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.

  • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
    4·
    3 days 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.

    • kamenLady.@lemmy.world
      5·
      3 days 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.

      • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
        5·
        3 days ago

        I’m going to have to get a rabies shot at some point. All these rabies vector animals (bats, coyotes, fox, groundhog, raccoon and skunk) are so cute. 🥰

        I’d love to feed a bat!

        • kamenLady.@lemmy.world
          3·
          3 days ago

          Foxes are so pretty. Also, they’re like a cat/dog hybrid with a few sprinkles of squirrel, not from the looks, the way they behave.

          I think i would give the bat too much banana and watermelon.

          I love watching snails munching on their food, which you can see, due to their translucency.

          • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
            3·
            3 days ago

            I wish the fixes smelled like a dog or cat! 🙃

            We thankfully get clear instructions on how much food everyone gets, though last week someone mixed some fruit into the veggie mix that the head person said would be bad for some of the animals that get the veggie mix.

            I liked the snails in our aquarium. They just go around tasting everything! I liked the ones that would trap an air bubble to float up and then let it out to come down. So smart for a little booger! 😝

            • kamenLady.@lemmy.world
              2·
              2 days ago

              Foxes smell that bad?

              Cats are the best. You never have to worry about their hygiene, they autoclean. Sure there’s gonna be a situation, where you may have to clean up the poo that got tangled in their fur or clean up the vomit, that’s ok.

              I love dogs, but they’re such a mess :3

              Edit: TIL

              Foxes possess a distinct and often pungent smell, typically described as musky, skunky, or even reminiscent of skunk spray or cannabis. This odor is due to scent glands, particularly the anal glands, which produce a strong, unpleasant fluid. The smell is so potent that it can linger and even cause vomiting or watery eyes in some individuals.

              • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
                2·
                2 days ago

                The tiny ones at work I haven’t noticed a real smell from, but I’m not allowed to get too close to them very often.

                The adult grey foxes at the park like to nap near the fence, and even from a guys distance, they are quite potent. The red ones sheep closer to the night of their area, and even if you can’t see them, you can tell they’re there. 😜

                I had to teach my one cat to clean herself. She was just a teeny thing when we found her. I used the corner of a warm wet washcloth to make licky motions all over her a few times and then she got the hang of it!