Indoor Mews-help?!

[nimure]

For the longest time I wanted the bird I flew to be a red-tailed, but I was reading the other day that one could keep a kestrel indoors, while a red-tailed would have to be kept outside.

I will be living in a pet-friendly condo for the next 4+ years, and really don't want to delay getting my falconry license anymore than I feel I have already (I wanted to start as soon as I was of age, but got sent off to boarding high school, and then college).

However, when it comes to keeping a kestrel indoors, I'm at a total loss. I've tried looking at other threads, and it would seem a lot of pictures have expired.

Is there anyone on here who would be so kind as to post an outline of a basic mews? I need something that would (obviously) pass inspection. I do have other pets (another bird, a cat, and I breed western hognose snakes) however, I do not believe they will harass the kestrel. The cat completely ignores the cockatiel and does not bother him. I don't believe she will bother the kestrel either.

However, she does like to sit on things. So I would have to fix the top of the mews so that she either couldn't get to it, or so that it wouldn't be comfortable to sit on. I'd like it to be portable so that I can move the kestrel onto our screened in porch, or back into the house depending on the weather.

Any advice is much appreciated!!!

[nanahawk]

That largest problem I see here is: to pass the inspection you need to have a mews large enough to meet regulations (most states is 8'x8'x8' regardless of bird flown( you don't get to request a inspection for a kestrel mews))and to have a weathering yard. Side note. The condo may be pet friendly,however these raptors by definition are not pets these are wild birds of prey, so how does the owner feel about keeping wild animals?

[nimure]

My dad is the owner of the condo. He won't care.

The one big issue I just realized, is that FL does not apparently allow apprentices to take on kestrels. So I'd have to go with a RTH or a RSH.

And I don't think any of those would fit inside a 2 bedroom condo, lol.

Maybe I can talk my dad into letting me use his backyard...

This is all I can find on the housing requirements for my state:

1. Outdoor (weathering) facilities shall be required and be fenced and covered with netting, wire or roof. The enclosed area shall be large enough to ensure the bird can not strike the fence when flying from a perch. Adequate perches and protection from excessive sun, wind and inclement weather shall be provided for each bird.
2. Indoor facilities or mews (optional) shall be large enough to allow easy access for caring for the raptors housed in a facility. If more than one raptor is to be kept in the mews, the raptors shall be tethered or separated by partitions and the area for each bird shall be large enough to allow the bird to fully extend its wings. There shall be at least one window protected by a grating spaced narrower than the width of the bird’s body and a secure door that can be easily closed. The floor of the mews shall permit easy cleaning and shall be well drained. Adequate perches shall be provided.

[Joby]

Jun 25, 2012 15:24:18 GMT -5 nimure said:

My dad is the owner of the condo. He won't care.

The one big issue I just realized, is that FL does not apparently allow apprentices to take on kestrels. So I'd have to go with a RTH or a RSH.

And I don't think any of those would fit inside a 2 bedroom condo, lol.

Maybe I can talk my dad into letting me use his backyard...

This is all I can find on the housing requirements for my state:

1. Outdoor (weathering) facilities shall be required and be fenced and covered with netting, wire or roof. The enclosed area shall be large enough to ensure the bird can not strike the fence when flying from a perch. Adequate perches and protection from excessive sun, wind and inclement weather shall be provided for each bird.
2. Indoor facilities or mews (optional) shall be large enough to allow easy access for caring for the raptors housed in a facility. If more than one raptor is to be kept in the mews, the raptors shall be tethered or separated by partitions and the area for each bird shall be large enough to allow the bird to fully extend its wings. There shall be at least one window protected by a grating spaced narrower than the width of the bird’s body and a secure door that can be easily closed. The floor of the mews shall permit easy cleaning and shall be well drained. Adequate perches shall be provided.

As long as your father's place is close enough by for you to get there easily every day, then it shouldn't be a problem. My current apprentice is currently doing something similar and it has worked out fine.

[nimure]

As long as your father's place is close enough by for you to get there easily every day, then it shouldn't be a problem. My current apprentice is currently doing something similar and it has worked out fine.

It would only be 10 minutes from my condo. But I'm not sure he will be okay with a mews in his backyard. Something he'd have to mow around, and he'd be pissed if it killed his grass.

That and he has tons of raccoons in his neighborhood. I'd be terrified of losing my bird to a raccoon. Even if the mews was perfectly safe, I'd still worry.

Would it be possible for an apprentice to go through their apprentice-ship and use one of their sponsor's birds instead of getting their own? Has anyone ever heard of a situation where a sponsor might let an apprentice keep their bird on the sponsor's property? I mean, I would pay whoever (my dad or hypothetical sponsor) for a place to keep my bird until I get my own house.

I'm just kinda frustrated right now. I've been dreaming of getting my license since I was a kid...and I had to keep putting it off and putting it off. I really don't want to have to put it off again for another 4-5 years.

Plus it seems like there are a lot more falconers in central FL (around the orlando area) and very very few in the south FL area (which is where I will probably be moving in 5+ years).

[nimure]

I'm not sure if this would work...but I will have a screen porch/balcony thing.

If I reinforced the inside with wire and wood etc. and it was still big enough to accommodate the RSH wingspan...maybe I could keep it on my porch? I don't think the porch would be wide enough for a RTH...but maybe a RSH? I won't know until I can get down there and measure it...which will be another month (we're still in AL and havent moved to FL yet).

