Do you mind having a pet that is not very affectionate and is active only during the night?
Do you mind having a pet that can be very vocal?
Can you provide an enclosure that is at least 20-square-feet?
Do you mind spending a lot of time cleaning the owl enclosure?
Can you provide large quantities of live prey for the snowy owl daily?
Can you spend a lot of time training a snowy owl?
Do you have an exotics veterinary that specializes in birds of prey?
Snowy owls are typically solitary and aren't known to be affectionate toward each other or humans. Since they're most active at night and rely on sizable live prey as their main diet, they don't make a good pet. Once sexual maturity and its instincts kick in, the pet owl begins to view its owner as either a mate or a threat.
Owls cannot be left alone for long periods. Otherwise, they will screech insistently, demanding attention. Snowy owls also hoot, bark, grunt, scream, whistle, and twitter, among other vocalizations. If you hear snowy owls hooting, it is usually a defensive call marking their territory. They may also clap their beak in response to threats.
An owl enclosure needs to be a minimum of 20-square-feet with a specially designed perch, complete with a leash.
In captivity, snowy owls are fed whole, live (or frozen and thawed) mice, rats, and chicks. It needs at least seven to twelve per day. This type of prey-based diet (and the fact that you may have to hunt and gut this prey yourself) can be a logistical nightmare for bird owners.
Snowy owls in captivity need to be "flown" every day, requiring the owner and pet to practice falconry techniques together, such as training an owl to fly and then return to an arm perch. Similar to sport-hunting falcons, an owl needs to wear a specialized hood to keep it calm during the training period.
You can take care of a snowy owl as a pet!
Snowy owls are prone to aspergillosis, a fungal infection that causes respiratory problems, depression, or loss of appetite. Birds of prey originating from arctic or subarctic climates tend to be more susceptible. The fungus appears in a warmer, drier environment. Snowy owls need a regular check-up with the veterinarian.
https://www.thesprucepets.com/pet-owls-1238427
Sreten null
Hi! I’m Sreten Filipović. I graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Belgrade, with a master's degree in Environmental Protection in Agricultural Systems. I’ve worked as a researcher at Finland's Natural Resources Institute (LUKE) on a project aimed at adapting south-western Finland to drought episodes. I founded a consulting agency in the field of environment and agriculture to help farmers who want to implement the principles of sustainability on their farms. I’m also a founding member of the nonprofit organization Ecogenesis from Belgrade whose main goal is non-formal education on the environment and ecology. In my spare time, I like to write blog posts about sustainability, the environment, animal farming, horticulture, and plant protection. I’ve also published several science-fiction short stories.
You can find me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sreten-filipovi%C4%87-515aa5158/
