they be able to update that in the computer? I could get permission from the original owner (who bred her, by the way) to do this, just not sure if that is standard procedure with a change of bird ownership...? I don't have a problem keeping the band, as long as the info in the ring is correct for me in case she escapes. I cannot band the other leg, still swollen from her injury.
> 
> Thanks!
> Felicia


I'm not Dan LOL, but.......it probably depends on what club it is and how interested they are about whether the bird's owner is found or not. Don't mean to sound harsh, but many many fanciers just sell birds, give them away, whatever and never make note of the band info and who or where the bird went. SOME of us keep very good records. I can tell you where just about all of my birds are or at least where they are SUPPOSED to be. And if you called our club and said you had a bird and wanted it listed in your name, I'd be happy to do that because I'm the one who keeps the records. Not many will do that though. They may TELL you they will, but I wouldn't hold my breath if I was you. I think it would be better to, at the very least, get a plastic snap on band and write your phone number on it. You can order personalized bands, but I think you have to order at least 10 or so..........


----------



## Gully97

Ooops sorry about the "Dan" thing! I got a chuckle too! I was actually thinking along the same line as you after I posted... just to make it easy for everybody, dremel off the old band and just put on a new one with my phone just in case. Since I only need one band... maybe somebody would be willing to sell me a single (fair and square) so I don't have to buy a bag of 10??  

Thanks again to everybody that posted. This seems like a great group!
Gully


----------



## spirit wings

Gully97 said:


> Ooops sorry about the "Dan" thing! I got a chuckle too! I was actually thinking along the same line as you after I posted... just to make it easy for everybody, dremel off the old band and just put on a new one with my phone just in case. Since I only need one band... maybe somebody would be willing to sell me a single (fair and square) so I don't have to buy a bag of 10??
> 
> Thanks again to everybody that posted. This seems like a great group!
> Gully


just to let you know the snap bands can come off, and the seemless ones can't. alot of people have two bands on their pidjis.


----------



## maryjane

I would also think a Dremel would be good to remove it, just get a smaller one (they're usually under ten bucks) and it comes with all the tools. I have been thinking about doing this for a few of my birds that were racers and are banded. I've had good success with the snap-on bands, except in one case where the youngster (he was three months or so) did get his back toe caught in the band. I just slipped it out and check them carefully each morning. Of my other ten or twelve banded with snap-ons, they are great, and I've never had one fall off.


----------



## Gully97

HI there! I just want to let everybody know who was inquiring that a dremel with a round sandpaper bit works great! My hubby removed the band from Gully this morning and she was just fine. One note is to be sure to hold the leg still above the joint so she can't wiggle and cover the head with a towel. I think the vibration was more concerning to her than the noise, but it helped! ALso we put a small shim between her leg and the band so we would not cut through to her skin. ANd to keep it from getting too hot! He did the same to me when my wedding band got crushed and he cut it off, except no shim and I rememebr the gold getting hot on my skin!

Now I need a new snap-on band that I can personalize. Does anybody know where I can buy just one


----------



## Aliens down under

*band on each leg*

Is it ok to have a band on each leg of pigeon? Iwant to place numbered snap bandettes on my homers and some of them have bands on already.


----------



## LUCKYT

It id not a Problem. But if I am flying performance I use only one band.


----------



## Aliens down under

thanks Lucky T, I am going to number them starting at 1 so I know who is who as they are all the same colour. This pigeon hobby is fun!


----------



## pigeonraiser

I had a racer a couple years ago came in with its leg swelled and had to cut the band off. I did exactly what Margarret said used a small set of wire cutters.


----------

