Sam the Raven has a Treasure and gets into Trouble

I'm done putting up with jerks. All comments must be approved now. Please read the description, feel free to ask questions, but don't be a dick about it.
The 'string' on his legs is not 'tied' to him, nor 'tying his legs together'. Sam wears leather anklets and I use a light weight cotton twine for jesses - just like falconry birds do, and for the same reasons. Same kind of reasons that one should keep a collar and leash on their dog when they are out.
Sam's not just a turdburd when he's unsupervised. He can be a turdbukkit when I'm keeping an eye on him too!
Sam is a hybrid raven, purchased from a breeder, and legal as a pet. He is a mix of white-necked raven (Corvus albicollis) and common raven (Corvus corax). Their ranges do not overlap in the wild, but they are closely enough related to interbreed when paired up by humans. As hybrid, he must NEVER be released. As raised fully by humans, it would be a death sentence for him. He doesn't know how to raven.

[@soylentgreenb]

Cute, but it's got the destructive potential of a flying toddler with a temper tantrum.

[@TNHawke]

"Flying toddler with a steak knife" is how I hear another raven owner describe it! XD

[@ValenNitto]

soylentgreenb I love Ravens, hopefully I can befriend some without looking like a crazy guy lol they're so interesting and intelligent.

[@wolfraven2671]

Ben Valenzuela same the raven is actually my spirit animal guide

[@fauvecorrigan1233]

I love how he sstops what he's doing and flatten his feathers and obeys in a submissive manner. Do you still have him?

[@TNHawke]

"submissive" HA! There was nothing submissive about it. The key to training ravens is making them think that doing/ not doing a thing is their idea. Also, time outs back in the cage when he does things he shouldn't anyways. "You can choose to do the thing, and then go sit in your cage, or you can choose to do something else... like be adorable and make me love on you." Yes, I still have Sam, he just turned 7 years old last month!

[@TheLudeness]

Ravens are so cool they're like pliers with a personality.

[@TNHawke]

+TheLudeness HA! That's good! Needle nose pliers, with wire cutters at the tips.

[@shinobusora]

I have officially subscribed for more of Sam's antics. He's a beautiful bird. Ravens and crows are actually my favorite bird species, so it's quite interesting to see how one does as a pet. He seems like a very happy, very loving little hellion. Sometimes I get the feeling that he's looking at you like "Mom, look what I have!" or "What? I didn't do anything wrong. You love me. See how cute I am?"

[@TNHawke]

DarkSpiritMorrigan Thank you, hopefully I'll get a new camera soon and an start taking more videos. You've described him perfectly!

[@cameliad3522]

DarkSpiritMorrigan with those sounds he makes around 1:40 he must say things u mentioned in your last sentence. ;D

[@Airsoftcleaner]

+TN Hawke As him who his favorite NFL Team is HEHEHE!!!

[@TNHawke]

Airsoftcleaner *eyeroll*

[@birdbro6776]

"Don't eat the seal on the refrigerator!" *Ugh* "Don't eat the carpet!" *UGH* ".........sure have some dog food." *SCORE.....time to peck stuff.*

[@TNHawke]

HA HA HA!

[@Feraloidies]

I love his expression when you say "hey, NO!" Like "I can do what I want!"

[@TNHawke]

Absolutely!

[@TNHawke]

***** LOTS! lots of 'rawk!' and 'kraw?" and kind of a rising gurgle, and sometimes "KAW!" And then the sound of me yawning, or burping, and a lot of words and phrases i've taught him, such as "Meow" and 'BARK BARK BARK!" and "Hi" and "WHAT?!" and "It's a crow" or "there's a crow" and "oh, crow" and "what is it" and "doo wop doo wop... HOP!" (extra internet points if you get that reference, lol!)

[@begaydodrugshailsatan]

I really love these videos. I am currently writing a fantasy novel that has several ravens involved throughout, and watching these videos of Sam is really helping me understand their personality and behaviors!

[@TNHawke]

Nice! Let me know if you have any specific questions.

[@jamesvasel5632]

Quality videography and great audio. "don't eat the carpet" first time I've heard those words together.

[@lynnevogelsang4907]

Beautiful birds,those Ravens! Would love to have one as a family member!

[@TNHawke]

Jon Hoy Grackles. They are cool too. I've only seen one in my area, we're right at the very northern edge of their range, but I did see more when I was back east many years ago.

