I rescued a baby owl.

[shiv]

After much deliberation I decided to let Puppy out of his basket to stretch his legs and wings. He’s been cooped up not moving around much and if he’s going to be able to fly and become a predator, knowing how to get around on the ground is pretty important. I also noticed a ton of flies hanging around the basket which was a good sign there were some dead critters inside.

When I climbed the ladder I realized just how much Puppy had been eating - and shitting. The basket was full of owl pellets, shit, and a whole squirrel head. No meals being missed.

As I mentioned, Puppy has grown 3x at least in mass since my last pics outside the basket. I guessed at about a 3 ft wingspan, which is a huge step for him as flight feathers look healthy.Good news, he hissed at me, which means imprinting on mama is happening. Once he got on my glove he was totally chilled out.

I put him on the ground while I cleaned the nest. He seemed happy to hop around and flap his wings since he doesn’t have a ton of room to move in the basket.

Once he had a good stretch I put him back in his basket. He went back with no issue. View attachment 7849View attachment 7850View attachment 7851View attachment 7852

Check out the size of this lad! Puppy is gonna be an absolute unit

 

[Sloppy Mexican]

Check out the size of this lad! Puppy is gonna be an absolute unit

There’s no doubt about that. I think there is a reasonable chance Puppy is a female just based on size alone, only time will tell though.

 

[scanodd]

Very cool. I watch a pair of falcons that nest on an office building in Baltimore and it should be getting close to egg laying time.

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[UNC71-00]

When is Puppy supposed to start flying?

 

[RJ2kWJ]

Temple is going to be calling OP at any moment for a new mascot.

 

[Sloppy Mexican]

When is Puppy supposed to start flying?

Good question. Based on wing development, I would guess in the next couple weeks. He’s flapping his wings quite a bit, so it definitely won’t be long.

 

[Sloppy Mexican]

Temple is going to be calling OP at any moment for a new mascot.

Rice already has first dibs.

 

[UNC71-00]

Good question. Based on wing development, I would guess in the next couple weeks. He’s flapping his wings quite a bit, so it definitely won’t be long.

I’m also wondering how longs he keeps his crib in a Kroger Shopping Basket once littleman learns his skills.

 

[Sloppy Mexican]

I’m also wondering how longs he keeps his crib in a Kroger Shopping Basket once littleman learns his skills.

I assume he’ll be high tailing it as soon as he’s able to fly and hunt on his own. I’m thinking sometime mid to late spring.

 

[JuliusLeRoy]

great story and deed on OP’s part but....

 

[hmt5000]

He's starting to look like a true predator.

 

[scanodd]

Good question. Based on wing development, I would guess in the next couple weeks. He’s flapping his wings quite a bit, so it definitely won’t be long.

I found this info.

In January, Great Horned Owls start nesting and raise their families in the middle of winter. The eggs will hatch within one month, and six weeks after hatching, the owlets will leave their nest to walk around. It takes another three weeks for the owlets to learn how to fly, although the parents will continue to feed and care for their offspring for several months.

I'm jealous of you.

 

[shiv]

great story and deed on OP’s part but....

“Owl kill you the first chance I get”

 

[shiv]

 

[GatorOK]

Thanks for this thread used to have this visitor at my old house made a racket in the pods behind us and I always thought it was so cool View attachment 7952

 

[GatorOK]

 

[GatorOK]

 

[Sloppy Mexican]

View attachment 7956

Barred owls are some of my favorites man. Their calls will send a shiver down your spine. I remember taking my daughter deer hunting when she was about 5, it was really more of a walk in the woods. We heard a barred owl calling and she looked up and said “Daddy is that a monkey?” I laughed and confirmed that it was indeed a monkey.

 

[Sloppy Mexican]

A couple pics for the regulars....

 

[TJHall1]

That motherfucker is possessed.

 

[Rusty Student]

 

[RJ2kWJ]

A couple pics for the regulars....
View attachment 8469View attachment 8470

Do you have a dog or cat that he’s simply playing 8D underwater space chess with you to get to when he can? I know that look.

Maybe a small child?

