When you look up at these cute little owls all wrapped up with their bulging eyes, it makes your heart melt. But weighing owls in blanket burritos is actually a common practice by researchers and vets. Vets weigh animals for the same reason doctors weigh you: It helps them keep track of your health. In the case of treatment, it helps them track your recovery.
So why the blanket? Injured owls are squirmy little dudes and doesn’t like to be restrained. If you don’t wrap the owl up, there’s no way it’s going to stay put on a scale. What’s more, their wings are strong and their talons are sharp so they could potentially hurt you or themselves in close quarters. Of course, it doesn’t have to be a towel. It could be a box, or any container of known weight. But we’ll stick to the adorable method, thanks.
