# owls frogmouth and nightjar pets??



## rainbowvomit (Sep 19, 2011)

I have searched and searched but i cant find and %100 legal facts on weather you can keep these birds as pets in N.S.W i like the idea of have these pets but befor i get too excited i wanna kow if i can actually keep them, then i will learn how too keep them etc.

can some one tell me or tell me where i can find out or who to call

thanks


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## vampstorso (Sep 19, 2011)

I can't help in regards to NSW,

but in SA, the only owls you can keep on a regular fauna license is a Boobook Owl, any other would need an advance permit...
but beyond that, the real issue is even if you can legally keep them, you'd need to find a breeder...and I doubt they're a captivity bred animal.

I think the only way to have one would be as a wildlife carer...

I think I also read someone say on here their state doesn't allow owls/eagles/etc as pets at all?

but in anycase, contacting your wildlife authority would be your best bet (perhaps give em an email)


but yeah, just think finding a breeder would be next too impossible! But you never know,

Goodluck


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## Morgwynn (Sep 19, 2011)

Tawny Frogmouths do seem to be on the species list (as advanced birds) for NSW, but it'll be impossible to find one, as it would have to come from a breeder and I don't think there would be anyone breeding them as pets. I'm not sure why you'd want them as a pet anyway, to be honest, as they are a nocturnal species and they're pretty hard work. They'll cost you a fortune in food. They're not terribly social, either, and I don't really think it'd be right to keep a bird that size in an average aviary. I'm a wildlife carer so I deal with them on a temporary basis, and while they are lovely to look at, it's much nicer seeing them in the wild.

Edit: Also, as a sidenote, they're not owls. They are nightjars. They're not a raptor, they are primarily insectivores.


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## vampstorso (Sep 19, 2011)

yeah good sidenote Morg,

I was covering it as I read it as "Owls, Frogmouth, and Nightjar" as in asking about all of them, but I'm not sure.

You'd probably need too find a breeder before applying for the license anyway...again I dunno about NSW, but in SA when applying for advanced animals you have to state where you'll be getting them before you get the license.


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## Morgwynn (Sep 19, 2011)

Oh I actually missed that he/she was asking about owls too. Derp. Owls you absolutely cannot have in NSW, not a chance. They are incredibly strict about who can have raptors here, even as a wildlife rescue, only two of our carers max are permitted to keep them for more than a couple of days, and those carers have to have had special training and all sorts of nonsense. If you want to do anything at all with owls, you need to start a zoo.


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## Laghairt (Sep 20, 2011)

That's crazy, bureaucracy gone mad again.


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## Mr.James (Sep 20, 2011)

No ,no & no! I've already asked nsw licencing. unfortunately we can not keep anything like that. U need a licence for a budgy or a gallah but not if u want an exotic maccaw or amazon parrot..its abit ridiculous..


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## dihsmaj (Sep 20, 2011)

You need a licence for Budgerigars and Gallahs because they are native.


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## waruikazi (Sep 20, 2011)

I've kept them over the medium/longish term and have to disagree with you. I think tawnies make a pretty good captive, the only thing i found with them is that they were prone to over eating and getting fat. 

They would get to know their owner and recognise who fed them. They would eat absolutely anything, mice, roaches, snakes, mince and wombaroo insectivore mix. They weren't like parrots that were pretty active, they seemed relatively ok with sitting in an aviary and being looked at. When we released most of them they would hang around for as long as they realised they were getting fed.

If you can find one and have a large aviary i highly reccomend them. Definately not hard work especially if you get a young one.

I got this one while still in baby feathers, had it for about 3 months.






and this one ended up being euthed because it was apparent it was blind in one eye and couldn't keep balance.







