Owls Aren't Pets

a year ago by anon6789 to c/superbowl

I occasionally come on photos and videos of people with "pet" owls or owl cafes.

Owls are beautiful and soft, but they aren't meant to be around us being cuddled or whatever. What is cuddling to us causes anxiety to them. It isn't owl behavior. They tolerate it sort of if they are imprinted, but it makes them more underdeveloped and under equipped to be themselves than it does to make them good company.

Handling birds of prey, a person will get nipped or cut, but these hands are seriously grabbed up and cut, yet in the video clip they still have the owl restrained and continue "playing" with it.

If this hand is any sign of how happy the owls are here, I feel bad for them. If they don't like their handler touching them, I can only imagine how upset they are being touched by strangers all day.

Dogs, cats, and farm type animals have been domesticated and are used to humans to a decent extent. Most animals though will never be domesticated. They want and need to be free.

Lycaon 33 points a year ago

Ugh I hate those owl café videos :( The owls always look miserable, they're solitary nocturnal animals forced to be awake during the day for people to interact with them

path: 0 16689284, hotness: undefined, score: 33, children: 13

anon6789 24 points a year ago

It's frustrating to me, because though I know it's wrong, I still wish so much that it wasn't. It's easy to picture myself interacting with some of these animals like in a storybook.

The last few years, I've struggled with my relationship with animals as a whole. I've had terrible luck with pets since I moved (dogs, cats, and fish) to the point where I question if there's some unknown biological hazard where I live. I've basically given up on even having a pet domestic animal and it makes me question a lot of the relationships between humans and animals.

I've taken more to being a friend to my backyard animals, trying to make my surroundings a better place for them. I leave them to do their own things and stay as an anonymous benefactor to them. The squirrels and jays are my closest to friends. They're smart enough to have learned I'm the one that leaves them treats, but they maintain safe distance and a healthy sense of danger though.

This month I started working at the wild animal rescue, and it is immediately unmistakable that these animals want nothing to do with us. Even when they aren't very healthy, they do all they can to escape, to keep from being held, to stay hidden, etc.

We are just not made to be compatible. It is sad to us, but it is for the safety and health of the animals that they can't be our buddies. If we do love them, we need to respect that innate biological boundary. We can admire them, care for them, advocate for them, and darn near anything else, we just can't live together happily.

path: 0 16689284 16689609, hotness: undefined, score: 24, children: 12

kamenlady 10 points a year ago

I think animals are similar to humans, in a way that they have a diverse palette of personalities. There are assholes, maybe most are assholes, like humans.

Occasionally there are encounters that are different and the animal seems to understand and appreciate that you are a good human, a friend.

I live in the city and one night at 2am, i was at the window and a cat came by and sat at my window. I happened to have cat food at home, gave it some.

This became a small ritual, for the months to come, it came every night at 2am for a visit and, most importantly, the treats, obviously. I like to think they had a home and i was just a snack-stop during his nightly hunting.

Your backyard animals reminded me of the little guy, i mean ferocious hunting cat Furioso.

Doing animal rescue will mostly give you stressed animals, that are in full "oh shit, oh shit, oh shit" mode. "You're gonna touch me?" "Take your bloody hands off me"

Relationships with animals can only happen in other situations, like your safe backyard, where the approach is mutual.

path: 0 16689284 16689609 16690279, hotness: undefined, score: 10, children: 8

anon6789 4 points a year ago

They are all definitely unique as much as we are. I can tell more apart by their actions moreso than physical differences.

Different birds will be fine with me remaining outside, others will wait until they hear me lick the sliding door to take treats, and others don't like to see me at all.

The squirrels got to the point where they'd take a nut from my hand, but I decided that was a bit too comfortable for me once I started to feel how sharp their claws are and how big their teeth are.

The clinic squirrels are much stronger and agile than they appear. Most don't want any interaction from us until they see we're feeding them, and even then they act as if we're glacially slow at it. Some are clingy, but I think that's more a distrust of where we're moving them than it is a want for us to hold them.

It's been a real lesson in understanding consent, and nonverbal communication. I've been learning so much but about the animals themselves and from them.

path: 0 16689284 16689609 16690279 16691801, hotness: undefined, score: 4, children: 7

kamenlady 5 points a year ago

Some are clingy, but I think that's more a distrust of where we're moving them than it is a want for us to hold them.

I have the same impression, though when it's a bat, i really can't tell.... Because they really like to cling to basically everything and they look so happy doing it.

path: 0 16689284 16689609 16690279 16691801 16694843, hotness: undefined, score: 5, children: 6

Maeve 8 points a year ago

Please don't give up on having a pet! My adult child (34) had the most terrible luck with pets, they all died or had to be rehomed. After several years of settling down with their current live -in partner for five years, now, last year a stray kitten in poor condition wandered up to them at work. By the end of that week, that kitten was indoor, being fed, loved and scheduled for the vet. Two vet trips and a round of antibiotics later, that now-adult cat refuses to exit the house, sleeps in their bed with them, and is in the available lap of the moment when humans are available and the cat isn't playing, eating, or window-gazing.

path: 0 16689284 16689609 16690421, hotness: undefined, score: 8, children: 2

anon6789 5 points a year ago

I got all my cats in a similar fashion. I loved all my time with them.

