The desire to find a true friend among the representatives of the fauna has long settled in the heart of modern man. And if before everyone loved the cat Vaska and the parrot Kesha, now give sophisticated owners more delights than ever before. Through one, exotic lovers drag marsupials, leather-winged, lemurs, sepukhovs and other predatory-herbivorous animals and birds into their virgin Khrushchev jungle, with the hope that their 33 square meters will be to the liking of a wild beast. But this, damn it, is far from it. Stop torturing animals, you nasty nonconformists, we shout practically at every corner. And if you already got yourself outlandish living creatures, be kind enough to provide it in accordance with all the norms and rules of GOST wildlife.

In support of the above, we were supported by the opinion of a professional amateur - Alisa Bogomolova, who is the happy owner of a rather rare pet - a long-eared owl named Cirilla. Dear Alice kindly answered us a few questions regarding the content of the living symbol “What? Where? When?" at home.

— Alice. How did you get the owl? Did you dream about it or is it all random?

- I love all animals, I keep a lot of things at home and I want to get a lot more, all my friends know about this, and often they “throw” me someone for treatment, overexposure or placement. Of course, I dreamed of an owl, but I knew very well that I was not ready for such a responsibility. Therefore, I did not deal with the issue of intentional search, but I was terribly angry that owls constantly fell on all other people, but not on me. last year, only a lazy owl did not pick up. And then, one day, "happiness" descended to me.

A man he knew brought a miracle bird to work, it fell on him in the bushes on the highway)) and the compassionate man thought that the bird was bad, that it needed help and that it was necessary to pick it up. Here is the first misconception. Flyers cannot be selected. Unless they're in town and injured and in danger, of course. A fledgling is a chick that has already grown up for a nest. The time comes, they fly off the nests and "graze" near their father's house, their parents do not leave them, they remember and feed them until they themselves take to the wing. In short, he brought it to work, they work at the service station. And it seems like they decided to leave it, but now they fed it with chicken and, of course, the chick stopped eating on the third day. By this time, I was ready to take his fate into my own hands and take him to the bird of prey rehabilitation center. But my young man dissuaded me and offered to keep the bird at least for a while. So the experience of nursing has already been. chameleon was saved) saved, by the way

- Where can I get an owl and do I need to take it at all?

- Owls are sold by poachers for the most part, who also pick up fledglings, put them in cages, feed them with meat and then trade on AVITO or in VK groups. I saw prices from 4000 to 15000, in our city. How many of them were in my memory, not a single healthy and whole bird, but this is not visible to an unknowing person. There are nurseries where owls are kind of bred in Russia - barn owls, for example, they breed in captivity. And there are owls that never give birth in captivity - eared, for example, which turned out to be my scoop. But they still write about them that they say it’s not a wild bird, it’s tame. If the question arises of the desire to have an owl at home, it is better to seriously prepare for this firsthand, because in fact few people are able to provide the bird with proper care. But if a person is still ready, has a certain material and food base, our CRHP attaches birds that cannot be released back into nature. Non-flying, for example. After passing the "interview", the staff of the center can make a positive decision and give the scoop into care, but only after making sure that all conditions of detention will be created.

- What is positive, in addition to general hemorrhoids in content, will an owl bring to the average person?

- Correctly chosen words, truly, this is a wonderful contact
an animal from which there is a return. They are tamed, (but this is also a huge job!) Get used to the owner, they can be trained. It is impossible to take your eyes off them, they have millions of emotions and deeds in their arsenal, like a person or a cat, everything is always written on their faces. They are incredibly sweet and even affectionate (of course, not all). and the most important thing is the achievement. An owl is like a cat of the bird world. but when you call a cat to eat, this is normal, but when your owl flies to your call, these are inexpressible emotions, like taming a dragon.

- Are there any owl exhibitions or beauty contests?

— There are owl meetings and owl groups where owners exchange experiences, ask questions, walk together. There are no beauty contests, but there are trainings, meetings, photo shoots.

- Is it possible to release a domestic owl into the forest, wishing her a successful hunt and hoping that she will survive?

- Domestic owls are imprints, fed by humans and accustomed to the owner. In principle, some owls can be re-educated for graduation, but no one does that. For the most part, even if the bird is flying and knows how to kill prey itself (this, by the way, not for everyone, too), it does not know where to get this prey) a person brings it to it. Therefore, Birds are never released just to fly, a bird may not return, but in nature it, 99%, will not survive. In general, each co-keeper has / should have special ammunition for the bird, a glove, oputenki (troopers) - laces on the paws, a debtor - a leash, it can be of different lengths, which is attached to the troopers and to the hand or glove to walk with the bird and it does not flew away

- How to dissuade an unresponsible person from establishing an owl in three words?

