Wearing ankle rings on cockatiels is a common way for many breeders to mark their parrots. So how do you properly put a closed ankle on a cockatiel?
First of all, you should choose a foot ring that fits your cockatiel. Pay attention to the size of the ankle loop to fit the parrot's feet and avoid being too tight or too loose. Cockatiels usually use a size 6 ankle ring.
Second, choose the wearing time. Parrots are too small to fall off easily, and parrots are too big to wear when they are more laborious. Generally, it is best worn when the nestling is about 10 days old.
Finally, be sure to be patient when wearing ankle bracelets. Because the parrot will keep struggling when wearing it, it will bring a certain degree of difficulty to the operation. After controlling the parrot with one hand, put the three longer toes together and put the ankle loop, and slowly push the ankle loop up with the other hand until it reaches the ankle with a slight tightness, and continue to gently rotate and push through the ankle. There is still one last hind toe left at this point. Continue to push the band up until the back toe passes as far as possible, then gently pull the back toe out with your fingers.
It should be noted that the ankle bracelet only needs to be worn through the ankle, not through the leg joint. After wearing the ankle ring, relax the hand that holds the parrot and observe whether the parrot can move its feet freely to ensure that it is safe to wear.
This process does not cause any harm to the chicks. Just take care of your movements. If one person has difficulty operating, it can also be carried out by two people at the same time, and it will be more convenient to wear.