# Anyone keep owls?



## _TiMiSdRuNk_ (Aug 27, 2008)

Anyone here keep them? I know a woman at work who's been trying to convert me to get one.... Do they make good 'pets'?


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

i have a one and a half year old barn owl. it depends what you mean by 'pet' really. as something to cuddle and stroke then there really not the bird you want. infact repeated stroking can damage the birds feathers. would you want to train it to fly? or would it be an aviary bird?

i do think that in the right conditions owls can make good avairy birds but its not fair to keep one in a minimum sized (minumum size depending on what species you want) and not fly it.

if you want to fly one then thats a whole seperate issue :2thumb:

to achieve any degree of tameness in an owl they have to be hand or creche reared. i got munch (my owl) at 6 weeks old and his breeder had creche reared him until that point, i then hand reared him until he had enough adult feathers to go outside. in terms of physical contact the only area i 'stroke' (for lack of a better term) regularly is his feat, as hes a flying bird so has to be used to having peoples hands around his feet. i talk to him a lot but i think thats just me :blush:

only other thing to consider is that when they get mad your life gets painfull. those talons and beak are not something you want to mess with. munch has only attempted to hurt me once (and it was my fault) but the scars are still very visable. and obviously the bigger the bird the more damage can be done.

sorry if im coming accross as overly negative or patronising (its not my intention) but owls are a hell of a lot more work than people think, and thats before you've even started on the food requirements...


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

_TiMiSdRuNk_ said:


> Do they make good 'pets'?


Not in the general term of 'pet'. They do not become an affectionate part of the family in the same way as a cat or a dog for instance, and they shouldn't be kept indoors either



miss_ferret said:


> as something to cuddle and stroke then there really not the bird you want. infact repeated stroking can damage the birds feathers.
> 
> i do think that in the right conditions owls can make good avairy birds but its not fair to keep one in a minimum sized (minumum size depending on what species you want) and not fly it.
> 
> ...


+1. :no1:


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## _TiMiSdRuNk_ (Aug 27, 2008)

Yeah i've heard stories of how they can damage keepers! So i think if i ever do take the plunge i will look at one of the smaller owls out there. 

As for the term 'pet' i meant it in the way that i understand they will never be a family pet like a dog or a cat, but i class things like spiders as pets, and lizards etc. So i guess as long as i own it, then it's a pet! 

What sort of housing do you keep them in? I think that would be my stumbling block....


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

_TiMiSdRuNk_ said:


> Yeah i've heard stories of how they can damage keepers! So i think if i ever do take the plunge i will look at one of the smaller owls out there.
> 
> As for the term 'pet' i meant it in the way that i understand they will never be a family pet like a dog or a cat, but i class things like spiders as pets, and lizards etc. So i guess as long as i own it, then it's a pet!
> 
> What sort of housing do you keep them in? I think that would be my stumbling block....


Going for the smaller owls isn't a good idea for a beginner. Much better off going for the medium-sized owls, Bengal Eagle Owls are usually where people start off, and a good, local mentor is an absolute _must _(I can't stress this enough!).
Housing... Really depends on what species you go for, a Bengal IMO would need minimum 6x10x6 aviary, that's if being at least 4-5x a week, and exercised on 'off' days. Needs to have a solid base and a strong structure, to give you an idea of the basics. Plenty of good books about (most will recommend "Understanding Owls" by Jemima-Parry Jones, it's a must have IMO) readily available as well as specific bird of prey/falconry forums, watch your step and have a gander to give you an idea of what they need. :2thumb:


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

as LoveForLizards has said, the smaller owls arnt the best for beginners but im not a fan of the 'upgrading' culture thats becoming more and more apparent in the falconry world, i personally feel its better to go for the bird you really want (but be prepared to put a lot more time and effort into learning to take care of it) rather than what you 'should' have, and end up selling it or constructing more housing for a bird you didnt really want in the first place. me for instance: munch is my first official bird. a lot of falconers/keepers grimace at a barn owl as a first bird, but it is what i really wanted. i got myself a mentor, spent a good 6 months just helping him with his birds (trust me when you've done weight control on a kestrel pretty much everything else is a walk in the park : victory then went on the LANTRA beginning falconry course (Falconry Training Courses - Lantra Awards UK), spent another month or so preparing for his arrival, tracked down a good breeder and finally traveled for a few hours to collect him.

