I am growing more certain that Oscar is wild-caught...

[MoonRock]

I joined the Yahoo Leg Band Numbers group, but haven't gotten any further information about Oscar's round, metal, open leg band beyond what I have already researched on my own. Oscar's band reads LCL 957, which is an ID that is very plausibly from a now-closed private quarantine station. The private stations all used three letters and three numbers in their metal, open leg bands. Please see the following explanation (based on my research):

 

L: Louisiana quarantine station ID (now all closed)

C: one of the 6 sub-stations ID

L: the first letter of Oscar's personal ID

957: Oscar's personal ID number

 

Also, the veterinarian says it is apparent Oscar is "not young", but I didn't ask him just how old he thought Oscar was or to look at his leg band. Oscar's former owners are very short on details, and as one owner is now incapacitated and another (her son, the "original owner") is long gone, I don't see how I can get much first-hand information about Oscar's 8 years with the family. I suspect he was already 13 or so when they bought him, because if he was imported as a baby in the very last year of legal African Grey importation, that still makes him at least 21. This seems plausible to me, given the leg band and what little family history I have.

 

I mentioned the possibility (and now, in my mind, likelihood) of Oscar's wild-caught status before but felt compelled to bring it up again so that I could get some input from other wild-caught Grey owners or anyone else who wishes to speculate. If your own Grey is wild-caught, what are the band numbers? Or, if you are certain your Grey is not wild-caught but your band numbers are similar to mine, who was the breeder?

 

Thank you. This is torture, I sincerely hope Oscar was not yanked from the jungle but I suspect he was.

Edited March 10, 2013 by MoonRock

[DanielaWelborn]

This is a great topic. I can't be of any help; Sorry.

But I am willing to do research with you. My Grey also has an open band and he is only about 4 years old. I can't get close enough to read any numbers on it.

I have no idea what that means since he is still very young.. Can you help me out?

[Dave007]

It's possible that your bird was brought in before 92. The bird would have been very young. Breeders were brought in and very young birds were brought in. If your bird was a breeder it would have to have been about 6 yrs and older. If it was a breeder bird the likelyhood that the bird was turned into a pet was next to impossible.

Your L is correct but birds in quarantine were assigned numbers in numerical order. Back then, when quarantine facilities were closed, many official records were discarded.

Your bird may be an adult but so far, you aren't having any problems with him. Things are only getting better.

So, why is this situation torture for you? It was a long time ago and you're the new owner now. Focus on now, not yesterday. Nothing will change from what went on yesterday.

[Dave007]

This is a great topic. I can't be of any help; Sorry.

But I am willing to do research with you. My Grey also has an open band and he is only about 4 years old. I can't get close enough to read any numbers on it.

I have no idea what that means since he is still very young.. Can you help me out?

 

Open bands can have any info that a person wishes to put on it. There are no standards concerning open bands. If you contact the place or person that had the bird you could get more info.. I can take one of my greys and put an open band on him that says N 07 DDP. I could tell people that the 07 number was the year he was born. That would make the age of the bird 6 yrs old. The only thing is, the bird is really 15 yrs old. Many times bands are put on birds to represent lot numbers.

 

If you decide that your bird is approx 4 yrs old or whatever age , simply invent a certain birthday date, put it on your calender and use it to celebrate a birthday. Problem solved.

Edited March 10, 2013 by Dave007

[Wingy]

As Dave pointed out it doesn't matter today. Even if you obtained positive proof that Oscar was wild caught it really changes nothing. You can't release him back into the wild. All you can do is keep caring for him.

[danmcq]

Dave is very knowledgeable in this area. I agree with him completely. It is interesting to research, but really makes no difference in your relationship with Oscar, other than knowing it is highly probable he was wild caught.

 

Dayo has an open band. The characters on it are i001. He was six weeks old when we started visiting the breeders and interacting with the two clutches. What does it mean? Really nothing other than he was one of three greys in his clutch and 4 greys in the other clutch. It is how the breeder and buyers kept track of which grey was theirs.