 

[Sloppy Mexican]

Do you have a dog or cat that he’s simply playing 8D underwater space chess with you to get to when he can? I know that look.

Maybe a small child?

Funny you should ask. Both my neighbors have smallish dogs. There’s a better than average chance Puppy is plotting a double homicide followed by a delicious meal.

 

[PawPower1981]

that thing has eyebrows like Anthony Davis

 

[CurtOFD78]

Bro you ain't got a fire station anywhere nearby ? Find a ladder truck and ask the guys. I would do it in a heart beat. 40 feet ain't shit.

Hell film it and use it as a feel good piece in the local media. They love that shit.

Great use for the ladder truck. After they get done shopping and working out they can put the owl back in the nest.

I kid, I kid. I'm an engine guy.

Awesome thread by the way. I am very interested to see how this plays out.

 

[RJ2kWJ]

Great use for the ladder truck. After they get done shopping and working out they can put the owl back in the nest.

I kid, I kid. I'm an engine guy.

Awesome thread by the way. I am very interested to see how this plays out.

I think we figured it out in the past few posts. Thing is planning a, hopefully captured by pic or video, double homicide of two dogs. We should ship it some of @Nape s hot sauce for its first hunted down condiment. We’d have a Crootn mascot for life.

 

[scanodd]

Getting big.

 

[UNC71-00]

So tell me about that split log you have ziptied to the Kroger shopping basket- the one on the front. I understand the one on the back.

 

[Sloppy Mexican]

So tell me about that split log you have ziptied to the Kroger shopping basket- the one on the front. I understand the one on the back.

I zip tied it to the front to give mama something similar to a limb to perch on. The plastic basket doesn’t have much width and I didn’t trust it to be sturdy enough to support a full grown owl, or Puppy once size becomes a more important factor.

 

[Emmo496]

Just found this thread. Cool shit @Sloppy Mexican. You’re a good man.

 

[Sloppy Mexican]

Big update for the regulars.

Puppy is now perching on the edge of the basket and mama visited this afternoon but did not feed. Mama is clearly trying to coax Puppy down to the ground, it’s time to learn how to hunt!

Puppy’s sibling flew down today and is now on the ground in my neighbors yard. You can tell this dude has had mama’s full attention as he seems to be more developed than Puppy, and not to mention mean as damn rattlesnake. I got within about 10 yards and he assumed an owls defensive posture and began hissing and clicking his beak. Puppy isn’t far behind.

Amazing how aware and afraid of humans this bird is compared to Puppy, although Puppy doesn’t much like anyone getting too close anymore either. I think Puppy will be gone from the basket for good in the coming days, and hopefully will learn to hunt and become the badass motherfucker he is destined to be.

 

[TJHall1]

That 2nd picture is awesome.

 

[Sloppy Mexican]

Puppy’s sibling has come to visit! he walked/flew about 50 yards to help his buddy fly down.

 

[Lethal34fl2]

So damn cool, we have two owls on our property that fly in from time to time.

 

[skramer100]

Puppy’s sibling has come to visit! he walked/flew about 50 yards to help his buddy fly down.
View attachment 8960

Is he flying yet?

 

[Sloppy Mexican]

Is he flying yet?

I don’t think either of the young birds are really flying. I think they could glide down from the nest, but don’t think they could get back up.

 

[TJHall1]

I don’t think either of the young birds are really flying. I think they could glide down from the nest, but don’t think they could get back up.

So now they're bound to the ground until they can fly? Here's where the real battle begins.

 

[bigassmoney]

not sure I have ever seen an owl in person.
why is that>

 

[TJHall1]

not sure I have ever seen an owl in person.
why is that>

Most are nocturnal for the most part I believe. Or maybe not.

 

[Cyberty]

What in the world? What is making up the giant peacock like fan over its head? I can see the wings near the ground on both sides, but what the fuck is that giant heart shaped feather blossom? Beautiful feather circles. But that is weird. You should send this pic to National Geographic magazine. Amazing.

If I walked up on that while going around the truck, I would piss myself. Then run. There is no way I would think it’s just a juvenile owl. I would think that a mutated peacock broke out of the genetics lab.

Thanks for the posts and updates @Sloppy Mexican