Morgwynn said:


> Tawny Frogmouths do seem to be on the species list (as advanced birds) for NSW, but it'll be impossible to find one, as it would have to come from a breeder and I don't think there would be anyone breeding them as pets. I'm not sure why you'd want them as a pet anyway, to be honest, as they are a nocturnal species and they're pretty hard work. They'll cost you a fortune in food. They're not terribly social, either, and I don't really think it'd be right to keep a bird that size in an average aviary. I'm a wildlife carer so I deal with them on a temporary basis, and while they are lovely to look at, it's much nicer seeing them in the wild.
> 
> Edit: Also, as a sidenote, they're not owls. They are nightjars. They're not a raptor, they are primarily insectivores.


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## Bel03 (Sep 20, 2011)

Snakeluvver3 said:


> You need a licence for Budgerigars and Gallahs because they are native.



Sorry if this is a stupid question......but where is this? I have never heard of needing a license for budgies or galahs.......


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## waruikazi (Sep 20, 2011)

And the frightened little baby lol.


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## Sock Puppet (Sep 20, 2011)

Mr.Boyd said:


> No ,no & no! I've already asked nsw licencing. unfortunately we can not keep anything like that. U need a licence for a budgy or a gallah





Snakeluvver3 said:


> You need a licence for Budgerigars and Gallahs because they are native.





Bel711 said:


> Sorry if this is a stupid question......but where is this? I have never heard of needing a license for budgies or galahs.......


You do NOT need a licence for budgies or galahs in NSW, they are on the list of species exempt from requiring a licence (along with 39 other species of birds, so 41 total exempt). It's at the back of the species list.

NSW Species List has tawny frogmouths as being a species you can legally keep here.
Tawny Frogmouth - Code 0313 - min B2 licence (Advanced Bird)

No other nightjars or owls are listed which generally means you can't keep them, however, from the NSW species list:


> If the animal species you want to keep isn’t listed, you generally cannot keep it, although the department might consider requests to keep unlisted species of reptile, bird or amphibian. If you are applying for a licence for an unlisted species, you will need to supply details of the species and numbers you are proposing to keep, the legal availability of the species and its husbandry requirements in captivity.



All this is easily found online (link below)
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/nature/CurrentSpeciesList.pdf

Gordo, how were the tawnies in a captive situation during the day? Did they still exhibit the chin up pose of pretending to be part of a tree as wild ones do during the day, or were they more relaxed & sit there like a regular diurnal bird would?


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## Morgwynn (Sep 20, 2011)

waruikazi said:


> I've kept them over the medium/longish term and have to disagree with you. I think tawnies make a pretty good captive, the only thing i found with them is that they were prone to over eating and getting fat.
> 
> They would get to know their owner and recognise who fed them. They would eat absolutely anything, mice, roaches, snakes, mince and wombaroo insectivore mix. They weren't like parrots that were pretty active, they seemed relatively ok with sitting in an aviary and being looked at. When we released most of them they would hang around for as long as they realised they were getting fed.
> 
> If you can find one and have a large aviary i highly reccomend them. Definately not hard work especially if you get a young one.


I still don't think they're what you'd call a pet, exactly. They're not something that's hands on, really, and improper handling can cause pretty serious damage. Don't get me wrong, they're absolutely one of my favourite birds to care for, they are beautiful and very easy to feed. But I don't think they'd be exactly suitable as a longterm pet - you'd need a fair bit of space to provide a permanent home for them, they need to be able to fly around to get exercise or they will get fat pretty quick, like you said. The last one I had cost me an absolute fortune in mice, it wouldn't touch the mince mix. I think the best way for someone to get involved with them is to get into wildlife care.

This was one of my babies from last season.


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## rainbowvomit (Sep 20, 2011)

thanks guy this is the most help i have found anywhere i would love to be a carer but i live in a rented house :/ and have no qualifications lol

and beautiful pics btw


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## waruikazi (Sep 21, 2011)

Sock Puppet said:


> Gordo, how were the tawnies in a captive situation during the day? Did they still exhibit the chin up pose of pretending to be part of a tree as wild ones do during the day, or were they more relaxed & sit there like a regular diurnal bird would?



All of them would still go all logged out if they thought you were looking at them, unless they thought they were going to get fed. Very cool birds, i think they make for a good captive.


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