Are you one of those people who love to own uncommon pets? Have you always thought about owning a pet raven? If yes, you have come to the right plan. We talk about everything you need to know about having ravens as pets in this article. Can you own ravens as pets? Well, the simple answer to this question is that you cannot, as per the law. However, you can still own them, if you have a special permit.
Here, we will tell you more about keeping ravens as pets and some things to remember in this process.
Where Do Ravens Live In The Wild?
Unlike other pets, ravens cannot be easily domesticated, as their natural habitat is in the wild. You can find the common raven (also known as a western or northern raven in some countries) mostly in the Northern Hemisphere.
They are one of the most popular corvid species, and for all these years, they have co-existed with humans in perfect harmony. The sub-species of ravens are as follows. You can guess where they live with their names!
- Eurasian Ravens
- Icelandic Ravens
- South Eurasian Ravens
- North African Ravens
- Tibetan Ravens
- Kamchatkan Ravens
- Northern Ravens
- Western Ravens
How To Attract Crows And Ravens To Your Backyard?
How do you attract a raven or crow that lives in the wild into your backyard? One of the best facts about these birds is that they eat almost anything. So, there can be nothing better than food to attract them to your backyard.
Spread some easy-to-see food particles like nuts or wafers across your backyard, and wait for them to come and peck at the food in large numbers! Once you start doing this, you don’t have to worry about attracting them anymore; they will become regular visitors to your backyard. You only need to remember to feed them daily at the same time to ensure they keep visiting your place.
Can I Own A Raven As Per Law?
Now, this is one of the first questions that you may have in your mind, before thinking of owning ravens as pets. You cannot own a native species of raven or crow in the USA. However, don’t lose heart. You can get a raven as a pet if you follow two conditions.
Firstly, you need to get a special Pet Raven Permit from the authorities to get home a common raven. Secondly, the raven you own should be non-native to the USA or purchased from abroad. It might be noteworthy to tell you that non-native or foreign-breed ravens are costlier than their native counterparts. We will tell more about the price of a pet raven in the later sections.
Crows/Ravens As Pets – Most Important Things To Watch Out For
By now, you might have already known that pet ravens are not easy to manage like other pets, purely because they cannot be domesticated easily. If you are still interested in getting one home, here are some points you should remember always:
Wild In Nature
Ravens are wild birds by nature; therefore, it is almost impossible for you to domesticate an adult raven. The best option for you would be to get a baby raven and train it to be a pet. This way, you can train the baby in various categories like diet, space, and more.
A Sharp And Nasty Bite
Ravens can grow up to 63cm in length, and they weigh up to 1.2kg. Since they are one of the largest birds amongst the corvids, their beak is in proportion to their size. They can be very aggressive; therefore, don’t be surprised when you get a nasty bite from them when you hold them. Their pecks are not that soft, after all!
Makes A Lot Of Noise
Ravens and crows are generally quite noisy. When you want to get ravens as pets, you should be prepared for their loud, sharp calls. If you have neighbors living close by, these noises can disturb them. Usually, ravens call out to their friends or relatives to enjoy food together.
Curious And Intelligent
You should never keep a raven in a cage, as it can make the bird quite aggressive. Ravens are very intelligent, curious, and aggressive creatures. Having a proper outdoor location for them is very important. If you don’t protect the space properly, ravens can easily fly out from there.
Also, never make the mistake of letting ravens indoors. They are attracted to all things shiny. So they can pick up your jewelry or valuables, and drop them anywhere they like. They can climb over closets and cupboards and scatter things around your homes.
Demands A Lot Of Space
Ravens are very active birds; therefore, you need a huge outdoor aviary to keep them occupied. They are known for flying and jumping long distances. So, unless you have a huge outdoor area, or a field dedicated exclusively to ravens, you cannot bring them home as pets.
Since they are highly intelligent, you cannot keep them caged inside a small area for a long time. If you do so, it will affect their health, and shorten their lifespan eventually.
Crows vs Ravens – What Is The Difference?
Many people think that crows and ravens are the same, and they use these terms interchangeably. However, that’s not the case. Though they belong to the same group of corvids, here are some differences between these two types of birds:
- Voice – While a raven’s voice is loud like a scream, the crow’s voice is softer with a cawing sound.
- Appearance – The beak of the ravens are bigger and curvier than the crows. Also, the bristles found below the beaks are longer for ravens. Ravens have a wedge-shaped tail, while the tails of crows are round and fan-shaped.
- Flying – While crows flap a lot while flying, ravens just soar stylishly. They fly at far higher levels than crows.
- On the ground – While crows generally walk, ravens walk and hop intermittently.
Some FAQs Regarding Having Ravens As Pets
If you plan to bring home ravens as pets, you may have many questions running in your mind. Here, we have collated some of the most common pet raven-related FAQs to help you.
How Much Does A Pet Raven Cost?
It would cost you anywhere between $2000 and $6000 to own a pet raven. However, since you can own only non-native corvids, you should pay for international shipping as well.
How Long Do Ravens And Crows Live For?
Common ravens and crows can live up to 10 to 15 years; however, they can live for more than 25 years in the wild.
Can Ravens Talk? Are They Really Smart?
Though they are not as good as trained military parrots, pet ravens can talk! Surprised, aren’t you? You can train them to mimic certain words and sounds.
You can train them to ask for their food. Remember, we told you they are intelligent! They learn quickly, and you will be thrilled to hear your pet raven calling out for you when they are hungry.
How Safe Is It to Have Pet Ravens When You Have Kids At Home (considering they are aggressive birds)?
Yes, they are aggressive and active, but ravens are also smart and intelligent. When you bring home a pet raven when it is a baby, you can domesticate the bird as much as possible. That way, you can be sure that these birds are safe to be kept at home.
Also, always ensure that they are kept in the outdoor aviary only, as they can create a mess in your house when let inside. Do not let pet ravens inside your home, especially when you have other pets or kids living with you.
Is It Possible To Get A Permit To Have A Raven As A Pet?
Yes, you can get a special raven pet permit provided you decide to own a non-native raven species.
What Is The Process For Adopting A Pet Raven Or Crow?
You can adopt a pet raven or crow only in the USA, only if you are a licensed rehabilitator, or have a license to speak about these birds and spread awareness about them among the public.
What Do Ravens Or Crows Feed On?
Ravens and crows can feed on almost anything like vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, meat, and other edible items. Since they are omnivores, they are not very fussy about their diet. All you need to remember is to give pet ravens a well-balanced diet so that they stay active and healthy.
Can Ravens Or Crows Be Kept In Cages?
Not at all! They are very active, curious, and smart. So, never make the mistake of caging them. It will affect their mental and physical health. They may fall ill soon this way. Always keep them in big-sized outdoor aviaries in a large field, so that they have enough space to jump and hop about.
What Is The Process Of Catching A Raven?
Even if you don’t want to own a pet raven, you can lure it to your garden by spreading out large chunks of food items in your yard. These foods could be preferably big-sized nuts (like peanuts) or grains. Ensure you leave behind a lot of them, and you will a group of ravens rushing to your yard to relish them.
Ravens As Pets – Our Final Words
Unlike other pets, ravens cannot be domesticated easily unless you bring them home as a baby. They demand a lot of attention and space.
So, if you have a large field lying unused near your house or enough space to set up a big outdoor aviary near your house, you can definitely consider growing ravens as pets.
They are smart and very intelligent birds that love their freedom too much. Get them home if you are up for a challenge!