[@TNHawke]

Lots of work, but so worth it!

[@matiidesign]

TN Hawke how did you get Sam?

[@snakequeen2128]

I have always loved raven and Sam is a very handsome raven.

[@TNHawke]

@shannon Staudt - The answer to the leg ties is in the description- they are simple cotton jesses, like used in falconry. They're to help get, and keep, hold of him when necessary. I do not clip his wings at all, but he doesn't fly much. They are much better at flying and fluttering than climbing. They can't use a vertical cage like a parrot can.

[@billshull9468]

Yep , if ever outside a breeze could cause them to really go flying when you don't want them to.

[@TNHawke]

Bill Shull Exactly.

[@TNHawke]

***** I'm not sure of the name, but yes, parrots have two in front and two in back.. ravens have three in front and one in back.

[@ellen7930]

Zygodactyl?

[@TNHawke]

LnTails zygodactyl is the technical term for the arrangement of toes with two forward and two back. Most (all?) parrots have feet like this, many owls do, and I think all woodpeckers do, as do osprey. There's probably more. Sam, and other 'perching' birds are Anisodactyl- 3 in front, 1 in back.

[@leannezezeski-sass2773]

They’re so human. They definitely have a different way of communicating than we do but they understand. Having a pet raven must feel alot like having a young child in your house

[@TNHawke]

Very much so. A naughty toddler who looks you in the eye while breaking a rule to see what you'll do about it!

[@HonkTheMusic]

I like the sound his wings make when they flap

[@TNHawke]

It's a cool sound.

[@owenw.1643]

he sounds like a kazoo i love it

[@TNHawke]

HA HA HA!

[@HonkTheMusic]

TN Hawke birds are cool

[@tek512]

Angry kazoo.

[@TNHawke]

lol

[@svenbrown8503]

MOBILE KAZOO

[@PoetMountain]

What a character this Raven is. Funny.

[@Darthbelal]

Before anyone gets any bright ideas, birds ARE high maintenance pets. The parrot and crow family even more so due to their high intelligence (they can compete with chimpanzees and dolphins in that regard). While they CAN be wonderful pets and companions, it takes time patience and know-how and an EVERYDAY commitment to meet all the needs of these fascinating animals.

[@TNHawke]

+Darth Belal Exactly! And that is why I post vids of Sam at his worst, as well as this normal, every day video, and some of him at his best.

[@FusionDeveloper]

+Darth Belal That is why I need to find a friend who has a crow or raven as a pet and then I can just visit.

[@TNHawke]

Jay H Ha ha! Sometimes, that is the best method. You could also look into volunteering at a local wildlife rescue. Especially this time of year, they need hands to fill shifts to feed baby birds. It was in doing rehab that I discovered a love for corvids.

[@FusionDeveloper]

+TN Hawke Ironically, I don't like birds (or maybe I didn't, but now I am in denial?)... ... ... but crows and ravens are awesome, even though they are birds. I have tried many times to befriend local crows, but they all keep their distance from me and any time I do something to try to get their attention, they fly away. I befriended a boat-tail grackle (thinking it was a crow) and then I found out it wasn't a crow. Since I only care about crows, I was (logically) going to stop giving any attention to grackles. However, I am unable to lose interest in him. The male grackles are solid black, but have some blue/purple coloring on their head/shoulders which is beautiful. When a male grackle gets excited to see me and starts chirping and flying or walking over to me and follows me if I walk away, it is a feeling that you can't explain. It also makes me feel like I have some power/control over it that nobody else has. Maybe it would be like if you saw an incredibly attractive girl/guy for the first time and you didn't react, but when they saw you and got all happy and came over and hugged you and started telling you how wonderful you are, maybe that is similar to what it is like. It makes you feel like you are suddenly the most important person in the world and everyone loves you. This feeling is nothing like being friends with someone else's dog and going to visit and the dog goes crazy when it sees you. Maybe it is because I expect that from dogs because that is how dogs always react. I guess I could grow fond of many kinds of birds that would react this same way towards me. I would LOVE to volunteer at a local wildlife rescue place because I like many land creatures (even bugs). Unfortunately, I have a job and I work as hard as I can, which exhausts me. I don't know if there is a local place, but I know there is "animal control" around here (probably a requirement for everywhere) which may be the same thing. I should probably just aim to volunteer 1 time for a very short amount of time and decide what to do after that, rather than over-complicating it by trying to decide on a schedule. I think it would help me feel better about myself if I was able to volunteer even just 1 day to help animals/creatures. I wanted to see if I could volunteer at a pet store, but I did research online and it says you can't volunteer work at any "for profit" business. I know you can volunteer at a zoo, but zoo's are very far away from me, so the animal rescue might be the solution. Thanks for letting me know about this. Also, your raven is AWESOME! (I am known for typing huge amounts of words in messages, sorry if it's too much.)