And answers to the most popular questions:

• Lives in a cage? No no and one more time no. if you want an owl - NO CAGES!! or in an apartment, or on a balcony (if the owl is accustomed or not southern) or if your house is a large aviary. The owl is large, it does not sit quietly in the cage, it is not a parrot. it flies, but does not flutter, the wingspan is large, and these same wings against the bars of the cage really lead to the death of an owl. feathers stray, grow incorrectly, the wing is not well formed, necrosis begins, infection, and so on. it's awfully short. I can post about the owl after the cage, I also saved it, took it to the center, where she had to pluck all the feathers
• He does not live in a cage, he shits everywhere and misbehaves, and steals, and unwinds, and breaks, but not as much as a raccoon.
• He sleeps at night, his eyes do not glow, he does not hoot without stopping. He sees better during the day than at night.

Recently, it has become fashionable to keep different birds at home. As a rule, the case is rarely limited to budgerigars. They have long ceased to be exotic, so they rarely attract ordinary people. Therefore, it becomes popular to have forest pets. Many people wonder if an owl can live at home? The answer is positive. But this will require a lot of patience.

So what is a domestic owl? First of all, it is nighttime. Therefore, the main activity will fall precisely at this time of day. Therefore, if you prefer a diurnal lifestyle, you are better off getting another animal. Since at night an owl can look for something, rumble something and make noise in every possible way. This will obviously interfere with your sleep. The exception to the rule is having your own big house. Then the place for the bird can be equipped in a separate room.

Domestic owls are predators, so you need to feed them only with meat. But this also has a number of difficulties. Due to the peculiarities of digestion, they need to eat wool and claws, feathers. Therefore, ordinary cuts of beef and a divided chicken carcass will not work. As a rule, experienced people feed owls mice or diurnal mice. This food is expensive and difficult to obtain. Also keep in mind that these are very voracious birds.

What domestic owls are and how to choose them? To get started, find official nurseries. Do not look for advertisements on the Internet on bulletin boards, as you will only find poachers. And this means that you will make a purchase of a sick bird. You can buy a small owl or a giant owl. It is best to proceed from the size of the apartment. In a small room, it will be difficult for the bird to fly, it may hit the jamb. Therefore, for keeping in standard apartments, it is better to choose owls, or barn owls.

Domestic owls are not so easy to keep. Under no circumstances should they be kept in a cage. Even the largest aviary will cause wing injuries. Therefore, for

keeping these birds is best to use a separate room. Windows should be hung with dark curtains, it is better to remove carpets from the floor. It is necessary to take out all the mirrors, as the owl can break it and get hurt. It is important to make several perches, that is, perches. They need to be covered with fabric. You also need to build special bathing suits. You can use wide bowls for this.

Despite the fact that domestic owls are difficult to keep birds, they are very interesting pets. Therefore, think carefully before purchasing a chick. Will you be able to buy special food for him and give him a separate room? If yes, then feel free to start this bird, despite the possible difficulties. Of course, do not forget about regular visits to the veterinarian.

The phrase "domestic owl" is conditional, since a feathered predator will never become a devoted pet, like a cat or a dog. The bird lives by natural instincts and needs freedom, which must be taken into account by the owner.

For a comfortable home existence, an owl needs to create appropriate conditions close to the natural environment, as well as its usual diet. This requires large financial costs. Considering that owls in captivity can live 20-30 and even 40 years, the future owner should adequately assess their capabilities before taking on such a responsibility.

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Where and how to buy an owl

It is highly recommended to purchase owls from trusted breeders. In the nursery, the buyer will be provided with complete information about the health of the pet, its genetics, and professional advice on care. On the ring, each bird has its own serial number, which must match the number indicated in the accompanying documentation.

Long-eared owl chick

It is advisable to purchase a small chick at the age of 1.5 months. It is easy to recognize a baby: his body is covered with light fluff, while feathers can be seen in growing individuals. It makes no sense to buy an adult bird for 2 reasons:

1. 1. It will be impossible to tame her.
2. 2. The owl is monogamous, so it can die from longing for the previous owner or its nest and family (if it was brought from the street).

Varieties and description

Owls belong to the order of birds of prey, which includes over 200 species of different sizes. Owls live in deserts, steppes, mountains, forest areas, settlements and even sea coasts. They feed on mammals, insects and birds that do not exceed their size (mice, hedgehogs, lizards, beetles, etc.). In the wild, owls prevent the growth of rodent populations that damage agriculture.

