Owls are shown as being exceptionally gregarious, perceptive, and loving pets in a wide variety of films, novels, and television programmes. If so, how much attention is necessary to properly care for an owl?, and do owls make as nice pets as they appear in the movies? Let’s find out:
How much care does an owl require to be properly cared for?
Although owls have become more and more popular as pets thanks to books and movies, owls are actually not a suitable pet choice. Even though owls are stunning and fascinating, it is recommended to leave them to live in the wild due to the difficulties involved in providing for them.
1 - Owls require a big room.
Firstly, owls are too large to be housed in a typical indoor parrot cage. They need to be housed in a sizable aviary with access to the outside and the interior, as well as a clean bath pan. They take regular baths to maintain the utmost cleanliness in their feathers. Owls are silent flyers, but if their feathers are not maintained, they will produce noise. Their hunting is hampered by this loudness. Should they be physically capable of flying, they also need to be ready to fly regularly.
2 - The majority of owls are independent animals.
These types of birds were raptors that had their own places to live and hunt. Since owls are not found in flocks in their natural environment, unlike other large bird species like macaws and cockatoos, they are very antagonistic towards other birds—aside from their partners and young.
A parrot's ability to blend in with a human family is a result of its flock mentality. That kind of mentality is absent from owls, who consider all people—aside from the one they select as their "mate"—to be enemies or prey and will probably attack everyone they come across. If you ever get sick or are otherwise unable to take care of your owl, this might be a serious issue.
3 - They follow specialized diets.
Another issue that makes effectively keeping owls as pets almost impossible is diet. Owls have unique dietary requirements that cannot be satisfied by giving them seeds, pellets, or fresh food like vegetables and fruits because they like birds as prey. In fact, an owl probably wouldn't even recognise any of these delicacies as food if you gave them to them. Because they are carnivores, owls require whole rodents—such as mice, small rabbits, guinea pigs, quail, and small chickens—that are commercially manufactured. These must be kept frozen until they are thawed before being fed, or they must be fed live. As you can imagine, it can be an unpleasant experience to watch, much less to have to participate multiple times a day. Like many birds, owls can be rather messy eaters, so another task that most humans would find difficult to endure is cleaning up after meals.
Considering that owls are carnivores, how come their beaks and talons are made to shred and rend pieces of meat? And if they are upset with their human owners for any reason, they have the power to inflict significant harm on them. They can quickly rip apart whatever you have within their enclosure because they are destructive.
4 - It's not allowed to own owls as pets.
In many parts of the world, keeping owls as pets is prohibited. There are even more issues for those who decide to keep an owl in spite of the legislation. Taking the bird to a raptor-specialist veterinarian is typically the only option if it becomes ill. Treating these incredible birds is not the specialty of your average veterinarian. An unauthorized owner who takes an owl to the vet runs the risk of being apprehended, fined, and possibly imprisoned because a qualified and bonded expert raptor keeper must obtain permission and undergo lengthy training.
5 - Other choices
If owls pique your curiosity, you can sponsor them at a wildlife rehabilitation facility. A parrot in need of a home could be the perfect companion bird for you if you're looking to adopt. Compared to owls, they are significantly more adapted to living with a human family.
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