Is this an import leg band?

[Lifewith3birds]

I recently bought a goffins cockatoo, Frankie, from the gateway parrot club bird fair. The woman selling him owns Midwest Bird Toys in Indiana and is also a breeder. She told me he is 7 years old and that his previous owner had breast cancer and couldnt keep him. She said he had him now for 9 months. He has no papers or vet records to prove his age, but she told me his story and I believed her.
Well... yesterday I was doing some research about his leg band which is a rounded open band that reads FEO followed by 3 numbers. Is this an import band?

 

[Tami2]

Hello Lifewith3birds and Welcome to ParrotForums!

Glad you joined us. Thank you for adopting this baby when it may very well be sick.

What I understand about 'opened' leg bans in the US, is that the bird is either wild caught and/or an import. Which could indicate it is an older bird as well.

In the US they should have a closed banned applied when the bird is very young and can be slipped on by the breeder.

Hopefully, you'll get more input from members that know more on this topic.

 

[Lifewith3birds]

Thank you! �� That's what I have read online as well about the closed leg bands and the code on them. On the USDA website it says an open band with this format means it is highly likely an imported bird.. but that would mean Frankie is nearly 30 years old at least.

He is a very happy bird and I will be taking him to see my avian vet within the next month for a checkup and maybe bloodwork as well. I'm hoping my vet will be able to give me some input on if he is a young or older bird.

 

[Smerft85]

I have one bird with no band at all, I'm sure he is from overseas, three with open bands but I know for sure they were bred right here in Colorado as I got them as they were weaning, and the breeders are known and documented, two with open bands from petco so surely they are from somewhere farther away, and four with closed breeder bands that I got from a local breeder straight out of his weaning cage. Our Amazon is the only one I have no idea weather he even has one or not, but he was with the previous family from the day he was weaned or close to it, and they had him 23 years before he came here. At least in my experience the bands don't have a 100% purpose or any guarantee of anything. The closed bands on mine all at least have a legit breeder number, and CO on them noting the state they were born in. Only thing I can say for sure is if it's a closed band it was put there by the breeder at a very young age. Open bands or no bands at all is pretty well anyone's guess unless you know the breeder, or the retailer has them documented. Please keep in mind this is my own observations and it doesn't mean I'm completely correct!

 

[noodles123]

Definitely do blood-work if you can. It is of great importance. I adopted mine (a re-home) and insisted on blood tests (only to find out she has a hidden liver issue---now corrected). The vet was like, "meh, you don't have to have it done...seems okay." SO glad I did.