Birds of prey are nocturnal, preferring to rest on a branch during the day, although some species (hawk, snowy owl, pygmy owl) also hunt during daylight hours. Thanks to the anatomical features, the animal is able to turn its head 270 degrees in the horizontal plane and 180 degrees in the vertical plane, which helps it track down prey and notice the approach of the enemy in time. In the dark, the bird sees poorly, therefore it is guided by sound, its hearing is 4 times better than that of a cat.

About 17 species of owls live in Russia, but not all of them are intended for living at home due to their large size and aggressive nature. Smaller individuals are taken as pets, which adequately perceive a person and subsequently become tame. Common types of homeowls:

	Price, rubles	Description
		The name of the bird is not due to its tendency to sleep, but to the characteristic sound that it makes: it resembles the word “sleep”. The body size of an owl is on average 15-20 cm, weight - from 60 to 130 g, wingspan - 50 cm. The color is light brown, with light spots and a thin streamy pattern. The female is slightly larger than the male, but this can be seen when two opposite-sex owls sit side by side. Life expectancy in captivity is 10 years. Splyushka is most suitable for keeping at home. Due to its small size, it is allowed to keep it in an aviary with a volume of at least 2 cubic meters or in a cage of the same size. In such a dwelling, it is advisable to arrange a pair of perches opposite each other or at different heights so that the feathered pet feels comfortable and can rest during the day. Every day he needs to be released to fly so that he stretches his wings. A wide range in the diet is another advantage of splyuska. She can be given frozen meat of mice, chickens, rats, frogs, earthworms, but make sure that the food is not too hard. Dandelion, melon, apples and pears can be used as plant food, and in summer supplement the diet with dragonflies, grasshoppers, crickets. Sometimes an owl can be pampered with cottage cheese, buckwheat porridge, grated carrots or chopped boiled eggs. Twice a week, the splyushka must be fed with zoophobuses and mealworms, since protein food is necessary for owls.
Tawny Owl		A medium-sized bird with a body size of 38 to 46 cm (females are larger) and weighing up to 700 g. The wingspan reaches 1 m. The color is gray or red with dark brown longitudinal streaks and transverse brown stripes on the flight and tail feathers. Life expectancy in captivity averages 27 years. The peak of owl activity occurs at night: females make sounds similar to “ku-vit”, and males make a long cry “u-huu-uu”, reminiscent of the cry of a baby. The tawny owl is very interesting to keep in captivity, because it quickly gets used to the hands and loves to spend time with the owner. She sits down, and sometimes fits on the owner's knees and rests there for a long time, purring softly, like a cat. He likes to lightly bite the fingers of a person, sort out his hair with his beak, like a parrot. The process of playing a bird can be stopped at any time by shaking it off your knees or shoulder. She will fly away, while not being offended at all. Due to the impressive size and large wingspan for an owl, it is recommended to allocate a room or equip a spacious aviary. Since the tawny owl is not afraid of the cold, a balcony can be its dwelling, but on the condition that direct sunlight does not fall there. For a comfortable stay, the bird needs shade, so it is advisable to hang thick curtains to create twilight. Meat is the basis of the predator's diet, so mice, rats, and day old chicks should be given regularly. You can feed the owl frozen chopped carcasses, but once a week you definitely need freshly slaughtered rodents
long-eared owl		The bird got its name due to the characteristic bunches of feathers located on the head - “ears”, which, if necessary, it knows how to hide. The average size of an owl is 31-38 cm, weight - 250-430 g, wingspan - 86-98 cm. It has a gray-brown color with a reddish belly and oblong black stripes crossed out with transverse strokes. Male and female are approximately the same size. Life expectancy in captivity is 30 years. The long-eared owl is very sociable, loves to play, but needs comfortable living conditions. The cage will not suit her, because in a confined space her wings will atrophy. The ideal option is a separate room or a country house. You can use a large aviary with wooden rods and soft upholstery, but walks with your pet are required. A bird of prey needs live food, so care must be taken to give it a couple of mice daily to eat. Chicken or beef meat, frozen carcasses are also not suitable, because in order to normalize digestion, an owl needs to eat whole game, with bones, feathers and skin. Feeding raw meat can lead to the death of a pet
little owl		A small bird 23-25 ​​cm long, weighing about 180 g and with a wingspan of 52-56 cm. It has a brown color with white spots, large yellow eyes. The cry of an owl resembles low pitying sighs. Life expectancy averages 9 years, but under favorable conditions, the period can be extended by several years. The registered record of a long-lived owl is 15 years and 7 months. The feathered predator became popular thanks to the Harry Potter saga, where the main character had an owl Hedwig, which is a house owl. The bird is suitable for home keeping, gets used to hands, allows itself to be stroked. The main advantage is that the owl is often awake during the day, which gives the owner the opportunity to play with her. The predator feeds on mice, beetles, frogs, earthworms. Unlike its closest relative, the owl does not swallow its prey whole, but locally pinches off loin pieces. The bird has a bad habit of stockpiling. She hides food in the most unexpected places; over time, hiding places are discovered due to the unpleasant smell of decaying food. The owner needs to take into account this property and control the pet, taking the remnants of the meal on time
pygmy owl		It is the smallest member of the owl family and is named for its small size (known to ornithologists as the "sparrow owl"). Its maximum length is 20 cm, weight is 60 g, wingspan is 35-40 cm. The color is brown, with white streaks, there are longitudinal brown stripes on the white abdomen. The beak is yellow, the claws are black or yellow. The cry of a bird is like a muffled whistle. It has a relatively short life expectancy due to its small size - only 5-7 years. A distinctive feature of the sparrow owl is its exceptional credulity. A stranger can be a couple of meters from him, and the bird will calmly go about his business: clean feathers, doze, etc. During the hunt, the owl loses its vigilance: having attacked the victim, it will calmly start eating right at the feet of a person. Small birds fly up to people without fear and, having satisfied their curiosity, fly back to the tree. At home, a pet needs to be fed with mice, beetles, worms in the same way as any other owls. The bird loves to stock up, so its hiding places must be discovered in time
		A relatively large representative of the barn owl family, 30-50 cm long, weighing up to 700 g and with a wingspan of up to 110 cm. Its color is red with numerous transverse mottles, speckles and stripes. A distinctive external feature is the heart-shaped facial disc. Life expectancy is 25 years. Barn owl is a very active bird, so it needs free space. Even the largest cage will not fit her - she will break her wings trying to take off. It gets along well with a person, but on condition of acquaintance with the owner in the first 3 months of life. Aggressively defends its territory, therefore it does not let strangers in and is at enmity with other family members. During the mating season, males emit deafening cries at night. For this reason, it is not advisable to keep a barn owl in an apartment. The best option is a spacious house with good sound insulation. The main advantage of the barn owl is that it does not tear up furniture and wallpaper, as most other owls do. She is attracted to small objects like cat toys, crumpled napkins, rags. The bird loves to touch everything with its beak, but it does not take offense at the owner when he takes the thing she likes from her - in this case, the barn owl simply switches her attention to something else. As for the diet, it is similar to the diet of most medium-sized owls: mice, rats, quails, etc. It is forbidden to feed a pet with food from the table, as well as fish, beef and pork
		The name is due to the main habitat of the feathered predator - salt-water swamps. This is a medium-sized bird, the length of which is 35-40 cm, weight - 230-430 g, wingspan reaches 110 cm. Its color is the color of rust with light longitudinal spots. The owl makes low sounds like “poo-poo-poo”, and in case of danger, it begins to “yelp”, “bark” and crack. The average life expectancy in the natural environment is 13 years, but in captivity, under favorable conditions, it can live almost twice as long. Due to its large size, the owl needs a lot of space, so it is advisable to equip a separate room for it. It feeds on small rodents and insects, the former absorbs whole. Live food is essential for good digestion. Can stock up if there is a lot of food left after a meal