[@TNHawke]

Jay H Ha ha! No worries. I'm a novelist myself. Try googling "Wildlife Rescue" and your town or county/ township and see what comes up. Animal Control is generally a paid position, and sometimes is even a division of the police department. You could always volunteer at your local animal shelter. Our Animal Control is affiliated with the pound, so it's a good step up into getting into that kind of job. That is SO AWESOME that you befriended the grackles. I've only ever seen 1 around here. Twin Falls, ID is at the very far north of their range. I've forgotten if it was a boat-tailed, or great-tailed or what. You might find that you like birds more if you put up a feeder and start working on identifying the birds that come to visit. Just be sure to use a good quality food. One that is mostly filler (little red ball looking seeds) won't attract anything. I've even had unique individual birds visit- like a house finch that was mostly white! Then, once in a while, a hawk would come to try to prey on the birds at the feeder. I always root for the hawk!

[@TheWanderingMaster]

he looks like a sweet heart, I know birds can be a lot of work but i bet your Sam is worth all of it.

[@TNHawke]

Absolutely!

[@doktorassistedhomicide6056]

Other ravens talk, but yours just goes "MMM. MMM. HM, MMMM. MMMMMMMM."

[@TNHawke]

Sam does talk. He makes a wide range of sounds, and mimics me quite a bit. He just wasn't doing it in this video. There are others posted of him talking about crows.

[@birdcamhighlights5414]

He's a very beautiful boy and so silly! You must have lots of fun with him.

[@TNHawke]

I do. He's usually a good bird.

[@OptiJams]

One man's trash is a raven's treasure, I suppose

[@TNHawke]

Yup!

[@Cara-39]

They're so mischievous and he knows exactly how to get your attention!

[@TNHawke]

Absolutely. Just like a little kid!

[@ablvyn]

Stop eating the fridge *bangs head against wall as hard as possible*

[@NoxSacera]

He is so cute! I love how he comes to you and "answers" to you

[@TNHawke]

yup, he's quite interactive.

[@stinkertonsden]

Aww, what a cutie!! Hes adorable.

[@RealStuntPanda]

Ravens are like really smart stupid kids.

[@aximila123]

corvids are honestly some of the nicest pets I love this handsome lad

[@dawnhassler7109]

Awww, his beg is by far one of the cutest things ever!!

[@TNHawke]

Yeah, that's a carryover from baby bird behavior, begging parents for food. He begs for food, toys and luvins that way. I encourage it, unlike parent birds who start to ignore the behavior.

[@dawnhassler7109]

I would encourage it too, he is too stinking cute not to:) Does he get in little lovable affection moods between his mischief? How old is he?

[@TNHawke]

Absolutely. Sometimes he just wants to sit on the back of my chair and be close to me, or get neck scritchies to 'preen' where he can't reach. Sam just turned 4 years old last March, and I'll have had him for 4 years next month.

[@dawnhassler7109]

Well he is quite the charmer:) I look forward to seeing more of him in the future.

[@TNHawke]

If you haven't already, take a look at my other videos of him.

[@reginasaveholmolsson8057]

The begging behavior is soo adorable. The jackdaw i raised did the same thing, even years later as an adult he would occasionally come back and beg for treats. (He left us once fully fledged, but stayed in the area his entire life and would occasionally come visit, say "hello" beg for food, get scratched, teach his kids that they could get easy food from us).

