Should i get a pet owl

The most popular exotic birds that are kept as pets are companion animals. Parrots and some soft bills demand the constant attention of their owners or require another bird to bond with, as these animals form close relationships with their mates in the wild or are even monogamous.

Many owls are completely solitary outside of breeding season [6] and are not dependent on human affection, or social species like barn owls can adapt to solitary living [9]. This is a tremendous advantage for captive living because social isolation for gregarious species can reduce their quality of life. Native owls are illegal in the United States for non-educational or scientific use with private individuals unless you jump through the very extensive hoops of becoming an advanced falconer.

Many online sources and some dubious falconers then misinterpret or outright lie about this information and claim that owls are illegal. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act does not regulate exotic owl species that are not native to the United States and they are perfectly legal to own as long as your state and city allow it. Owls are probably legal in more states than other exotic pets like foxes, primates, raccoons, and exotic felids because pet birds are more culturally accepted and garner less attention to legislators.

The downside is that there are few species available, and currently the only owls common in the trade are the very large and powerful Eurasian eagle owl and the speckled owl. However, the opportunity exists to import more exotic species that have the potential to make better pets at smaller sizes. Considered to be sedentary compared to other raptors [1] many owl species in captivity are happy to complacently sit on a perch without having numerous activities available as a parrot requires.

Even in the wild during their active hours, owls prefer to expend as little energy as possible, perching and waiting for their prey to appear so they can quickly attack [6]. In captivity, this can be simulated with training the owls to hunt or fly to different perches. Owls also have smaller minimum housing requirements for birds of prey [6]. As raptors are easily stressed by stimulus, they require visual barriers in their enclosure with perhaps a small window to view the outdoors[3][5].

Aside from training, their enrichment requirements include different size and 'loose' perches [6]. From their ability to turn their heads up to degrees, to the wonderfully bizarre shape-shifting talents of the 'transforming owl' northern white-faced owl , owls are unique members of the avian family that are a joy to watch.

Many websites place extreme emphasis on the fact that owls and other raptors are not friendly, and with their small-sized brains they will only have an interest in hunting and other basic animal drives.

This, however, is not the only reason people keep pets. Fish are not very cuddly, but they are engaging pets. Having the opportunity to hold and observe an owl up close is an experience owl owners have every day and other people would be willing to pay to do so for minutes. For animals that only care about hunting, they have unique personalities that their caretakers will come to recognize.

It's not really very difficult to see why a pet owl is appealing to many. While many laypeople and falconers decry keeping owls as non-hunting pets because they believe they belong in the wild, these birds can be healthy enough to reach adequate lifespans in captivity that often exceeds their wild lifespan.

In addition, unlike many parrots that can live past 70 years , these birds have a reasonable lifespan of depending on the species years [6][9]. All in all, exotic pets are appealing to most people because they present an opportunity to get close to something that you would normally only see asleep in a zoo or in an extravagant and sometimes staged wildlife documentary. In addition to owls being unique and interesting, the challenges of owning one can be rewarding in itself.

As someone who has prepared diets for owls and parrots and worked with both animals at a zoo an accredited one at that , I can confirm that the point about the diets and owls being sedentary and being easier to take care of than parrots. Owls are definitely not rocket science or cryptic to handle. Linda Nowell Name even a single animal that everyone knows how to take care of and has never been surrendered.

I'll wait. The stench can be unbearable for the owner, mainly because you need to regularly clean the aviary or cage. Owls might be solitary and lead a sedentary lifestyle, but they can get quite demanding. This means that you cannot call in a pet sitter to help you with it in case you are busy or traveling for days.

Owls sleep during the day and stay active at night. This is because the bird will create problems for you and your neighbor at night when you should be resting, with constant hooting. They require a huge aviary to live and exercise in. These birds require various perching areas to fly and spread their wings freely, requiring a good amount of space. Owls are fierce carnivorous raptors in the wild, a trait they possess even in domestic settings.

This bird will destroy your furniture and tear your clothes and pillows apart using their large beaks and sharp talons. Not many vets are familiar with this bird. Plus, owls can get aggressive if a stranger approaches them. Owls cannot eat regular bird food from the store. Bird seeds, veggies, small insects, and pellets are not an option for them. You can keep an owl if you are pretty sure you can overcome these challenges or still think you can handle one.

However, owls are still wild raptors, and they belong to the wild, so keeping one in your home is never the best choice. What You Need to Know! She has a strong love for all animals of all shapes and sizes and particularly loves a good interspecies friendship and wants to share her animal knowledge and other experts' knowledge with pet lovers across the globe. Skip to content. Nicole Cosgrove. Aug 26 They Have a Simple Diet 2. Satisfies the Desire for Adventure 3. They Are Solitary 4.

They Are Sedentary 5. They Are Fascinating 6. Even falconers with many years' experience of bird handling have lost eyes or been severely scarred by wayward captive raptors.

Rowling has made a strong plea to fans not to copy their hero by keeping owls as pets. If your owl-mania seeks concrete expression, why not sponsor an owl at a bird sanctuary where you can visit and know that you have secured him or her a happy, healthy life. Click below to find out more about building and siting owl nest boxes:. About S.