Features of care and maintenance

The domestic owl is a specific pet, the care of which is everyday work and special restrictions. First of all, any other animals are prohibited from living in the apartment. Owls consider hamsters, rats, guinea pigs, cats and dogs as prey. For this reason, they must be isolated in a safe place or given to good hands.

If the house has an aquarium, it should always be covered, as a bird can drown in it when trying to catch fish.

The disadvantages of keeping a predator for the owners are the following points:

1. 1. Damage to property. An owl tears apart wallpaper, furniture with its claws, tears all objects to shreds, so it is advisable to remove everything of value from the room. If a good repair has already been made in the apartment, you need to come to terms with the fact that it will be spoiled.
2. 2. Bad smell. Since the owl is a carnivorous predator and eats raw meat, a specific smell emanates from it.
3. 3. Regular cleaning. The bird goes to the toilet wherever he wants, so constant cleaning in the aviary or room is a must. During the meal, the predator tears pieces of game to shreds, scatters them all over the room, which is why the owner needs to be prepared for the fact that the remnants of food will have to be cleaned from clothes, upholstered furniture, walls and curtains.
4. 4. Night activity. At night, the owl will be awake: flying around the room, making loud sounds, making noise. For this reason, it is desirable to have a feathered pet for people who are used to leading a nocturnal lifestyle.