[judygram]

I have to agree with Dave, Dan and Wingy, it doesn't matter now about before, all that matters now is now so care for him the best you can, give him the love and attention he needs and forget about the band, as they say quit worrying over spilt milk.

[MoonRock]

This is a great topic. I can't be of any help; Sorry.

But I am willing to do research with you. My Grey also has an open band and he is only about 4 years old. I can't get close enough to read any numbers on it.

I have no idea what that means since he is still very young.. Can you help me out?

 

Hi DanielaWelborn, before I could get close enough to read Oscar's leg band I was able to at least see that he had 3 figures followed by 3 more figures inscribed. Could you tell us how many figures, and any spacing(s), there are? I would love to help you discover where your Grey came from, but as others have said sometimes that is impossible to determine.

[MoonRock]

It's possible that your bird was brought in before 92. The bird would have been very young. Breeders were brought in and very young birds were brought in. If your bird was a breeder it would have to have been about 6 yrs and older. If it was a breeder bird the likelyhood that the bird was turned into a pet was next to impossible.

Your L is correct but birds in quarantine were assigned numbers in numerical order. Back then, when quarantine facilities were closed, many official records were discarded.

Your bird may be an adult but so far, you aren't having any problems with him. Things are only getting better.

So, why is this situation torture for you? It was a long time ago and you're the new owner now. Focus on now, not yesterday. Nothing will change from what went on yesterday.

 

Hi Dave, the reason Oscar's *potential* wild-caught status bothers me is because I feel somehow responsible for what happened to him in his past. I know, cognitively, that is not true, but emotionally I feel like I am playing catch-up with Oscar trying to give him everything he clearly didn't have before. I secretly fantasize about re-releasing Oscar into the wild, which of course would be impossible to do for many reasons...

 

Life is hard enough for a lot of Greys, it makes me very sad to think Oscar had it even harder than I suspected. However, you are absolutely right in that "things are only getting better" and that I need to look ahead, and not back. I feel like a "wildlife steward", and that is a little intimidating. But boy, do I love Oscar. What a tough, funny, enthusiastic featherbutt.

[Dave007]

*****I am playing catch-up with Oscar trying to give him everything he clearly didn't have before. I secretly fantasize about re-releasing Oscar into the wild, which of course would be impossible to do for many reasons...*******

 

What a bird in the wild never had before is something he'll never need in the future when living like a pet.. Only you can decide to give what you wanna give. The most important thing he needs right now is a secure, friendly, healthy home to live in. Forget about those thoughts about re releasing him even though you know you won't. Instead, put this thought in your head.

 

**If I ever released him, it's guaranteed that he'll die (and he definitely will because Dave told me so). My Oscar is very lucky to be living with me cause he's safe, sound, happy, healthy, well fed, ornery and is being given that wonderful chance to be a huge pain in my ass and he's probably as happy as a pig in shit.***

Edited March 10, 2013 by Dave007

[itsjustnikki]

I don't know about wild caught bird bands, but Tango has a band that is from CA and the year 04 even though he definitely hatched in FL in 2005. My veterinarian says that sometimes breeders will reuse bands, even though this is not really good practice. Maybe the breeder just used whatever bands they had available?

[MoonRock]

My favorite band is The Who, and I was thinking about one of my favorite Who songs, "1921". I figure Oscar is about 21 now, so the following lyrics seem especially fitting. This is me, trying to look on the bright side of the wild-caught question.

 

"I've got a feeling twenty one

Is going to be a good year.

Especially if you and me

See it in together.

I had no reason to be over optimistic,

But somehow when you smiled

I could brave bad weather."

 

Isn't that sweet? Oscar's 21st year is going to be good, because he's with me. He may be out of the jungle but he's in a warm, loving home.

[danmcq]

Isn't that sweet? Oscar's 21st year is going to be good, because he's with me. He may be out of the jungle but he's in a warm, loving home.

 

Indeed!

[SimplyGrey]

That's the right attitude MoonRock!! And DAVE.... I could sit and read your replies for hours. I just love your knowledge and sense of humour. Great to have your giving advice to the flock.