"Hey Otto," I say as I stand outside the Great Horned Owl's mew, just to let him know I'm there. I turn the key in the padlock and the metal rattles as I unlatch the door. I hear a hiss from inside and pause. Otto's hiss means that he's a little nervous so I wait a moment before continuing.
Once the door is open, Otto watches me carefully as I take a side step into the mew.
Hiss.
I pause.
Then shift my weight back away from him.
Food can reward any animal. But I can also reward a timid owl by leaving or giving him space. This approach-retreat tactic lets Otto tell me when to slow down - with a hiss - and gives him the power to make me go away - by being quiet. In theory, he will learn that staying calm is the best way to get what he wants: being left alone with his food.
I establish a sort of swaying dance, approaching and retreating, until I my left hand can reach the feeding platform. I reach for the cup of food.
Hiss.
He shifts his weight between his feet.
He looks quickly between me and the food cup.
I pause.
This time the hiss doesn't seem to mean, "go away." This hiss seems more like, "hurry up with the food already!" His eyes follow the food cup as I bring it toward the platform.
Hiss.
I pause.
Otto leans over his perch.
Click.
I tip the cup and let the mouse fall to the platform.
He dives down, gripping the mouse in his talons, and looks to me. He blinks and looks back at his meal. He grabs the mouse in his beak and tosses it back into his mouth. I can't help but smile at the goofy face he makes as he swallows it whole. He looks at his feet again, checking to see if there's more.
I slowly step out of the mew and close the door. Now that Otto is comfortable eating in front of me, I start planning the next stage of our training.
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