If at least one of the points confuses future owners, it is better to refrain from buying an owl.

home improvement

The owl needs a large space for free flight. Small apartments are not suitable for her habitat, so it is better if it is a private house. Small birds can be kept in a cage or aviary at least 3 m wide and 1 m long. Inside there should be soft upholstery and preferably wooden rods. One part of the cage must be darkened, the other must be exposed to the rays of the sun in the daytime or morning hours. Ideally, the aviary should be outdoors. Every day the bird needs to be released to fly so that it stretches its wings.

It is impossible to keep a large owl in a cage: it will injure its wings and beak on the bars, it will get namin on its paws. For such a pet, a separate room is needed, where you need:

1. 1. Hang thick curtains, because the bird will quickly get tangled in tulle and break its paws, wings, or even die after spending several hours upside down.
2. 2. Close the vents, tightening them with strong nets. Otherwise, the owl will fly away.
3. 3. Place a bowl of water at room temperature (you can use a cat tray with high sides) so that the bird has the opportunity to bathe and clean the feathers.
4. 4. Hang glass and mirrors, as an owl can get hurt and break its beak when trying to fly through them.
5. 5. Attach "perches" on the walls of the room - wooden sticks on which the bird will sit. They need to be upholstered with a soft cloth, astroturf artificial grass or just carpet.
6. 6. Remove all lamps and chandeliers, because the bird loves to swing on them and will eventually break off. Some birds have a habit of basking near an electric lamp, which also needs to be stopped.
7. 7. Make a "hollow" where the pet can hide if desired. For example, in a wooden bedside table.

The owner needs to be careful about accidentally left things, as the owl will tear them apart.

The bird can live on the loggia or on the balcony, but it is important to take precautions by not leaving the windows open and avoiding direct sunlight. In the cold season, it is better to transfer the pet to a warm place.

Feeding

The main diet of a domestic owl is freshly slaughtered rodent carcasses. A bird eats a couple of mice and a rat per day, and sometimes four animals, depending on its size. Quails are also suitable, but they should not be given often, since such food is fatty. Mice, rats, day-old chickens should be fed whole carcasses, along with feathers, wool and bones, as they contain the necessary trace elements and calcium. Quails should first remove their paws, heads, clean them from the insides so that the owl does not become infected with dangerous diseases from birds.

Do not feed a live mouse to a domestic predator, as this is unsafe. In the saliva of a rodent there are substances that are poisonous to an owl, so the pet may experience health problems. Also, the mouse will defend itself and during the attack of the bird is able to bite it. In order to avoid such consequences, it is recommended to slaughter a rodent in advance or buy a finished carcass.

It is allowed to feed the pet with thawed meat, but fresh meat should prevail in the diet, because under the influence of low temperature the food loses its beneficial properties. Little owlets should be given a carcass pre-cut into small pieces, as the baby is not able to cope with the whole rodent on its own.

You can diversify your diet with the following products:

• dandelion;
• apples;
• pears;
• strawberries in a small amount;
• grasshoppers;
• young Khrushchev;
• May beetle larvae.

10 hours after eating, the owl should throw out the pellet, that is, regurgitate the undigested remains of feathers, bones and wool. Only then can the bird be fed again. The absence of a pellet signals a pet's health problems, so it's best to contact your veterinarian. Once a week, an owl needs to have a fasting day to avoid obesity. You can not feed the feathered predator with food from the table, raw beef and pork.

Care

The water in the drinking bowl and bathing room must be changed daily. If the bird lives in a cage, it must be washed every week and treated with disinfectants. Once a year, the owl sheds, so during this period the owner will have to remove feathers and down in large quantities.

Flight exercises are obligatory for a bird, as well as communication with a person. Only the owner will give it into the hands, willingly accept food from him. Since the owl is monogamous, it will be very jealous of its owner. This will be especially noticeable during the mating season (from February to April), when the pet will begin to scream for days and nights and show aggression towards all outsiders, attacking and attacking them.

health care

Even if the bird was purchased from a nursery, it must be shown to a veterinarian. There are few specialists who understand the diseases of owls, since predators began to be kept at home not so long ago. However, a doctor with extensive experience will certainly notice dangerous ailments, if any.

To prevent the development of diseases, you need to regularly pay attention to bird droppings. In healthy owls, it looks like a white puddle with small hard and dark patches. An alarming symptom is a fetid droppings of green or brownish-green color. Signal about health problems and the following signs:

• apathy;
• loss of coordination;
• a sharp decrease or lack of appetite;
• drowsiness;
• lethargy.

If you have these symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.

