# Owls!!!!



## dancing_pharaoh (Apr 19, 2008)

Just wanted to know if it is allowed to keep owls as pets in Victoria, Australia???

 Thanks


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## Australis (Apr 19, 2008)

I dont think you can keep any of the raptors in Australia.


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## dancing_pharaoh (Apr 19, 2008)

:cry: Damn... I would love to have an owl... they are so beautiful and graceful....
Can anyone post nice owl pics?


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## irlsgirl (Apr 19, 2008)

its not a real good pic, this one frequents my backyard and scares the crap out of my birds.


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## dancing_pharaoh (Apr 19, 2008)

I think they are so beautiful especially when i saw them on harry potter and and other movies....


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## Miss_Croft (Apr 20, 2008)

dancing_pharaoh – I have not heard of anyone keeping owls as pets – But – you can encourage owls to frequent (or even live) in your back yard. You can do this by putting up a nest box. That way you can sort of keep the owl in your back yard. Here is a good design for next boxes (They need to be BIG). A next box wants to be about 400mm cube with a 15cm entrance. 

http://members.tripod.com/Tommy51/designs.html 

Studies in California indicated out of 100 nest boxes put up (Most under bridges) 75 were occupied within a year.

If you build a next box – remember to have it open at the top (or side) to allow access/eviction of possums. Also remember to staple some wire mesh on the inside walls to allow an escape rout for any animal that enters.


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## Australis (Apr 20, 2008)

Miss_Croft said:


> After a while your local owl should take thawed mice.



Wow... thats disturbing.


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## jessb (Apr 20, 2008)

We have had a tawny frogmouth on our clothesline a few times, and there is a boobook (mopoke) who we've never seen but hear ALL the time! They are gorgeous, but I don't think we get the snowy ones like Hedwig!


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## kakariki (Apr 20, 2008)

This beauty flew IN my open front door to visit me one night! It sat on my shelf, did a couple of laps of the living room before settling on a chair. Only when I turned out the lights did it seem to be able to find it's way out through an open, unscreened window! It is a Southern Boobook owl. We have quite a few of them around here along with barn owl & tawny frogmouths. I even saw a barking owl being harrassed by a willie wagtail one day!


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## Creed (Apr 20, 2008)

hmmm......one of my earliest memories was involving an owl.

i was driving with my dad one night somewhere near our farm in the southern highlands of NSW when an owl got a little mixed up in the headlights. he ended up flying straight through the windscreen, smashing it pretty well. i didnt think they would break through, and perhaps these days they wouldnt shatter, but this was about 25 years ago.

anyway i remember in the panic and the shards of glass dad calmly grabbing the owl by the foot and throwing it out the front where the windscreen should have been.

i ended up having to go to the hospital to get glass taken out of my eye.

funny how some memories stick when i was probably only about 2. i still strangely agree though.....they are beautiful birds.


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## Brock Lobster (Apr 20, 2008)

I want an owl to pass me office supplies.
"Mr. Hoots! Stapler!!!"


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## Miss_Croft (Apr 20, 2008)

Australis – many of the owl photos you see in nature books are either pet owls or owls have been fed (or harassed at their nesting site) by the photographer. If you read the photography forums they will tell you all the tricks in getting owls to come and stay for a photo session. Some of them even have owls that return year after year for photos.


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Apr 20, 2008)

A few of years ago the 
Australian Bird Company
had an owl and a kookaburra for sale in their shop in Springvale rd
Springvale..
So they must be on the books in Victoria..musnt they?


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## kakariki (Apr 20, 2008)

Although "my" owl lives around here he is certainly no pet. I often see him out by the washing line. Our birds don't seem too bothered by him now but he caused a bit of a stir when he started coming around. We had a Bourke, a ringneck [ an albino hen unfortunately] and a couple of budgies freak out & die after hitting the wire in fright! We have moved the aviaries away a bit so the owl has his spot!


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## irlsgirl (Apr 20, 2008)

The owl in the pic from my backyard has a good feed on the mice that come from the aviaries. Would be good to see it carrying next doors cat off one night :evil:


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## MoreliaMatt (Apr 20, 2008)

Boobook Owls and Tawny Frogmouths are on the SA Basic Permit list.....


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## Hickson (Apr 20, 2008)

dancing_pharaoh said:


> :cry: Damn... I would love to have an owl... they are so beautiful and graceful....
> Can anyone post nice owl pics?



Not a wild one (obviously), but I think it's a nice one.

Rufous Owl at Taronga Zoo, part of the Bird Show. And a Snowy Owl I photographed in Jersey in 1984.



Hix


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