[@TNHawke]

That's awesome. I've done legal wild bird rehabilitation before, and some would keep coming back through the summer, and most would stay in the neighborhood, but ... I guess you could say I was successful, in that once they were self sufficient, they didn't return. That said, my first releasable crow, grew up thinking he was a magpie. I had 8 magpies and 2 crows that year, 1 crow was unreleasable and didn't hang out with the 'pies because he was younger and needed extra TLC (broken wing, broken leg, blind in one eye, never grew his flight feathers back in on one side due to scar tissue, he'd been hit by a car, and two of the magpies were unreleasable, broken winged adults, they weren't very nice) anyways... 6 baby magpies and 1 baby crow grew up together. One day, the crow, Kaw, and one of the magpies, Sean, were sitting on a telephone wire, the other magpies were nearby. Another crow comes over and looks at Kaw, there was a bit of discussion, Kaw looks at Sean, who says something, and the other crow looked DISGUSTED and flew off. I like to think the conversation went something like this: Crow- Dude! Why are you hanging out with these filthy magpies? Kaw- What do you mean? I AM a magpie. Crow- Uhhh... You're a crow. Kaw- "No I'm not. Sean! I'm a magpie right?" Sean- "Duh. Of course you are, my large, black brother." Kaw- "See?" Crow- "Oh for crying out loud... UGH!" Leaves. About 3 years later, several miles from home, long after I'd last seen this group. I encountered a group of nearly a dozen magpies... and 1 crow. I like to think it was Kaw, his 'siblings', and their families.

[@reginasaveholmolsson8057]

We were a bit concerned at first when he didn't leave the area but in the fall he joined the big flocks and headed south with them. The next year he was back (was easy to recognize due to missing one toe on the left foot and half a toe on the right foot after getting stuck in a piece of plastic net, which was why we took care of him in the first place, had some nasty infections and ended up losing the toe, but we managed to keep him alive). He kept coming back for 8 years.

[@TNHawke]

That sounds like a perfect rehab case. Glad you were able to save him. That's awesome that he survived and lived so long after. Great to hear!

[@turgeo2004]

did you train him to only poop in a certain spot? Thing with birds is I love them, would love to have one, but am afraid they poop just about anywhere unless trained to use a special spot like a cat and litter box.

[@hex8787]

My bird sleeps with me every night. She poops when I'm near the cage to signify she wants to come out. If she has to poop in the middle of the night she walks up to my pillow and lays her head next to me. She's an ekkie.

[@TNHawke]

... why did I never comment in response to this? Sorry about that! I have heard of people successfully potty training birds. I, personally, have had no luck with it. But generally, Sam will poop in his cage prior to being allowed out, and then I put him back about every 40 minutes for a potty break- much like I do with the puppy! - as long as he doesn't get frightened or stressed and instinctively 'jettison some weight', he doesn't poop all over the house. Unsupervised out of cage time is a whole different story.

[@TNHawke]

Besides the fact that I have cats and dogs who already share my bed, I would be afraid to sleep with a bird. They are fragile, and I sometimes toss and turn. Bird wouldn't get very good sleep in any event.

[@Thulgore]

I've always absolutely adored ravens. All the corvids but ravens are a different thing all together imo. I have seen ravens do stuff that never gets talked about in any documentary on intelligence. Things where I genuinely wonder how much more they know then perhaps even we do. I don't know how to properly describe it.

[@yeshazion4098]

he's ADORABLE.!!!!🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@whatscuterthanajigglypuff9357]

1:07 savage

[@TNHawke]

+Whatscuterthanajigglypuff Lol.

[@TNHawke]

***** K? What ever gets your rocks off, dude.

[@VCthaGOATdunker]

I love watching them think, you can tell how intelligent they are.

[@TNHawke]

And this is just goofing around, not even really displaying his smarts.

[@audreyn1996]

ngh ngh ngh ngh

[@lkcampbell9795]

They are so smart. And beautiful.

[@frontlinefishys5196]

He's so cute!

[@adriannaellena3654]

i love this very smart bird!

[@bilgemill]

he's so precious!!

[@jamesgrey1227]

He's trying to put the treasure into the fridge. Let him do it you silly tart!

[@TNHawke]

Lol!

[@kath692]

I giggled so hard at this video. Thanks for sharing this awesome creature.

[@TNHawke]

+Kat H You're welcome!

[@kath692]

Do you mind if I ask what he was doing with your finger at the end? :) I'm not familiar with bird behavior.

[@TNHawke]

Kat H Corvids hold beaks like humans hold hands. He's saying "I love you" in raven.

