That in-between age....

[BeebosMum]

Well my EEO is now 7 and a half weeks old. He is having a high old time and so am I having him around.

The only only thing is he seems to be at that age when he cant quite go out in his aviary (which will be finished in a couple of weeks - hubby dependent!) and he is getting very mobile - he hasnt quite managed to fly yet but can manage a quite respectable glide from the back of the couch across the livingroom and scalping the dogs in the process!

He is also waddling across the floor and jumping off things to come to me for food - we make a game out of it and at first it was a bit slow but now he has the idea he responds quite quickly which Im pleased about - despite the fact Ive heard a few negative comments about how intelligent ( or not..!) owls are he seems to be very switched on and is always poking his beak in to see what we are up to and dragging his "prey" around the house - usually stolen dog toys.

Heard something the other day that worried me a bit - I was talking to this bloke who also had an EEO - few weeks older than mine but still no gear on as yet - he said he was taking him out in the garden even though he could fly - and had manged to let him go awol - over two 10 foot walls and had then had to go and find him, he seemed to think it wasnt a problem! Dont know if Im just being a paranoid owl mummy but what if there had been a main road at the other side of those walls? Or junior had landed on someones kid/dog? I dont really want to take a young owl out - especially with no means to restrain him if there is a possibility he is going to fly off and do himself or something else damage in the time it takes me to get him back.

As I said - maybe Im just being paranoid!

[Saker-Clive]

You are not paranoid, the guy in question is definately going about things in the wrong manner and things like this is what gives us a bad name.
Without going over the top, the bird should be fully equipped and on the creance until such times as both parties are responding correctly and instantly................................it will only take one mis-hap and all work will be undone!!

[BeebosMum]

Thanks - Well that’s a relief, I was worried I was being cruel not taking him out in the garden – but as he is pretty mobile even at the minute I didn’t want to take any risks he might get away from me. He has plenty to stimulate him mentally in he house (mum, dad, dogs, toys, TV) and temperature isnt an issue – infact its been cooler in the house than out lately!!

[Saker-Clive]

When are you going to get him equipped, 12 weeks, 14 or later. If you are not going to tether him for some weeks, it shouldn't hurt to get him done now, and he'll be used to the aylmeri before being handled too much by them.

[BeebosMum]

When are you going to get him equipped, 12 weeks, 14 or later. If you are not going to tether him for some weeks, it shouldn't hurt to get him done now, and he'll be used to the aylmeri before being handled too much by them.

Sounds like a good idea. He is quite well feathered - most of his downy feathers are gone - he is 8 weeks old this weekend. I will speak to the falconer Im doing my training with and get him to have a look and see what he thinks. After all if Im not actually going to be restraining him with them it cant hurt to have them on his legs and give him a chance to get used to them as you say.

Little rascal has just worked out that if he spreads his wings when Im trying to put him back in his pen before I go to work that he gets more of a playtime while mum tries to coax him to go in of his own accord.....can see Im going to have to get up earlier in the morning to get ahead of this one!

Thanks for the advice!!

[Saker-Clive]

I know that he 'shouldn't' really be tethered but there will be times he will need to but as I said before, he will get used to the anklets and for your own safety; being an eagle owl, he is going to have great power in his feet and the last thing you want is to try and catch him up if he has nothing on his legs.
He probably just sits on your glove at the moment quite happily but he will change and without equipment you would be heading for major hassle. Have fun with him, they are great birds.

[Jester]

i put Jesters anklets on fairly young as well but never tethered him until all his feathers were in.

i made a bit of a mess with the measurement so his ring slipped down below the anklet :oops: .
wasnt a problem really as he was only getting used to them but it did mean i had to cast him up again to take them off and fit new ones and he sooooooooo hates being cast so i think i will be making the same as Varmint uses when i change them out after he finally finishes moulting

[Saker-Clive]

Will he not sit still on the glove to have them done 1 at a time?? My HH has his done this way and so does Zarbu my Saker (she is hooded though!!)
Might be worth a try IF he is happy enough to sit there and have his feet played with. :lol:

[Jester]

he does sit fairly well on the glove most of the time but still sometimes decides to have a bit of a bite depending on the mood he is in. I think its probably my fault as i used to feed him with my bare hand so he used to assosciate my hand with food. ( much better than he used to be though since i stopped giving him food from my hand and also let him keep nibbling it so he would stop looking for fod every time my hand went close)

mind you its maybe worth a try now when he is at fat pig moulting weight and not quite so keen on food

[Lloydparabuteo]

The problem with doing that with the owls is that they have to investigate so bloody much and nip a bit and above all dont stay still. lol Bandar the bengal Eagle owl was exactly the same.

Enjoy him while he is young Beebosmum

[BeebosMum]

The problem with doing that with the owls is that they have to investigate so bloody much and nip a bit and above all dont stay still. lol Bandar the bengal Eagle owl was exactly the same.

Enjoy him while he is young Beebosmum

He is quite good at having his feet/legs touched - before he could stand on the glove I lifted him by putting my hands under his feet and lifting him - supporting his legs as well of course - my hands are too small to be able to lift him when he was younger by covering his wings etc - he hated that anyway but he would sit in my hands quite happily. He is a bundle of fun at the minute, and I want putting his gear on to be as stress free as possible for him.

[Saker-Clive]

I know this is not 'pc' but if you have access to pop studs, make a pair of anklets with the pop-studs and play/practice clipping them on and off, maybe giving a tidbit after doing so if he behaves.
You never know, it might help to condition him or if he doesn't like it, you will know for when the time comes :idea:

[BeebosMum]

I know this is not 'pc' but if you have access to pop studs, make a pair of anklets with the pop-studs and play/practice clipping them on and off, maybe giving a tidbit after doing so if he behaves.
You never know, it might help to condition him or if he doesn't like it, you will know for when the time comes :idea:

Will see if I can give it a go. We had a good start to the day today. I let him out of his pen and he took up his favourite position on the back of the couch while I got ready for work - I dont ever feed him right away when I let him out - dont want him to get worked up every time he sees me coming and think he is going to get fed. Once I was organised I brought his mice through and actually flew off the back of the couch and down to where I was sitting for his food! He always waddled before!! he has obviously been thinking about it because it was very well controlled and he looked dead chuffed with himself after it! Especially while swallowing down his first mouse - he had 3 large ones for brekkies.

Must admit (touch wood....) this is going better than I thought it would!!

[Lloydparabuteo]

my 10 week old little owl was a doddle to get anklets on, he loves to lie down and sleep on ur lap if u stroke him, and he always sleeps with one leg out strtched, so i just put them on like that, he didn't notice a thing. lol

[Wightwings]

bless.....................erm i mean well done..............lol

[BeebosMum]

my 10 week old little owl was a doddle to get anklets on, he loves to lie down and sleep on ur lap if u stroke him, and he always sleeps with one leg out strtched, so i just put them on like that, he didn't notice a thing. lol

he does that sometimes! Not so much now that he is older and I thinkat the minute he does most of his sleeping while Im out during the day, he is active from the minute I get home at night (well 4pm anyway) until I put him in his pen. He has short naps but the minute he sees something that interests him he is up on his toes and off to investigate - with my 6.5 year old long haired german shepherd as his body guard!! Yuli has really taken to Beebo - he lets him nibble his ears and chin and the two of them sit infront of the fire together - its so cute to watch! They watch TV together as well.......