How to tame an owl

A small owlet needs to be transported from the nursery in a closed large box with small holes for ventilation, covering the bottom with a diaper. If the container is even partially transparent, the chick will get scared and start beating its wings. Upon arrival home, the box should be opened and the bird should have time to look around and get used to the new environment. It is impossible to speak loudly and take it in your arms. After a couple of hours, you can offer the pet food, show the drinker by running your hand through the water in the basin. A smart bird will quickly understand the purpose of the object.

The first 3 months of an owlet's life is the perfect time to tame it. Food should only be given by hand. At first, the bird will be wary of a person, but then he will recognize the owner in him. From the first days of acquaintance, it is advisable to put entangled on the paws of a pet - these are leather straps 15-20 cm long. They can be made independently from the tops of old women's boots. The main thing is that the skin is tender and soft. You need to change the tracks as they wear out.



Owl harnesses

At first, the pet will feel discomfort due to an uncomfortable foreign object on its paws, but will soon get used to it. The older the bird, the more difficult it will be to teach it, so this moment in education should not be missed. After meeting the entangled with an owl on your arm, you can walk around the apartment, be sure to feed it in this position. The owner needs to get a special glove, because the tenacious claws of the bird leave abrasions and scratches on the body.



A thick glove will help avoid cuts and scratches from your pet's claws.

Hissing, clicking with its beak, swaying from side to side are dangerous signals indicating that the owl is aggressive. At this point, you need to leave her alone and not try to pick her up. The adaptation period can take more than one month, and violence will only aggravate the relationship with the pet.

In order for the bird to fly to the owner and sit on the hand, it must be lured with a treat: put food in the palm of your hand and wait. Some owls are stubborn and do not want to learn quickly, so you should guess the moment when the pet gets hungry and start training. Over time, the bird itself will fly up to the owner and chirp, begging for food. You can diversify your owl's leisure time with the help of toys and balls. Small items should be kept away as the pet can swallow them.

In general, domestic owls are very sociable, funny and bring a lot of pleasant emotions to the owner. Having learned more closely the temperament of the pet, it will be easier for the owner to find an approach to him and achieve mutual understanding. At the same time, he must remember that you can not leave or leave the owl alone for a long time. When the owner is not at home, a devoted and faithful bird will begin to refuse food, get bored, yearn, and die if he is not there for a long time.

How to feed an owl at home if the predator has become a pet? You should think about this before the owlet managed to settle in a city apartment.

What to feed an owl at home?

The process of giving food to a bird of prey is an occupation that requires strong nerves and iron endurance. It is strictly forbidden to feed the bird with meat or pieces passed through a meat grinder.

This is explained by the special structure of the digestive system. In its natural habitat, the bird eats its prey whole. That is why it is important that even when kept at home, the bird receives wool, feathers, blood, bones and meat. Only in this case can we hope for a long and healthy life of a feathered predator.

No substitutes can provide the bird with the full functioning of digestion and, as a result, good health.

Why clean meat is bad for an owl

Bones, wool and feathers are indigestible components, but they ensure the full functioning of the predator's digestive tract. After entering the stomach, they form special dense lumps (pellets), which the bird later regurgitates. If you give the bird fully prepared meat, that is, devoid of bones and feathers, then no pellets are formed. As a result, there is a violation of the digestive process, which affects the peristalsis of the entire gastrointestinal tract of the predator.

In addition to the bones and skins necessary for an owl, a predator also receives the necessary vitamins and microminerals from small animals. Bacteria that fill the intestines of the victim produce the necessary components in large quantities. That is why you need to feed the bird with ungutted carcasses.

So, what to feed an owl? Suitable here:

Live mice

day old chicks

small birds.

Some owls do not refuse fish and frogs, as well as beetles. But this type of food should not act as the main one.

This article covers the main aspects of the nutrition of owl species common in captivity in our country (former CIS countries). It applies to representatives of such genera as: owl (Strix), owls (Bubo), long-eared owls (Asio), owls (Athene), scoops (Otus).

All species of owls, owls, owls, scoops, owls are polyphages. They willingly switch from one food to another, focusing on the mass character of one or another biological species. In nature, owls actively hunt not only rodents, but also birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, insects, and worms. The percentage of types and classes of animals in the diet of owls depends on the size of the owl and on the availability of food. So, for example, during the period of mass emergence of cicadas or locusts, even large eagle owls can switch to eating only insects for several weeks.

Polyphagy, or polyphagy - the use of various animal and plant foods by polyphagous animals.

When compiling a diet for captive owls, one should proceed from the principle of the maximum variety of feed and the degree of bird mobility. So, the nutrition of an owl kept in an apartment without active flights and training will differ from the nutrition of owls living in an aviary all year round, and even more so from the diet of owls with which they actively “work” and engage in hunting or free flights.