[@kath692]

That is so cute! It must be so funny watching him flutter around the house, doing random raven things.

[@TNHawke]

Kat H Mostly he just walks around the house. Which is good. That 3 foot wingspan can be deadly!

[@eschwarz1003]

He's smart and knows where the good food is stashed

[@TNHawke]

I used to deny that, but now that I have a deep freeze on the back porch, and he can see it from his outdoor pen, he gets all excited when I open it up, because he's hoping for a treat. Never mind that it has to thaw out, so he usually doesn't get it until the next day. But he's so smart, that he KNOWS that's where it comes from!

[@TubeYouGuy]

Awesome. He's beautiful

[@animalobsessed1]

Gawd, this is the most adorable animal ever. I hope to be able to own some kind of corvid(s) at some point in the future, but it won't be any time soon (if ever). They are amazing.

[@TNHawke]

Knowing your limits is key with any bird.

[@JohnDrakeMI6]

I have seen this behavior before and "Sam" is trying to find a place to hide his food or toys.Or,...he is hungry and knows where the food is in the Fridge and cupboard. Cool Raven!

[@TNHawke]

Mostly just trying to find a place to cache stuff. Or find out if it was nailed down, and if not, he could take it and make it his.

[@shanesmith4530]

He's a handsome bird. Ravens feathers are so glossy, looks awesome :D

[@TNHawke]

+Shane Smith Thank you! I do work hard to make sure he gets fed and exercised and bathed to keep him that way.

[@semperfidelis2970]

My heart is melting.

[@chickenshooray9673]

Omg that bird is so cute, I have wanted a raven for a long time.

[@TNHawke]

Make sure you watch the videos of him at his worst.

[@MelancholyRose]

Those soft honking sounds he's making are just adorable.

[@TNHawke]

I always thought of it as quiet kaws, not honks! LOL!

[@boiledegghole7976]

This innocent lil black floof

[@jastorals8522]

When Sam begs it's so cute

[@TNHawke]

Oh yes, and he knows it and uses it to his full advantage.

[@overlordchungus3994]

Lol. That's basically a derpy little tornado. I kinda want one. Then again, I kind of don't want to be outsmarted by my pet.

[@TNHawke]

Marilyn Brown ROFL! I love it!

[@redwoodalchan]

He seems to be very easily amused.

[@Leathurkatt]

I have a friend who has a Sun Conure and a Quaker Parrot. He's functionally blind and his birds have learned (apparently on their own, which has been reinforced) to go to something he's trying to find and call to him to lead him to what he's searching for, like the house keys for example. "Where are my keys?" "Squawk Squawk!" "Oh, there they are." He's looking into training them as seeing eye birds. Ravens are smart enough, I wonder if they can be similarly trained?

[@TNHawke]

That's freaking awesomely amazing! I know ravens can be trained to perform specific actions. I saw a demonstration once where a raven would find soda cans and drop them into the recycle bin. Sam knows a few commands, like "Cage" and "Step Up". I haven't found a reward that he likes well enough to work on training other actions successfully.

[@Leathurkatt]

It'll take time and love I'm sure, but you clearly have love and patience for him in spades, so I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually.

[@lindsay9992]

I love the Raven. It's my favourite bird.

[@TNHawke]

Oddly, ravens are not my favorite bird. They are kind of mid-range on my 'favorite' scale. But Sam is my favorite pet bird. Wouldn't trade him for the world.

[@lindsay9992]

TN Hawke He is gorgeous, bless him.

[@owlpip8992]

what a handsome dog!!

[@TNHawke]

Thanks!

[@jhettgreene8994]

1:08 That last little peck after he gets scolded XD Like something out of a cartoon :P

[@TNHawke]

Yeah. That or a kid going through "The Terrible Twos"

[@jhettgreene8994]

TN Hawke Indeed XP

[@MattFrost224]

0:56 It's kind of funny how Sam turns his head upside down like that. :)

[@TNHawke]

He was looking at the underside of the cabinets, seeing if there was a hole he could stash his treasure in. But he often tips his head back and gets 'a new view of the world'. lol.

[@MattFrost224]

Oh I see. I thought it was so he could get a better grip on that plastic with his beak. ^^;

[@velveetaenthusiast]

he's very proud

[@TNHawke]

Not sure if 'proud', definitely has no shame.