i keep munch in a adapted 10x8 shed with various perches (including a swing perch - great for wing strength) but hes gaining about the same room again in an extension to give him some more room. the rule is the more room you can give them the better :2thumb:

joining the IFF (Falconry Forum) is a good idea, just be aware that a good 50% of the members can be prats and seem to see owl keeping as a lesser skill to hawk owning. they are some good people on there so persistance is worth while. the JPJ book is a must read, i dont agree with everything she says but shes the only one whos written a book solely about owls, most falconry books mention them in passing but be aware that sometimes the info in them isnt the best :whistling2:


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## boocally (Aug 6, 2010)

Another thing to bear in mind is their longevity! I have a Bengal Eagle Owl who will be 21 years old this year! He's currently in a foster home with a guy who flies him in demonstrations during the summer. Since I've owned him, I've moved all over the country and I've not always had the space or time for him to live with me but as I've had him since he was a ball of fluff I'm feel I'm responsible for him for his whole life and I've always taken a lot of time to ensure he's had the best care wherever he's been. To really interact with them you'll need a handreared bird that you are prepared to handle everyday, otherwise they may come to the side of the aviary to take food off you but most of the time they'll ignore you! There are quite a few places around you that do Falconry displays but you'd be better off finding someone local who keeps them and get to know them. Just like keeping T's it's nice to have someone to answer your questions in person. Oh nearly forgot, handreared owls can be very noisy, so can parent reared ones during the breeding season! Make sure you have forgiving neighbours as Eagle Owls can be heard up to a mile away!


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## SilverSky (Oct 2, 2010)

i have an owl 

they are a lot of work, and you really need to know what you're doing, but so rewarding.

i love mine to bits, shes the sweetest thing, but if you get one thats hard work, they really are hard work.

i work with them to, so i have experience with all different types, sizes and personalities, and i agree, very small owls are not for the inexperinced, as you can easily starve them if you dont know what you're doing, but i wouldnt say barn owls are too bad, as long as you have a mentor or help and you keep a very close eye on the weight.


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## Sirvincent (Jul 16, 2008)

just wanted to add that it's not impossible to get a small/ tiny owl as a first one. I've got an Indian Scops Owl and we've had her since she was 3 weeks old. She's a complete imprint and has so much personality. She has an enclosure inside as well as an avairy outside. As long as you do the research then you should be fine. Our Owl isnt "flown" outside as she's so small that there's too much of a risk of something going wrong. 

I also keep a Redtail Hawk who is trainned to hunt and she's kept outside. Our Owl and Redtail are treated completely differently and their requirments are completely individual

here's Cutch - YouTube - Indian Scops owl 6 months


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## _TiMiSdRuNk_ (Aug 27, 2008)

I think my only holdback is space for the enclosure as i've not got the biggest of gardens! I think i'm going to do a lot more reading into this though before i take the plunge! Also what sort of prices do they fetch?


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## Sirvincent (Jul 16, 2008)

_TiMiSdRuNk_ said:


> I think my only holdback is space for the enclosure as i've not got the biggest of gardens! I think i'm going to do a lot more reading into this though before i take the plunge! Also what sort of prices do they fetch?


I bought my little 'un for £250, here's a link to the bird ads - Birds of Prey for sale and wanted on Bird of Prey Ads.co.uk - Free Advertising of Private / Trade / Breeder birds on Bird of Prey Ads UK


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## Berber King (Dec 29, 2007)

Visited my mother today,so went down the garden to see her beast of a European Eagle Owl,shes huge!


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## smithy73 (Aug 31, 2010)

i keep owls right from the little owls right up to the european eagle owls absoulute stunning birds love um


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## adamntitch (Jun 17, 2007)

i have a pair of tawny owls here altho they are wild rescues


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