Leg bands...how to "decode"

[lzver]

Natacha,

Hope you don't mind, but I emailed Joey and Lucy's breeder and asked how many re-bellied breeding pairs she had. I just heard back from her and she confirmed that she only had one pair. So she confirmed that Joey and Lucy are definitely siblings!

[miajag]

Well, I sure have an interesting story.

As some of you may recall, I adopted Winnie back in November from a woman who had recently purchased her but decided to give her away when she found out her young son was allergic. She told me at the time that Winnie was about six months old, but I didn't really inquire further about where she got her, etc., at the time, so I really had no idea whether that was true.

Because I was curious, I joined the Yahoo! group linked above and from Winnie's band number I was quickly able to find the breeder (in Florida) where she was hatched and e-mail them. Well, I just got an e-mail back from the breeder, who informed me that Winnie was hatched in May...of 2003. So, instead of a year-old Quaker, I have one that is 7 years old.

It doesn't really "matter" to me as I of course care about her very much no matter what, and I didn't pay for her so I can't say I got "scammed" or anything like that. But it makes me really curious about her background. She's been extremely tame, friendly and docile as long as I've had her, so she clearly has had loving homes in the past. She seems to be in excellent health as well - I took her to the vet for a checkup when I got her and I mentioned that I thought she was about 6 months old, and the vet didn't say she seemed older. I still wonder what she was fed for the first 6.5 years of her life (though the fact that she converted to pellets very easily makes me think she might have had them before), and other stuff like whether she ever lived with other parrots, whether she ever talked, etc. I hope I am able to continue giving her a good home for the rest of her life.

[Michael]

Natacha,

Hope you don't mind, but I emailed Joey and Lucy's breeder and asked how many re-bellied breeding pairs she had. I just heard back from her and she confirmed that she only had one pair. So she confirmed that Joey and Lucy are definitely siblings!

That's incredible. Small world isn't it?

[Michael]

She told me at the time that Winnie was about six months old, but I didn't really inquire further about where she got her, etc., at the time, so I really had no idea whether that was true.
...
Well, I just got an e-mail back from the breeder, who informed me that Winnie was hatched in May...of 2003. So, instead of a year-old Quaker, I have one that is 7 years old.

Well you know what it might have been is either that woman meant she HAD the parakeet for six months OR she was scammed herself and was told it was that young (6 months minus however long she'd had it). So perhaps the store sold it as a baby to her (once again either knowingly or unknowingly). With the docile personality of the bird you describe, perhaps it was believable that it could be a baby. Just some thoughts.

[miajag]

Right, I'm aware that she wasn't necessarily deliberately lying to me about the bird's age. She wouldn't have had any reason to anyway as she was giving her away rather than selling her.

[lzver]

That's incredible. Small world isn't it?

Yeah, it kind of blew me away. I really just wanted to know where/when she was hatched and its incredible that I found the whereabouts of one of her siblings. And even better, Natacha posts updates on her birds on her blog. So needless to say, I'll be following her Joey tales with more interest I think she also mentioned that Zuri (Meyers - I think) came from the same breeder as well.

[jhuff]

Mine says "LAS" TN(sideways) 05. I know that means Tennessee and he was born in 2005. I tried to do the Yahoo! group but it told me the link doesnt work. Any ideas on LAS?

[Natacha]

That's incredible. Small world isn't it?

Yeah, it kind of blew me away. I really just wanted to know where/when she was hatched and its incredible that I found the whereabouts of one of her siblings. And even better, Natacha posts updates on her birds on her blog. So needless to say, I'll be following her Joey tales with more interest I think she also mentioned that Zuri (Meyers - I think) came from the same breeder as well.

Yup Zuri and Joey come from the same breeder, so does my mom's Meyer's and another Meyer's I know at my parrot club. Although having birds around here coming from the same place doesn't entirely surprise me..that I found someone in an other city a few hours away..now that was interesting!

Very small world.

[thegreatkatsby]

Hello! I'm going to try the yahoo group forum as well, but I though I'd check here too. I had Pi's leg band read today, and it says "NYS CD 09". The vet told me NYS means "New York State", but beyond that I don't know how to figure out the breeder or any other information from the band. Does anyone have any experience with NYS leg bands, or know where I can have it decoded? Thanks!

[lightweight]

I am late to this discussion but very interested in finding out Bella's (Senegal) age. Unfortunately, her band is not like everyone else's. Hers is a closed band that only says RH 429.

Does anyone have any idea what this could be?

Does anyone have contact info for the person who does the yahoo group. I tried to join but because my yahoo mail is bouncing it won't let me even though I put in my regular email address.

I may have traced the RH to RH Aviary in Richmond Hill. His name was Peter Mendonca and he was a hobby breeder but his email and phone number are no longer in service. May nopt be him but if it were, how would I contact someone that is no longer breeding???

Thanks in advance...