[@backwoodsjunkie08]

hes so fukin cute!!!!!!!

[@naniengine]

He's adorable when he's begging and saying "I love you"!

[@TNHawke]

+Nanien Yeah, he is.

[@FusionDeveloper]

That constant muffled sound still makes me smile and laugh at the adorableness. It also reminds me of the Family Guy skit where Stewie kept saying "mom" over and over, because it sort of sounds like Sam is saying "mom" some of those times. Watching Sam at 0.5x speed let's you notice more things. It seem like Sam responds to your scolding. When you tell Sam to not eat the carpet, Sam takes 1 little last bite and shakes his head. When you tell Sam to not eat the fridge seal, he puffs up. Maybe Sam came over to say he was sorry and still loves you and wanted to make sure you forgive him. Even if none of this isn't true, it was still fun to think up this story. I love inventing ideas and designs (even if they lead to me actually doing anything beyond thinking) so I feel like if I had a raven or crow, I would want to design complex hiding places for it to hide stuff, and maybe had an electric keyboard and a sound recorder/playback that it could play with if it wanted. I'm sure I would end up having a lot of junk the bird wouldn't care about, in hopes it would someday care about it. Also, I bought this necklace of a crow: i.imgur.com/DlkEcVg.jpg

[@TNHawke]

+Jay H Your half speed attention to detail is very good! He absolutely does respond to everything, even in little ways. I do make toys and hidey holes for him, and find toys small enough for him to tuck away. He enjoys noisy, electronic baby toys, and I trade out his toys frequently so he's always got something 'new' and different to play with.

[@termin8953]

This just goes to show how smart these birds are, he clearly was trying to hide that drink lid, it's why he tried to go after the seal on the fridge and then peck at the space between the fridge and the cupboard, he was just trying to make a space for it to fit

[@TNHawke]

+Termin Hamster ball lid, but yup. That's exactly what he was trying to do.

[@markhampson3166]

Awesome n strangely endearing critter

[@TNHawke]

He is.

[@carleeboulais2269]

1:06 Sam is just like "I do what it want!"

[@TNHawke]

He's like that a lot.

[@tjw9985]

What a sweetie. I like ravens and their sneaky sense of humor.

[@TNHawke]

+Theresa Warburton Oh yeah. That's probably their best quality!

[@grindcoreninja6527]

He's like "Bird, where"?!

[@rayzecor]

There's another KZbinr with a raven that's also named Sam, but it's a white necked raven.

[@TNHawke]

Yeah, Peter Caine. He's a dick. It makes me mad that we both have a Sam. My Sam is better. lol.

[@sophieb3035]

I love Ravens. Thank you for sharing. Please post more.

[@TNHawke]

Sophie Meeoun My camera is crapping out on me, but I get them when I can.

[@SeaWitchinSeattle]

Subscribed!! Can't handle the cuteness!

[@TNHawke]

Captain Mana Awesome, thank you. Hopefully I'll get my hands on a working camera soon and I'll be able to add more!

[@TNHawke]

Captain Mana Thank you! I appreciate well thought out comments from folks who aren't just trolling.

[@dfcb11]

is that what he did in the end an actual demonstration of love?

[@TNHawke]

Yes! "beak holding" translates to "finger holding" and is basically Corvid for "I love you"

[@UnclePutte]

Does he "nevermore" you often if you tell him to stop doin' something?

[@TNHawke]

He's actually fairly well behaved. I do frequently have to tell him things twice. Like, he still has to make sure I actually MEAN it, but he doesn't like that he goes to a time out in his cage if he keeps at it. Also, he's 7 now, more mature, still a punk, but less of a brat. lol.

[@UnclePutte]

Well, at least you're proving Poe wrong. Ravens ain't depressin'~

[@TNHawke]

Lol. Definitely not.

[@arbiterninja7600]

What a wonderful (yet troublesome) boy!

[@MsPokegirl]

Sam: *Beats on cabinet* Owner: "hey! Sam!" Sam: *Looks at you*...*Beats on cabinet again* #REBEL

[@TNHawke]

+December Scales Yup. Exactly. He's a poo.

[@KateDixon2112]

If you leave home (vacation) where would the raven go? Can a pet care center care for them, or does a friend come to your house to watch him?