An owl should not be fed boneless meat or chicken fillet. The owl often consumes the whole body of the victim with hair / feathers, bones and all organs. Undigested food residues - wool, feathers, bones, scales, thick chitin in the muscular stomach are compressed into a dense, odorless lump, called a pellet, which is regularly burped by a bird, while the cuticle (hard and desquamating part of the gastric mucosa) is partially renewed. When feeding meat or chicken fillet, the work of the entire gastrointestinal tract of daytime birds of prey and owls is disrupted, which leads to a whole cascade of unpleasant and disastrous consequences for the body and, as a result, to the death of the bird.

In this video, a barn owl (Tyto alba) swallows a small rabbit whole.

If such a period happens (let's be realistic - every, even the most responsible owner of owls, has faced the situation of the absence of food animals, including through no fault of their own), that it is not possible to feed the owl with whole animals, then TEMPORARILY you can use wool, gammarus, grated carrots, shrimp or their shells for rolling chopped pieces of meat (turkey, chicken hearts).

Additional food for barn owls: quail meat deboned in feathers, raw shrimp, carrots, apples. A photo Nicky Kuklina.

If an owl is not actively involved in training, training, free flights, then, due to a sedentary lifestyle, a high fat content of food will lead to fatty liver and atherosclerosis, so adult rats and quails need to remove subcutaneous fat.

Birds with which they are actively involved in hunting, training, free flights - you can not limit the fat content of food animals, but this does not cancel the rule of buying food animals from good sources, where they are grown on complete feed.

All types of owls need to arrange "fasting" days - do not feed the birds once a week.

An important aspect overlooked by many keepers is that in nature, many species of owls store food. So, in the winter, owls have several spare “storehouses - hollows”, which they fill with mice and birds caught. Moreover, the number of animal carcasses can be very large. Owls can spend the night in such hollows or visit them from time to time to replenish supplies or eat them up. Naturally, the “reserves” are rotten, but this does not prevent owls from eating them.

A similar behavior is observed in owls kept in enclosures - they hide the undereaten remains of food animals and eat them later, when they are already heavily fermented. Owls kept at home have scattered intestines of rats and mice, and if the owners do not remove such leftovers immediately, owls eat them after 2-3 days, very rotten.

On this video virgin eagle owl (Bubo virginianus) returns the next night to the carcass of the slaughtered chicken.

This is an important aspect of maintaining the normal intestinal microflora of owls and the activity of their digestive enzymes.

Fish in the diet of owls:

Tawny owls, eagle owls, long-eared owls in nature actively catch river fish.

On video barred owl (Strix varia) eats fish.

Tawny owls in our latitudes also actively hunt fish. Observations on gray owls ( Strix aluco) in the Oksky Biosphere State Reserve showed that, in addition to mouse-like rodents, tawny owls hunted perch, pike, ide, swimming beetles, and spindles and fed nestlings with them.

Fish fed by the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco). V.P. Ivanchev, R.B. Bobkov, M.V. D idorchuk, M.V. Onufrenya, O.P. Empty. Russian ornithological journal 1997 issue 7.

It should be clarified that marine fish should not be introduced into the diets of owls. It is necessary to give only river fish.

Vegetable food for owls:

Many will be surprised to learn that owls are happy to eat fruits, berries, vegetables, sometimes even foliage and herbs (the latter refers to animal self-medication). Here is an example of an interesting observation, in this video gray owl (Strix aluco) eats oak leaves.

Owls eat apricots, cherries, grapes, ripe pears, tomatoes, zucchini. In captivity, cases of willing consumption by owls have also been observed. bell pepper and chili, plums, bananas, fresh herbs and flowers of dandelion, clover, plantain. Particularly prone to accepting plant food are small insectivorous species - house owls, scops and other scoops.

In this video, an adult female virgin eagle owl ( Bubo virginianus) eats grapes. Interestingly, this bird is tame and free; it can be seen that the bird lives on the territory of the site, reproduces and at the same time maintains a connection with the person who fed it.

When kept in captivity, it makes sense to try to offer plant foods to all types of owls, because. breeding feed rodents, birds, insects are depleted food compared to their natural equivalent. In the natural environment, owls receive plant foods by consuming whole carcasses of animals and insects, along with a stomach and intestines filled with semi-digested crushed plant foods.

It should be noted that owls are more adapted to the processing and assimilation of plant foods than diurnal predators, due to the presence of paired caecum (in diurnal raptors they are reduced), which contain specific microflora involved in the fermentation and breakdown of plant components at the final stage of digestion. .

