baby Hagrid
While working at a veterinary hospital, I was presented with a unique opportunity.
One of the doctors I worked with helped sick and injured animals at the local wildlife refuge and her expertise was with birds.
I have always been drawn to and intrigued by the corvid family so when one of the park officials brought in a raven, I was more than delighted. Edgar initially had a wing injury and later died of other complications. He unfortunately had to visit us often at the hospital during his illnesses. I was thrilled to have the chance to hold him and interact with him. I always had a pen in my ponytail at work and he loved to pull it out and play with it.
Not many people like ravens, being that they are large and imposing, I suppose. There are also the negative, morbid associations with these birds. But these intelligent creatures are a sign of wisdom and integrity in my eyes.
The park official was pleased that I was so interested and, to my pleasant surprise, a few months later he offered a proposition. A clutch of four ravens was born at the park on April 30. This was the third recorded birth in captivity in the world! I was presented with the honor of hand raising one of the chicks in an effort to increase the chance of survival for all four. I told “Mr. Ranger” that I had a friend who would be interested as well and so we planned to collect our babies a few days later. The naked ravens were so awkwardly delicate. At 3 days old, they were already the size of a small crow but their bodies were not proportioned. When they tried to sit up, their heavy head and large beak would plop them forward. What a gangly sight!
It was a typically chilly day in our northern state so we vigilantly bundled them up in fleece baby blankets and brought them home.
Our first task was to prepare food, which consisted of mice-skinned and cut in to bite size chunks. We received the mice frozen so had to let them sit out to thaw a bit before we began our dissections. I thought I was going to pass out form the horrid smell. With rubber gloves and heavy-duty scissors we reluctantly began the massacre. What did we get ourselves in to, I wondered. But, when the meal was ready and our little babies were screeching, mouth wide open, it was all worth it. Hagrid eagerly, albeit without pain, clamped on to my fingers as I guided the food down his throat. He would continue to gape open his mouth until he was full, then almost immediately he’d crash his heavy head onto the side of his box and peacefully sleep. He had to be fed every few hours so I would take him to work with me and keep him cozy and full in our incubator.
For the first couple weeks all he did was eat, poop, and sleep. I kept Hagrid in a blanket lined cat litter box with a heating pad underneath. He would instinctively position his large, pink bottom over the edge of the box to release his waste so I quickly learned to throw down an old sheet to catch the mess. I officially felt like a mom- laundry, feedings, bathing, laundry, sweet-talking, playing, and laundry.
Between mouse feedings, I experimented with different foods such as all natural canned dog food-he seemed to like beef the best, calf liver, and grapes. Grapes eventually became his all time favorite treat.