[Joby]

Nope, you've got to have your own wild bird to train. Part of the process. Depending on how big your porch/patio/deck is, it might work. But you'd need a minimum of an 8x8' area. Why don't you talk your dad into letting you put a nice "shed" in his back yard. You'd use it for your bird until you moved to someplace where you could keep your bird and then he'd get a free shed. Give it a try!

[nimure]

Good news!!! Dad says I can house the bird in his backyard! As long as I take care of it, and he isn't expected to clean up after it. Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So now I gotta figure out how to build an outdoor mews, lol.

so excited! hehehe!

[Joby]

Congrats!! Where abouts do you live? There's lots of different designs that you'll find around here.

[nimure]

I'm currently in Auburn, AL for school, but will be moving to the Orlando area of FL.

Eric Edwards (I think that was his name), the man in charge of the Florida Falconry Association said I just need a "weathering" area and don't need a mews. I'm not really sure what all that entails. The books I have discuss indoor and outdoor housing, but when they're not talking about mews, they're referring to keeping the bird tethered on a perch outside.

[Joby]

That's easy then. Just get yourself a used 10x10' chain link dog kennel and put some wiring over the top to protect the bird from critters trying to climb over as well as burrying some more wire around the base of the weathering area to keep them from digging in. This is of course, if you'll be starting with a RT.

[nimure]

Yeah. I've always wanted an RT, but was gonna go with the kestrel until I found out you can't start with those in FL. Then I briefly considered an RS, but Edwards informed me that they were really bad birds for falconry, and I'd be better off with a RT. Which is what I originally wanted anyway, so no problems there, lol.

Thanks for the info! That will be cheaper and pretty easy to handle. Especially if I don't have to do too much construction wise.

[abu]

Jun 25, 2012 13:54:25 GMT -5 nimure said:

For the longest time I wanted the bird I flew to be a red-tailed, but I was reading the other day that one could keep a kestrel indoors, while a red-tailed would have to be kept outside.

I will be living in a pet-friendly condo for the next 4+ years, and really don't want to delay getting my falconry license anymore than I feel I have already (I wanted to start as soon as I was of age, but got sent off to boarding high school, and then college).

However, when it comes to keeping a kestrel indoors, I'm at a total loss. I've tried looking at other threads, and it would seem a lot of pictures have expired.

Is there anyone on here who would be so kind as to post an outline of a basic mews? I need something that would (obviously) pass inspection. I do have other pets (another bird, a cat, and I breed western hognose snakes) however, I do not believe they will harass the kestrel. The cat completely ignores the cockatiel and does not bother him. I don't believe she will bother the kestrel either.

However, she does like to sit on things. So I would have to fix the top of the mews so that she either couldn't get to it, or so that it wouldn't be comfortable to sit on. I'd like it to be portable so that I can move the kestrel onto our screened in porch, or back into the house depending on the weather.

Any advice is much appreciated!!!

Congrats! It seems like you got that resolved. Do you have pictures of the old mews? I am in a similar situation here as I will be moving from my parents' house and just passed my falconry exam

[gabe15]

Dec 12, 2018 21:29:25 GMT -5 abu said:

Jun 25, 2012 13:54:25 GMT -5 nimure said:

For the longest time I wanted the bird I flew to be a red-tailed, but I was reading the other day that one could keep a kestrel indoors, while a red-tailed would have to be kept outside.

I will be living in a pet-friendly condo for the next 4+ years, and really don't want to delay getting my falconry license anymore than I feel I have already (I wanted to start as soon as I was of age, but got sent off to boarding high school, and then college).

However, when it comes to keeping a kestrel indoors, I'm at a total loss. I've tried looking at other threads, and it would seem a lot of pictures have expired.

Is there anyone on here who would be so kind as to post an outline of a basic mews? I need something that would (obviously) pass inspection. I do have other pets (another bird, a cat, and I breed western hognose snakes) however, I do not believe they will harass the kestrel. The cat completely ignores the cockatiel and does not bother him. I don't believe she will bother the kestrel either.

However, she does like to sit on things. So I would have to fix the top of the mews so that she either couldn't get to it, or so that it wouldn't be comfortable to sit on. I'd like it to be portable so that I can move the kestrel onto our screened in porch, or back into the house depending on the weather.

Any advice is much appreciated!!!

Congrats! It seems like you got that resolved. Do you have pictures of the old mews? I am in a similar situation here as I will be moving from my parents' house and just passed my falconry exam

One pretty easy way to house a kestrel indoors is to make a shelf perch. If you google "shelf perch falconry" you'll be able to understand the general idea. 

[abu]

Dec 14, 2018 13:05:45 GMT -5 gabe15 said:

Dec 12, 2018 21:29:25 GMT -5 abu said:

Congrats! It seems like you got that resolved. Do you have pictures of the old mews? I am in a similar situation here as I will be moving from my parents' house and just passed my falconry exam

One pretty easy way to house a kestrel indoors is to make a shelf perch. If you google "shelf perch falconry" you'll be able to understand the general idea. 

Thanks. I have a 10x10 dog kennel, and want some ideas on different ways to modify it for a red tail