Open split leg bands can be put on and taken off at any time. They can be put on young and older birds. Using an open split band that shows the year makes it easy to keep track of the birds age.
Make sure your home is suitable for a finch. Before raising finches, think very carefully about every aspect of what this involves. Having a pet is a big responsibility.
For instance, when you go away from home, you need to arrange care of the birds in your absence. Do you know of someone who is capable of caring for the birds whilst you are away?
If you travel as part of your job and are regularly away, ask yourself if it's fair to leave such sociable birds alone and without your company for long periods of time.
Ensure you have a safe environment for your bird. You need to consider practical matters, such as whether you are a smoker. Also consider if you like to burn scented candles in the house. Finches are very sensitive to atmospheric pollutants. Cigarette smoke in particular is an absolute no-no when you keep birds. The odors from scented candles gets onto the birds’ feathers, which they can find distressing. This results in frantic grooming activity to get rid of the smell.
Consider if you or your family have any health issues. People with suppressed immune systems are at risk for picking up infections easily. These include the very young or old, people on chemotherapy or those with health conditions which suppress the immune system. Some birds carry diseases such as salmonella or chlamydia. Although the birds themselves are not ill, they could pose a possible risk to vulnerable people. [1]