Acquiring a Pet Crow or Raven in the United States
1. Talk to a bird rehabilitation society. Chances are that there is a group in your area that takes in injured birds and cares for them. Check in the phone book under wildlife sanctuary, bird sanctuary, or raptor shelter. You might also want to check under aviaries. These groups usually accept volunteers. Volunteer on a regular basis, and you will get the chance to both see what is involved in caring for a crow or raven, and get some first hand experience and knowledge without having to do it all on your own. As your knowledge grows, the group may be willing to foster corvids with you. If a bird is not suitable for being released back into the wild, you may be able to keep it as a pet. This is how many people end up with pet ravens and crows.
2. Develop a good repoire with the veterinarians in your area. This is a good strategy to use in conjunction with volunteering for a wildlife group. When people find injured animals, they often bring them to their local veterinarians. Although most veterinarians will try to help the wild animal, their resources and time are limited. If they know of your interest and experience, they very well may be willing to place an injured crow or raven with you! As mentioned above, your emphasis should be on releasing the animal into the wild, but if the animal is weak or permanently injured, then it might be in the best interest to let the corvid stay in your home as your pet.
3. Find a breeder who raises non-native species of corvids. African Pied Crows, Hooded Crows, and White Neck Ravens are the most common non-native species of corvids bred as pets to sell to the American consumer. These animals are not cheap! Expect to pay $900 or up for a hand fed baby. It might be possible to get an older pet for less, but even the old and infirm go for no less than $100. Be careful to only buy from a reputable breeder. You want to make sure your new pet is healthy and has been well cared for.
4. Learn everything you can about corvids! Join email lists, read websites, and exchange email with owners. Talk to people about your passion. Most owners of pet ravens and crows got their pet through word of mouth.
In conclusion, if you are serious in your corvine love, do more than sit at home pining for a pet that is not easily available. Volunteer, talk and share, and most importantly learn everything you can about crows and ravens. If you keep your ears open, you might find someone who can help make your corvine dreams come true.
Published by Jacqueline Parks
Actively pursuing my joy. View profile
- Quick Pet Beds You Can Make YourselfPet beds are comfy and cozy for dogs or cats. Here's instructions for making them out of things you have at home.
- 10 Tips for Acquiring New Customers10 Tips For Acquiring New Customers including helpful hints and suggestions.
- Make Money as a Pet GroomerAlthough many pet owners wish to have their pets groomed, few can actually do it themselves. If you have a love for pets, can properly groom them or are willing to learn how, a pet grooming business could be a succes...
- Properly Housing Your Pet IguanaOne of the most popular pet lizards available in pet stores today, iguanas are inexpensive to purchase, often misleading people to believe that they are cheap, easy to maintain and, sadly, practically disposable. Hous...
- Where to Buy Pet Clothes OnlineYou take pride in how you look, why shouldn't you do the same for your pet?
- Uncovering the Myths Surrounding Ravens, Blackbirds, and Crows
- Crows: Not Just Another Birdbrained Species
- Pet Kennels and Boarding
- What to Do If You've Lost a Pet in Atlanta, GA
- Is Your Pet Flea-Free?
- Shopping for Pet Medications and Supplies on the Internet
- Choosing A Good Pet-Sitter
12 Comments
Post a CommentIdontgivearatsassaboutlawsthatarewhollyillogicalandunconstitutional!WhyinthenameofHellwouldanyonemakeitillegaltoownacroworraven~especially~intheUSA?!Youknow?Life,Liberty,PursuitofHappiness....?Well,myhappinessISmypetRavenFillmoreandtheyhaventtriedtotakehimfrommeyet!Ifoughtforthiscountry!Iwasinjuredinthelineofduty.Andforwhat?Well....ThinkaboutthisIftheyeverdotrytotakeawaymybeautifulpet,..well,Ivegotfivemachinegunsandmorethantwentyclipseachthatsaytheyllhaveonehellofafightontheirhandsiftheytry.Thatllgetthisproblemintotheheadlinesandmaybegetthelawschanged!ItsallJustanotherlameinsaneattempttocreateyetanotherridiculousreasontomakecriminalsoutofotherwisedecentlawabidingfolk.BTWTherewasevenaUSPresidentwhoownedacrowwhileinoffice!Thereshouldbealawagainstmakingstupidoroverburdeningandidioticlaws!MaybewhenAlQeadaconquerstheUSwellfinallybe,onceagain,freetohavepetravens!
As a teen I took a young crow from its nest and raised it. Every tme I fed it, I would say, "hungry?" and that became his name. I fed him layer mash, worms and fruit. He grew up with the most dazzling black feathers and would follow me every where. At night I would put him in a safe cage but during the day he would fly around. He was a lovely pet. In Michigan you can hunt and kill them by the dozens but can't own one unless you get a special permit from the DNR. It doen't make sense as there are thousands of crows everywhere.
The best way to obtain raven as a pet is just to catch one from the wild. The more people do that the less illegal it becomes. If 1 in a 1000 or even 10000 households has one, no officer or neighbour would bother to do something about it. It's illegal to keep native species as a pet here in Finland too but police propably wouldn't come and take my crucian carps and vole away even if i called them myself. :) Well, raven is more rare but as long as I don't call them, just to see what happens, propably no one else would either.
I'm dying for a pet Crow. These amazing bird facinate me. But sadly my mom doesn't want a 'carnivore' in the house. ):
ive raised a crow a few years back it was a blast %25252525252Ci found him while i was trout fishing next to a stream along the road he was hit by a car %25252525252C so i took him homeand nursed him back to good health %25252525252C we soon began to be great friends %25252525252C after a year and a half he was in the best health ever %25252525252C so i kept him on the patio in the summer when it was warm and he always came back to his perch he was free to come and go as he pleased %25252525252Cand would chatter with exitement when he seen me %25252525252C after about 6 months he flew away with a flock of other crows and never returned %25252525252Csure do miss him %25252525252Cif theres a chance anyone has a young crow that needs a foster home for any length of time my home is always available for for a young crow if you have any info drop me a line %252525252528smozdawg%252525252540yahoo.com %252525252529
for the past month, we have been taking care of a crow that has one foot. he is still slightly young, and with this handicap would not likely make it in the wild. but recently, i have heard that it is illegal to keep them in captivity. is it or isnt it legal to keep a wild crow if it is injured?
it makes no sense that in america i can buy a hundred birds from other countries that are much more rare in the wild just by going to the mall but i cant get a pet bird that is all over america and not being wiped out from people taking them from the wild of poor countries and selling them in our malls
Crows do in fact talk. They are also tool users and very mischievous.
If you really want to have this as a pet, you WILL find a way to do that.. :) Fortunately, in my country (Lithuania) there is no such strict laws about the ravens, but if you are caught while trying to take a baby raven from the nest, you will be fined, of course. I want to have this bird as a pet, and also i am looking for opportunities to get one. I know few nests, where ravens "live", and sometimes go to observe them. In the life of these birds, it often happens, that from 5-6 eggs only 2-3 birds survive, often the rest is pushed out from the nest by stronger brothers and sisters.. that is natures's way to let only the strongest to survive.. birds who fall of the nest (if they are really too small) die from starve or other animals, so it is absolutely harmless to pick such bird and raise it. Two weeks before there were three birds in the nest, and yesterday i saw, that only two are left.. This time i was late.. but who knows, maybe one day i will be lucky :)
Dang! I'm just 18 and was wishing there was just a license to acquire like most rare animals i have had the opportunity to care for. Crows are amazingly smart although they do not talk they can learn more commands than a dog!