Both of us are rarely home these days, and I don't feel we could give proper attention to a mammalian friend. We tried the fish as something that didn't need our personal time, but even with regular tank maintenance, we had nothing but problems.

I'm keeping having pets as an incentive to let me retire early and become the pet nanny, but I haven't quite sold the idea yet. 😁 She just wants to cuddle them, and I get all the work. That's how it's been every time we've dog sat.

path: 0 16689284 16689609 16690421 16692375, hotness: undefined, score: 5, children: 1

Maeve 4 points a year ago

Lol! Perhaps yin and yang tasks could be negotiated for more even distribution. I'm sure you'll find a balance, along the way. Pet nanny sounds great! 😃

path: 0 16689284 16689609 16690421 16692375 16692655, hotness: undefined, score: 4, children: 0

HubertManne 26 points a year ago

I inherited a cockatoo and honestly I don't feel birds should be pets in general. Even if they allowed to roam free out of the cage a house is so small compared to the area they are meant to be in. The equivalent to us walking around the house to them is flitting around the block, us going around the block is them like going a mile down. There is a reason we have things about a caged bird. I would never get one intentionally.

path: 0 16691591, hotness: undefined, score: 26, children: 11

anon6789 12 points a year ago

It feels like the flying is almost universally our favorite thing about birds, so I don't understand taking that away from them.

Many also seem to have a number of social requirements to be around others of their own kind as well.

It just seems very tricky to find a way to keep birds in a way that isn't mentally harmful to them. And with some of these birds having the ability to readily outlive their original purchaser, that's a long life to potentially be miserable, and a big responsibility for someone that gets to inherit it if you didn't ask for it.

My friend's parents had a cockatoo, and as they're both no longer able to take care of themselves, my friend rehomed it to someone who could take better care of it. I feel they had it for about 20 years, and it always seemed angry and was always half bald from plucking itself. I always felt bad when I saw that thing.

path: 0 16691591 16692248, hotness: undefined, score: 12, children: 2

HubertManne 6 points a year ago

yeah ours is that exact situation. it was my father in laws and he could no longer take care of it. It does not pluck itself but he is a curmudgeon that complains often till he gets what he wants. He is like 40 and we sometimes wonder if he will outlive us.

path: 0 16691591 16692248 16692603, hotness: undefined, score: 6, children: 1

Mouselemming 5 points a year ago

You should make sure there's a plan for him in your will.

path: 0 16691591 16692248 16692603 16693171, hotness: undefined, score: 5, children: 0

x00z 7 points a year ago

Same goes for chickens and other livestock in miserable and small enclosures.

path: 0 16691591 16693397, hotness: undefined, score: 7, children: 6

HubertManne 6 points a year ago

yeah I had a friend who appeared vegan but she had some wild caught meat and I found out she just would not eat meat kept for that purpose.

path: 0 16691591 16693397 16695269, hotness: undefined, score: 6, children: 5

x00z 4 points a year ago

Yeah it's sad for all animals.

path: 0 16691591 16693397 16695269 16695449, hotness: undefined, score: 4, children: 4

anon6789 3 points a year ago

Mussel farming seems like an ethical and eco friendly way to farm the most protein per area.

It can generate a ton of food, clean the water, and without a central nervous system, most would possibly agree, no misery.

path: 0 16691591 16693397 16695269 16695449 16697074, hotness: undefined, score: 3, children: 3

pipe 3 points a year ago

I completely agree. I feel the same way about reptiles.

path: 0 16691591 16692862, hotness: undefined, score: 3, children: 0

Oberyn 17 points a year ago

Gꝏd to see an animal picture community take a stand against that kinda content ! If only this was more popular stance among animal picture accounts

path: 0 16697800, hotness: undefined, score: 17, children: 1

anon6789 8 points a year ago

I find so much endless great stuff between the wild owls, the great with done by rehabs, and licensed education animals that I can just bypass stuff that is questionable to me.

I was a little concerned about the Bob Ross post today, but after I read up on it and watched the video clip, I learned he was good friends with a licensed rehabber, and she was caring for the owl. I subtly dropped that in my comment there and that was good for me.

I like the person that posted it and I think they post a lot of nice animal pics, and I think Bob Ross was great, but I also don't want people that just see a fun photo to just think taking care of an owl or squirrel is like a cat or a dog or like most of the videos you will see.

Following all the rehabs and the stories they share really shows the best and the worst of humanity and its relations with animals. I'm not out to dampen anyone's fun, but I want the fun with animals to be mutual. ☺️

path: 0 16697800 16698044, hotness: undefined, score: 8, children: 0

oxysis 12 points a year ago

While I love animals I know that most aren’t okay with being touched or being close to people. It’s part of loving animals is understanding boundaries and how to have a healthy relationship with them. Most people just aren’t raised to properly respect them since they are so used to having dogs who want to be around their owners a lot.

