# eagle owl chick



## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

I mentioned a while back that we had a pair of eagle owls on a nest and that we were planning to hand rear the youngsters once they hatched. I havn't realy mentioned it since but for anyone who remembers, here is an update. only one out of the 3 eggs hatched and the chick was left with his mother for the first 3 weeks. we then took him out (risking life and limb to do it mind you!) and have been hand raising him ever since. he is now about 5 1/2 weeks old and looks like a giant furby. took a couple of pictures of him the other day while he was trying to sleep on the hospital floor.


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

Oh my god.. that's fantastic  You are very lucky getting to have experience of such stunning animals!

Don't suppose you have any pictures of the parents by any chance?


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## darkdan99 (Dec 28, 2006)

How much are these to buy (you must be able to get them somwhere??)


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## weelad (Jul 25, 2006)

wow nice!:no1: , they look stoned :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## klair328 (Nov 15, 2006)

aww i want it:O sooo cute!!!  its it cuddly or is it one of them pets that u think looks cuddly but if u get near it trys to take a finger or two from you!! bless has he got a name??


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## groovy chick (Aug 1, 2006)

OMG soooo cute :grin1:


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## leggy (Jan 18, 2007)

look at the size of its talons.im sure i read somewhere of falconers useing adults to take foxes.


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## Mitch (Mar 3, 2007)

lol it does look stoned. Very cute


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

His/Her name is Kyana and I don't actuly have a picture of the parents at home, but this is our other hand reared one Saskia.









the chicks father looks very similar to her. the mother is quite a lot darker, and the youngster takes after her. s/he does nibble a little, but it is only play, nothing serious, and the baby down realy is just as soft as it looks. the talons are impresive. s/he does not know how to use them yet but I took the father's in the side of the head when they first started sitting and belive me they can do damage. they will regualy take foxes and small deer in the wild, and have been known to kill loggers on ocasions while defending a nest.


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## Kylie (Mar 12, 2006)

WOW that is the cutest fussiest thing im in love!!


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## Art_Gecko101 (May 6, 2006)

David im saving that 2nd pic onto my pc! Its so cute! lol.


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## ikkintastic (May 11, 2007)

Wow, aren't Eagle Owls really rare in the UK? You are very lucky to do what you do. My boyfriend is really jealous, he wants to look after wildlife!


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

they are rare in the wild, in fact it is debatable whether they are even native, but this one is captive bred. the parents were both captive bred rescues. (we assume the female was, although she was found on the road with no rings or chip) they are quite a common species in captivity. I know I am very lucky, I know. I have been around these animals so much that it seems perfectly normal to me. at the moment I have a rook, a blackbird, and 3 house sparrows, all orphans, out in my shed. when I drive anywhere the rook sits on the back seat or sometimes on my shoulder and I have often got out to fill up with petrol or go into a shop with the bird still on my shoulder thinking nothing of it. it is only when I get comments and questions from fascinated people that I think about how unusual it is for most people to even see wildlife up so close, let alone live with it like I do.


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## ikkintastic (May 11, 2007)

That sounds like the best job ever! My boyfriend is desperatly trying to find work with animals (especially wildlife) but he's finding it really hard  Any tips for him?

What would those birdies have done with out you ay?


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

best thing I can sugest is apply to some places to do volantary work first. there are very few paid jobs working with animals (unless you count pet shops) and a lot of people who want them when they do come up. if he is already volentering somewhere and a job comes up, he will be the first to know about it, and have the advantage because he already knows how the place works. my work at the rehab centre is volentary, although that is not likely to change on a perminent basis as it is a small charity and they don't have any paid staff, however they are looking into lots of grants to try and get me a wage for a couple of years. most rehab centres are the same, only the biggest can actuly afford to pay anyone so they are general run compleatly by volenteers, however zoos and similar buisnesses employ their staff and are usualy only too happy to take on someone that they don't have to pay for once.


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## kennedykrew (Jul 31, 2006)

There has been a couple of instances of these owls attacking dog walkers in Halifax, probs trying to get a little doggie meal. They/it had escaped but i think now recaught. Lovely animals though.


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## ikkintastic (May 11, 2007)

Thanks David, he finds it hard to do much voluntary work because his current job is so demanding. He works at Heathrow airport in security, and although they have an animal reception centre there, they only take on people with lots of animal experience. He's always checking the local zoos for jobs but they normally look for experience too. He's thinking of doing an animal based course at an animal studies college near us but that would mean giving up work and having no money to live on! Do you think an animal course would help him or is voluntary work more helpful?


