From Raptor Center of Tampa Bay
We received our first baby barred Owl of the season today. However, the owl’s low weight renders it unable to return to its nest. It is concerning to note the food choices people provide to wild animals.
Last night, an elderly couple in their 80s picked up the owl from their yard and fed it dog food, cooked chicken, and green beans.
The owl arrived in a severely dehydrated state and is struggling. We have treated the owl and provided initial nourishment, and we are hopeful it will survive until morning.
We thank Becky Willis for once again dropping what she was doing and coming to the aid of the owl.
Feeding sick or injured animals things they can’t suggest can kill them! Please don’t feed them, just get them to your local rehabber to give them the best chance of survival.
The adorable Jim Henson looking plush is a Jellycat Orlando, in case anyone else was wondering.
I’ve had jellycat before and let me tell you, they stand through every test your family or pets (or lil owlet buddy) can give them.
I may have ebayed one after finding this picture! 😁
The eyelids seem to be the only real wear area, so I picked the one that still had the best looking eyes. The feathers look amazing, and I couldn’t not add one to my collection.
What does one feed an owl? Can one feed an owl anything?
All my cat and dog skills are coming up with nothing.
Puppies and kitties are our friends, not wild animals. We’ve had thousands of years to at least understand each other a little. Wild animals are strangers to us, no matter how much we may admire them.
Some owls eat mainly rodents, while some only eat bugs. One must understand what is safe for different species to eat
Owls food also doesn’t go through them. Solids stop at the crop and don’t enter the actual stomach, and undigested bits like bone, fur, and feathers need to come back out the mouth as a pellet before it can safely eat again. One needs to know if an owl has a full or empty crop.
Even just water can kill. The opening to the esophagus is right on the tongue, so even gently dripping in water can fill their lungs with water.
Other than these reasons, we shouldn’t feed or water an injured animal because even if they do want food or water, they don’t want it from us. They are hurt and scared and stress is a huge killer of birds. They might also need immediate care that may require anesthesia, and a full crop could cause medical complications. So even if you feed them properly, which is pretty unlikely, you may still delay or complicate their recovery.
Most of us wouldn’t try to treat someone we come across who was sick or had broken bones, etc. We would likely get them qualified help so we don’t make things worse for the person. And that’s with a creature we can likely communicate with to find out what it needs! So why do we always want to intervene with another species we probably know nothing about?
If you love wild animals, just call the pros. They will tell you what you can do to help, like keeping them warm and secure and as relaxed as possible until they can come get it.
Good to know! That should be, like, on the sidebar!
So why do we always want to intervene with another species we probably know nothing about?
I think we’re kept in perpetual ignorance by a media system that can’t make money off of letting things be and so our only understandings come from cartoons or fairy tales or some such.
Then when you’re faced with a dehydrated or emaciated creature you think, “well, water or food is required”.
Good intentions, not enough knowledge.
That should be, like, on the sidebar!
Ah, but it is! I think that guy added soon after OotY ended.
I see some pretty wild stories about what people think is “helping” animals. 😳 I just keep getting the word out.