I’ve learned a lot of how to properly respect animals with this one family of robins in my mom’s backyard. They always come back each year and lay eggs in the same nest. That nest being right on one of the porch lights. So we keep an eye on them around the time we know they will have babies. Just check once in a while to see if the babies are all there or will be getting ready to take flight for the first time. Want to make sure that if one falls that our dogs don’t get to it. And that we don’t disturb them when they taking care of their young.

With my cats I always give them a part of the house that it their space. I don’t go there much so they know it’s safe for them to be there when they need a break. I keep my room as a space that they don’t get to visit much. The rest of the house is safe game though for me or them to be in whenever. If I had to say why my cats love me so much it’s because I understand how to give them their space when stressed.

path: 0 16690488, hotness: undefined, score: 12, children: 1

anon6789 7 points a year ago

It feels like a relatively recent thing that people treat animals like they are independent creatures with agency of their own.

Also like you mentioned, the animals we are personally familiar with are largely domesticated ones, and we're less and less familiar with animals in their natural states.

It sounds like you have a great understanding though. My cats definitely had times they wanted to be alone, so it's good you provide that for yours. They're more than capable of finding us again when they feel like having company.

path: 0 16690488 16691976, hotness: undefined, score: 7, children: 0

Successful_Try543 2 points a year ago

!lemmySilver !LemmySilver@lemmy.world

path: 0 16698989, hotness: undefined, score: 2, children: 1

anon6789 2 points a year ago

Thanks! 🦉

path: 0 16698989 16699579, hotness: undefined, score: 2, children: 0

DampCanary 1 point a year ago

path: 0 16740681, hotness: undefined, score: 1, children: 0

superbowl

@lemmy.world

login for more options

For owls that are superb.

Please scroll down to read our community rules.

US Wild Animal Rescue Database: Animal Help Now

International Wildlife Rescues: RescueShelter.com

Australia Rescue Help: WIRES

Germany-Austria-Switzerland-Italy Wild Bird Rescue: wildvogelhilfe.org

If you find an injured owl:

Note your exact location so the owl can be released back where it came from. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist to get correct advice and immediate assistance.

Minimize stress for the owl. If you can catch it, toss a towel or sweater over it and get it in a cardboard box or pet carrier. It should have room to be comfortable but not so much it can panic and injure itself. If you can’t catch it, keep people and animals away until help can come.

Do not give food or water! If you feed them the wrong thing or give them water improperly, you can accidentally kill them. It can also cause problems if they require anesthesia once help arrives, complicating procedures and costing valuable time.

If it is a baby owl, and it looks safe and uninjured, leave it be. Time on the ground is part of their growing up. They can fly to some extent and climb trees. If animals or people are nearby, put it up on a branch so it’s safe. If it’s injured, follow the above advice.

For more detailed help, see the OwlPages Rescue page.

Community Rules:

Posts must be about owls. Especially appreciated are photographs (not AI) and scientific content, but artwork, articles, news stories, personal experiences and more are welcome too.

Be kind. If a post or comment bothers you, or strikes you as offensive in any way, please report it and moderators will take appropriate action.

AI is discouraged. If you feel strongly that the community would benefit from a post that involves AI you may submit it, but it might be removed if the moderators feel that it is low-effort or irrelevant.

Also visit our twinned community for wholesome content:

!wholesome@reddthat.com

go to feed...

superbowl

@lemmy.world

login for more options

For owls that are superb.

Please scroll down to read our community rules.

US Wild Animal Rescue Database: Animal Help Now

International Wildlife Rescues: RescueShelter.com

Australia Rescue Help: WIRES

Germany-Austria-Switzerland-Italy Wild Bird Rescue: wildvogelhilfe.org

If you find an injured owl:

Note your exact location so the owl can be released back where it came from. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist to get correct advice and immediate assistance.

Minimize stress for the owl. If you can catch it, toss a towel or sweater over it and get it in a cardboard box or pet carrier. It should have room to be comfortable but not so much it can panic and injure itself. If you can’t catch it, keep people and animals away until help can come.

Do not give food or water! If you feed them the wrong thing or give them water improperly, you can accidentally kill them. It can also cause problems if they require anesthesia once help arrives, complicating procedures and costing valuable time.

If it is a baby owl, and it looks safe and uninjured, leave it be. Time on the ground is part of their growing up. They can fly to some extent and climb trees. If animals or people are nearby, put it up on a branch so it’s safe. If it’s injured, follow the above advice.

For more detailed help, see the OwlPages Rescue page.

Community Rules:

Posts must be about owls. Especially appreciated are photographs (not AI) and scientific content, but artwork, articles, news stories, personal experiences and more are welcome too.

Be kind. If a post or comment bothers you, or strikes you as offensive in any way, please report it and moderators will take appropriate action.

AI is discouraged. If you feel strongly that the community would benefit from a post that involves AI you may submit it, but it might be removed if the moderators feel that it is low-effort or irrelevant.

Also visit our twinned community for wholesome content:

!wholesome@reddthat.com

go to feed...