[@TNHawke]

I haven't had much opportunity to travel since I acquired Sam, but I have gone camping with him and my dogs. We do go on day trips and hikes regularly, so travel is nothing new for him. If it was something that he could not come with me, I would have a family member take care of him. It would definitely have to be someone that Sam is at least familiar with, otherwise it would take an already stressful situation and make it so much worse, for him, and then for the caregiver, because he will act out, possibly attack and likely try to escape.

[@avs2534]

why does he have strings on his feet?

[@AA-kj7dx]

I can't get over how cute he is!!

[@TNHawke]

*grins*

[@silviealjandli4022]

Your raven is so beautiful

[@KokuRou]

I kinda have one, though she's not kept inside the house. Instead? She hangs by my window and wakes me up at 6morning loud as shit. Not banging the window but just yelling at me. Crow, not a raven. She follows me everywhere though so i admit theyre really cool and VERY smart

[@TNHawke]

Lol, the joys of imprinted corvids! There was a crazy crow who would follow me and make the mob call for a couple of years. The first few times, the others would assemble, but then see that I was just walking to or from the bus stop and give up. For two years he would yell at me all on his own. I have no idea what I did to offend him!

[@enderman338]

lucky

[@sakura9949]

I made an inhuman noise when Sam begged for love.

[@TNHawke]

sakura9949 LOL! "inhuman", was it a raven sound?

[@1972Gargoyle]

He's so naughty, but so awesome :) Oh how we love these little monsters :)

[@TNHawke]

+1972Gargoyle Yup yup!

[@nijibloom4379]

when you put your finger in his mouth was that a symbol of affection,I'm guessing it is but I would still like a little detail because it's interesting

[@DogMechanic]

>-> That sound he makes is adorbz.

[@TNHawke]

DogMechanic Ha! Yeah, adorable sounds and no screaming was one of my top reasons for getting a raven for a pet, rather than any kind of parrot.

[@DogMechanic]

I'm honestly not that much of a bird person (haven't met one that didn't bite the hell out of me), but crows and ravens definitely seem to be somewhat different from a typical house bird.

[@TNHawke]

DogMechanic Oh, make no mistake, Sam'll bite the hell out of people too! The thing is, birds don't like strangers, or even people who aren't their special bonded person, although they may tolerate other members of their 'flock'. Bird body language is very different from mammal body language, so it's sadly common for them to be telling us "hey! Piss off!" and we ignore it, and that leads to a bite when the bird feels it has no other option. Pet corvids probably aren't so different, but they aren't really an impulse purchase, so the people who get them have generally done a lot of research and know what they are getting into before they bring one home.

[@DogMechanic]

Even ones that have been friendly with strangers bite me. I really don't know what it is about me, they just really hate my guts. That being said, I probably didn't communicate what I meant well; I wasn't trying to imply they wouldn't bite. What I meant was, it would probably still bite me (because all birds do), but I would be more willing to tolerate it sans the screaming and screeching. Corvids are really intelligent even compared to the intelligent parrots, so I could deal with being bitten to see that intelligence in person. I have worked with a lot of species of animals, but since they bite me so much, I haven't gotten to work with birds. It just occurred to me how funny ^ that statement would sound to anyone that knows me, given that some of those species were large predatory cats who could dismember me at a whim.

[@TNHawke]

DogMechanic Nice! It could be the way you're looking at them, talking to them- tone of voice, words and the way they sound, posture, and not knowing what their language is saying back. I would recommend finding someone who knows their bird's body language really well and can help your interactions before you commit to a pet bird. What kinds of cats have you been with?

[@meeks6798]

Your videos make me so happy. I hope to one day be in a position that I can care for a raven, but until then I'm happy just watching :)

[@TNHawke]

that is awesome. The world needs more people like you.

[@TheLauraMarieT2]

🌟he's adorable! ...you have the patience of a Saint! ✨

[@drrhousley]

Do you still have him ? Please post more videos of him

[@TNHawke]

I do, he turned 7 years old this year. I don't have a camera or phone that takes videos, so I haven't been able to upload anything in a while.

[@nightcoresenpai3911]

amazing hes lovly

[@lekoxaxo]

Your raven is amazing, i had so much laughs watching your videos :D

[@TNHawke]

Awesome! Glad you enjoyed

[@carolemartinezhamman5416]

aww-So much like my "Eddie"!Funny when he bangs his beak when you tell him ,"NO"! they are so like a 2 year old, only smarter....Many thanks for sharing!