After eating a large amount of berries or fruits, owls may have occasional diarrhea, especially if the owl takes these foods for the first time or very rarely. No special measures to eliminate diarrhea in these cases do not need to be carried out.

Birds in the diet of owls:

In nature, all species of owls will consume commensurate species of other birds from time to time. During the breeding season in the warm season, the share of bird prey in the diet of owls increases due to easily accessible chicks and fledglings of various species for hunting.

In captivity, Japanese quail, day old and reared chickens are used as additional food. It is better to choose quails of the egg direction, rather than meat and egg (large heavy breeds), because. the latter, due to the rapid “broiler” weight gain and fattening, as a rule, have a high fat content. According to the age category, pullets are preferable, i.е. quail at the age of 1-2 months, whose skeleton is already sufficiently formed (which means that the owl will receive the necessary amount of minerals from the feed), but at the same time the quail has not yet had time to “work up fat”. From the carcasses of adult quails for owls kept in an apartment and having little ability to move, it is advisable to remove visible deposits of subcutaneous fatty tissue, most often they are located in the area of ​​the knee crease, abdomen, in the interclavicular fossa under the goiter of quails. If you are in doubt about the availability of veterinary services for poultry from your quail supplier, then it is necessary to gut the gastrointestinal tract, wash from droppings or cut off the bare parts of the paws of the carcass - this is necessary to minimize the risk of transmitting pathogenic bacteria, helminth eggs, protozoan cysts that can be carried in I quailed myself because of the crowded content and “conveyor” breeding.

Young quails up to a month old and day old chicks are inadequate food and can only be introduced into the diet for a change, since such food objects are poor in calcium and phosphorus, and the yolk sac (it is located in the abdominal cavity of chickens and quails) has a high fat content, therefore, before feeding it is better to remove the yolk sac from owl chicken carcasses; however, from time to time, it can be left and offered uneviscerated day old chicks:owls living in an apartment - no more than 1 time per week, and owls (especially those wintering in the street) - up to 3-4 times a week.

Insects in the diet of owls:

Small species of owls - owls of the genus Athene and scoops (bulan, collared, Ussuri, scops) - in their natural habitat are predominantly insectivorous species, although they do not neglect other food (mouse-like rodents, small birds). The diet of these species in captivity is desirable to enrich as much as possible with a variety of insect cultures - least They should be 50% of the feed. Other types of owls in nature also do not disdain catching and eating large beetles, dragonflies, grasshoppers.

On sale you can often find a variety of food insects to enrich the diet of an owl in captivity - all this

It is best to offer fresh insects. To increase the nutritional value of fodder insects, it is advisable to feed cockroaches / crickets with greens or vegetables a few hours before they are fed or frozen for future use.

Live insects are well suited to enriching the owl's habitat, as seen in the video of the house owl feeding live cockroaches.

All insects are highly digestible proteins. Crickets and cockroaches are rich in chitin, which serves as a mechanical stimulator of gastric peristalsis and as a parasitic material, and is also a natural hepatoprotector, i.e. participates in the restoration of liver cells. Hawk hawk caterpillars are rich in calcium (due to the specific diet on which they are grown - wheat germ) and have a minimum of fat. All three of these forage crops can be given to owls without restrictions.

Flourworm, zofobas, wax moth also contain chitin, but in smaller quantities, while they contain more fat (especially in zofobas), these cultures should be given only for variety and in limited quantities.

“Street” insects collected in nature can be offered, however, with a caveat:
1. collection of insects should be carried out in an ecologically clean area where plants are not treated with pesticides and herbicides;
2. the collection should be carried out away from highways and major roads due to the accumulation of salts of heavy metals by plants that serve as food for insects;
3. collection of certain types of insects that can be given as food to owls - May and June beetles, grasshoppers and fillies, crickets, locusts, “hairless” caterpillars, butterflies and moths are suitable for this.

Other food for captive owls:

Rabbits, guinea pigs, adult rats: carcasses with bones, meat, wool and organs can be used to diversify the diet and are given in portions about 1-2 times a week. As with other food animals, it will be more useful to use adult rodents and lagomorphs as food for owls due to the skeleton formed and saturated with minerals compared to young animals (“pebbles”, “pubescents”, “runners”, etc.).

“Snowy owls in Montrose Point, on the north side of Chicago, like to hunt rats. In the southeastern part of the lake, their menu is dominated by birds. And around the airport in Midway, on the southwest side of the city, voles are most common. In other words, they will eat whatever is available! But this is only information obtained from the pellets and from the contents of the stomachs, which suggest a limited overview of only part of their diet.”