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

depends on the course, which one is it? I have a national diploma in animal care and still wasn't able to get a paid job (I have not realy been looking for quite a while now though) a lot of that is also because I suck at interviews though! although a friend of mine went straight into a job as a zoo keeper on her first interview after the course. an NVQ will get you a job in a pet shop but that is probably about it. it does give you experience though, and he could always go on to do a higher course afterwards. the qualifications do look good, and do teach you a fair bit too, but the actual experience is probably more importaint, and volentary work is a good way to get that. that being said, the courses generaly include 1 day per week work experience anyway, so you get both.


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## ikkintastic (May 11, 2007)

Thank you so much- I'll pass your advice onto him. The place near us is called Merrist Wood..they have a range of animal courses both diploma and foundation degree..animal behaviour and welfare..animal care..animal management..they also have ones in birds of prey and short courses in grooming, canine first aid and 'how to talk dog' lol

Which of the first three do you think would be the best?
Sorry to ask so many questions


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## BassFerret (Apr 11, 2007)

Has he ever considered veterinary nursing? The pay is, er, less than fabulous but there are always training practices looking for people. It's not for the squeamish, but as a qualified vet nurse it's much, much easier to move into other animal-related areas.

And yes, there are male vet nurses!


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

which one would realy depend on what he wanted to do. animal behaviour and welfare were both covered in their own moduels on my course, however I would assume that this would go into much more detail. as for animal care and animal management, I am not quite sure what the difference is. when I started mine it was called N D in animal care, then during the second year they changed the name to animal managment. still the same course though. my certificate says animal management.

agreed, vet nursing is also a good option. I have never done it myself, other than my 2 week school work experience, but my friend is a vet, and I work very closely with several veterinary practices anyway so I can tell you it is hard work, but good experience, and most practices are always in need of more nurses. 

also, it should be mentioned that no animal work is for the squeamish, whether you are a vet, zoo keeper, animal trainer, pretty much anything, you are going to be treating wounds and cutting up dead animals. it is just part of the job.


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## BassFerret (Apr 11, 2007)

corvid2e1 said:


> also, it should be mentioned that no animal work is for the squeamish, whether you are a vet, zoo keeper, animal trainer, pretty much anything, you are going to be treating wounds and cutting up dead animals. it is just part of the job.


And poo. Don't forget the poo. :lol2: _Never _forget the poo....

(And vomit and blood and maggots and...yeah you get the picture!!!)


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

BassFerret said:


> And poo. Don't forget the poo. :lol2: _Never _forget the poo....
> 
> (And vomit and blood and maggots and...yeah you get the picture!!!)


oh it wouldn't be me without a few streaks of bird poo down my back, that goes without saying! it gets to the stage where it just doesn't make any difference any more, you are constantly covered in the stuff so who realy cares. I think virtualy all the clothes I own have a blood stain from one species or another.


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## ikkintastic (May 11, 2007)

Thanks David you've been very helpful  I'll pass your words on. Nah, he isn't squeamish..he's already thought about all that. That's one reason I'd be crap at animal work..I'd be crying my eyes out constantly. I still cry watching the lion king!


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## Nursey (Feb 27, 2005)

awwwwwwwwww that owl is adorable
i want ... iwant lolol

great to see someone really looking after these beautiful birds


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## miffikins (Feb 25, 2007)

Awww wow! It is a giant furby!! And a very lovely one at that!

What are carrion crows and rooks like to keep?? I was thinking about it the other day, they're pretty intelligent creatures... 

Keep up the good work :no1:


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## Robbie (Dec 4, 2006)

> risking life and limb to do it mind you


 LOL, workies helmet at the ready? A friend of a friend had to take some eggs out of a Horned Owls nest once. Showed me where the female had actually punched its tallons into the helmet. Scary.


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

miffikins said:


> Awww wow! It is a giant furby!! And a very lovely one at that!
> 
> What are carrion crows and rooks like to keep?? I was thinking about it the other day, they're pretty intelligent creatures...
> 
> Keep up the good work :no1:


corvids make great pets if they are raised and cared for properly, but they are extreamly demanding, high maintenance animals to keep. the intelligence is incredable, more comparable to primates than other birds, and this needs to be kept in mind when caring for and housing them. perfectly adiquet care for most birds would quickly drive a crow insane with bordom, they need constant interaction and stimulation. basicly, your life revolves around the bird, and since they can live over 30 years, it is a major comitment.


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

couple more pictures of him/her (we are still not sure yet)

the first day we took him out of the aviary at 2 weeks old


















and now, at 6 weeks old, and slightly more confident. anything that moves now has to be killed and shreded, whether it was ever actuly alive or not!



















you can see the very dark colouration coming through in his feathers. his mother is also this dark phase, although the farther looks normal.


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