[@TNHawke]

Me - "don't do that" Sam - *BANG BANG BANG!* "I do what I want!" Another raven keeper I met said "Having a raven is like having a flying toddler with a steak knife!" and it's SOOOO true!

[@carolemartinezhamman5416]

Hi! Sam is so funny when hedoes, in frustration, that BNG BANG with his beak-That is SO RAVEN!, Or when you try to "scold" him...LMAO! Have you given him Wax Worms? Most reptile places have them,but you can get the best deal from EBay.Those are very Nutricious! Eddie loved to hide them under MY pillow..LOLHe slept on his own, large pillow in bed...Yes they snore & mumble in thier sleep.

[@sftomee]

So sweet! :DD

[@crystalwolfstudios8114]

how did you get him?

[@TNHawke]

purchased from a breeder, he was shipped to me.

[@z3tsub0u]

I loooove yout videos! Sam (and the rest of your home menagerie, too) is adorable! I have one suggestion, though, I think you should make more videos where you talk more! I love your narration of what's going on and what he's doing and thinking, and you talking to him, like this one and the joys of raven ownership -ones, too

[@TNHawke]

+Töttö Röö *grins* Thank you very much!

[@HexekraftRavenfeather]

I've always loved Ravens, they're my spiritual animal and sometimes one of the Ravens in the area will leave a feather directly in the path that I walk daily. There's one in the area that's in the area that's gotten pretty used to seeing me on my walks from its observations, so has learned that mama Raven's just a friendly ol'Witch passing by.

[@arat215]

When he “bites” you at the end is he actually trying to cause harm or is it a sign of affection?

[@TNHawke]

Affection. Corvids hold beaks like humans hold hands.

[@hardensjames]

i watched this video because i didnt know the diffrence between a crow and a raven but i can see he is way bigger then crow he seems really cool was wondering why every video of a pet raven they all have a tether on them do they fly away ?

[@TNHawke]

The jesses are basically the same as used in falconry. And they work the same as a collar and leash for a dog. It's not so much about 'don't fly away' as "have a handle to grab onto in case of need'. Like, normally, you might trust your dog to walk nicely at your side, or stay in the house or yard. But sometimes something comes up, and they excited or frightened and you have to keep them from bolting. Sam is rarely on a leash, just the loose jeses, inside and outside in the yard. When we go on hikes, I often use the leash so that I can get to him in a hurry if something predatory comes along and I don't want him to either not see it/ not realize the danger and think I'm playing a game of tag.

[@gwenhyfarbeati]

i love watching your videos of sam. i've wanted a corvid for... a long time, but know that i'm not able to have one for a long time still, so i get my naughty-toddler-with-wings-and-knife fix from videos and sam's my favorite! i hope you make more videos, i adore them!

[@TNHawke]

+gwenhyfarbeati *grins * That's awesome! My camera is kaput, so it'll be a while before I can get more videos.

[@isabellaaguiar412]

The joys of bird ownership!

[@TNHawke]

Yup. But some are worse than others.

[@TheRealBitterbub]

So...question the putting your finger in his beak is a way of showing affection? I don't really get it.

[@shadeymcbones6707]

i've had 2 crows too, so i know that when they are still juvenile you feed them that way but then with food instead of your finger

[@TNHawke]

Bonded Corvids will hold each other's beaks like humans hold hands. If they didn't like each other, they wouldn't do it. An aggressive bite is a quick action, a defensive hold is painful and wrenching. An affectionate hold is gentle.

[@TNHawke]

Shadey Mcbones He is making some baby begging gestures, trying to con me out of 'stealing' his treasure.

[@shadeymcbones6707]

TN Hawke yeah true, mine did that too all the time and i noticed the difference between holding my finger and begging for food xD really brings back memory's i wish i still had mine

[@TNHawke]

Shadey Mcbones Was yours a pet hybrid or a rescue?

[@kaaz1010]

So cute

[@theautobrat]

this bird is adorable

[@musicgirl12357]

Raven's like you can't stay mad at this face.

[@nicoledorris7620]

How old is Sam now? I am just curious. He is gorgeous though.

[@TNHawke]

He's 9 years old now.