Owl Update

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:59 pm

UGG!
Found a dead baby owl again. After 3 days of excellent parenting, too! I was starting to fear that this pair just didn't know how to parent, until I decided to peek in the nest just to make sure nothing was wrong with the babies. It turns out something was very wrong. 2 of the remaining 3 babies looked like little water balloons with legs. VERY edematous! Probably due to septicemia (generalized infection). I have no idea what happened. It's possible the parents are silently carrying an infectious agent, but I am not sure. I had one baby euthanized because it was in very bad shape. The other two I tried to treat, but it was too late. I found them both dead this morning. The baby which was euthanized might get a necropsy done to try to figure out the cause of death. My fear is that the baby is so small that a necropsy might not reveal any answers. I plan to have both parents swabbed (vent and choana) and to submit some fresh feces for testing of infectious agents (culture and sensitivity). If they have anything, they will be treated for it. For the time being they are not being bred until I find out what is going on to prevent this from happening again.

This makes me very sad, but I hope to get some answers soon.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:02 pm

That sucks, but by doing a culture and sensitivity you will find out what is going on.

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:08 pm

So sorry to hear this news. We were all looking forward to seeing your lil' owl chicks.

I hope you are able to solve this mystery.

Poor little birdies.

Sally H · Post by **Sally H** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 9:02 pm

So sorry, Crystal.

Nothing much to update at this end of the state..still two eggs being seriously incubated.

I mentioned my zebra's earlier in this thread...just one baby now. They removed one by placing it in their treat cup. At first I didn't recognize it as a baby and had to get my husband to inspect it (I'm way squeemish). He thought it was underdeveloped but I don't know if he was influenced by my saying they hatched prematurely. Anyway no cuts or bleeding but he couldn't make out the head and eyes. *shudder* Remaining chick is almost a week old now and I never saw what happened to the third egg.

Something Crystal said made me stop covering them at night, especially since their new spot only gets natural sunlight and I sleep days...so I was in the pool at 3:00 am and thought I heard Krusty (I know... a silly name for a girl but at the time, I didn't know what species she was let alone her sex and it's kind of a family joke thing) so I come in to look and they're both up and active. I'm such a nervous nelly when it comes to their babies, I assumed it meant something was wrong so first daylight chance I checked the nest and everything was fine. It then dawned on me that they were up for the "two o'clock feedings". Cute lil buggers.

Sally H · Post by **Sally H** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 5:19 pm

How's it going with the outdoor clutch, Crystal?

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:32 pm

Now ithat it is less than 100 here in Socal again my owls have started to lay again. We'll see how many pair back up again and are productive.

Sally H · Post by **Sally H** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:52 pm

Tell us about your setup, Jeff. How many pair, etc.

My story:
My one pair's 2 eggs didn't hatch. I haven't thrown them out yet...I'm working up the courage to crack one open. They're in a seperate cage all to themselves. They don't eat mealworms but I start giving eggfood daily when I give them a nest. This would be the second time in 6 months they laid infertile eggs.

It's been very hot here in South Florida, too. Even my zebra's clutch went bad, the one surviving nestling died at 2 weeks of age.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 7:44 pm

I have several pairs of owls. These are in an individual cage 24 x 16 x 16. I was going to give them 2 more weeks before moving them to a small California Flight 3' x6' x 2'. I keep about 10-14 pairs of owls in this flight.

It's not much of a set up. Just a lot of cages and birds.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm

She's up to 4 eggs now and setting on them. Hopefully she has another. She usually has 5-6.

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 11:26 pm

Post by **Hilary** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 11:32 pm

TOO cute! What ever happened with the parents with the bad clutch? Did you figure out what happened? Is this little guy from them or from the other pair?

Hilary

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Thu Aug 31, 2006 11:54 pm

This little one and his sibling are from the other pair (the pair outdoors).

The pair indoors was recently given a nest to try one more time for a healthy clutch. If the babies they hatch this go-around do not remain healthy, I'll bring the indoor parents in to the vet for a culture & sensitivity.

Post by **Hilary** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 12:05 am

Ah ha! Congrats! Did you give mealies to the parents during incubation and while they've been feeding? I'm thinking about trying to set mine up again after seeing your little guy!

Hilary

tammieb · Post by **tammieb** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 8:45 am

Too cute!

I want one.

Crystal · Post by **Crystal** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 12:43 am

I tried offering an insect mix but they didn't seem all that interested. The outdoor pair pretty much just eat seed and pellets. They are still trying to figure out what to think about boiled egg.