This Woman Bought An Egg On eBay For $30, Now She Has An Exotic Bird
Charlotte Harrison didn’t know if her emu egg would hatch when she ordered it on eBay, but 47 days later, baby Kevin arrived.
The unlikely new member of the family spent over a month inside a home incubating system purchased by Charlotte, then finally hatched on January 5th. “I sat there for four hours making squeaks and whistles to coax him out,” she told Mirror, an experience which led little Kevin to form an instant bond with her.
Adorable little birds waddling around the house seems like fun – unless your little bird is set to grow as tall as 6 feet! The emu is the second largest bird in the world after the ostrich, so Charlotte could get more than she bargained for with Kevin very soon. For now, enjoy these photos of him bonding with his new family. (h/t)
Baby Kevin is the newest member of Charlotte Harrison’s family
Charlotte purchased an emu egg on eBay for $30 (~£25) and didn’t know if she could make it hatch or not
She kept Kevin’s egg in this home incubator for 47 days, weighing and turning it each day
On January 5th, little Kevin finally started breaking through, and Charlotte was overjoyed
“I sat there for four hours making squeaks and whistles to coax him out,” she told Mirror
“I felt a huge surge of protection and care when Kevin hatched,” Charlotte said about their instant bond
Charlotte’s daughter Ellie, 4, has accepted Kevin as part of the family
“I’m sharing the adventures of Kevin with the world. I feel so maternal towards him and want to show him off, he’s adorable.”
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People shouldn't buy any exotic animal over the Internet. It just encourages sellers to traffic with them and take those animals out of their natural environment. We know most of them are taken by killing first the mother in real cruel ways.
That's like owning a horse. They need lots of space and care and can be very dangerous. If you are not prepared for the commitment and don't have the means, you shouldn't buy the egg. In all fairness, she might know what she's in for.
Agreed! Horses are at least amenable. Emu are very difficult to keep and usually not very friendly at all once they get big. I hope this family has a big space with a very good, very high fence.
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Start looking for a shelter or zoo for him NOW. You don't want a fully grown emu, and if you don't know exactly what he needs, it would be cruel to keep him.
She has had the bird taken from her by the RSPCA . It was cruel to breed to poor creature just for the fun of it
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I'm not sure, but I think this is illegal. The egg would have had to be smuggled out of Australia. Emus are very big birds and very wild.
I don't think there is any protection law for emus since they are not really threaten...But there is certainly laws about exporting/importing living animals, even if it's only for disease check.
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unfortunately...and making publicity about this is irresponsible...
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Just one thing I would like to say to this person: "Don't you even dare to throw the bird away when it is grown up. You must take care of this bird no matter the size or needs."
This is illegal! How can someone buy an exotic animal over internet and think its normal? Bored Panda should filter posts like this because it only encourages people to do the same. An eBay should be ashamed of letting people sell this kind of thing!
I am a biologist here in Brasil and hell yeah, this animal looks like a Velociraptor(Dinosaur) when he is an adult. His legs are f****n powerfull..i dont know if this is a good pet...
I feel so bad for this bird. Taken away from its real mama and while this lady may love him now she wont once he gets full sized and even if she does the chances she can actually keep him is slim.... I just feel so badly and its not right to even run stories like this so now EVERYONE knows they can just buy eggs on ebay..... come on
Do you have a Vet that knows how to treat Emus ? and is willing to come to the Emu ?
and is willing to get round house kicked in the balls by the emu?.....just sayin' ;)
Load More Replies... In the original article she mentions that he'll be moved to a paddock when he gets bigger. I hope he can handle the weather in Hampshire
On ebay?? Wow. I wonder where does she live and what is her plan in the future when this bird gets big.
There not exotic.. They are everywhere here in australia.. in the outback you can come across herds or well i guess flocks of like 30 of them standing in the middle of the road.. for this egg to have hatched it wud have had to have been warm the entire time or itd likely die.. No one should be buying animals on the internet like this if they arent designed to be pets... im sure when he is fully grown he will end up attacking them
My dad had a friend who had a monkey and an ostrich(at different times) while living in Africa. he loved them, but they were a lot of work to take care of.
While I dislike the practice of buying/selling animals, not just exotic, as this leads to illegal trade and more darker stuff, I am glad that "Kevin" seems to have encountered a good home and family.
She has had the bird taken from her by the RSPCA and it's gone to a specialist farm that will be able to handle a bird this dangerous
Please join in contacting Bored Panda to encourage them to remove this post. It is not right to buy exotic animals over the internet, and posts like these will only encourage others to do the same; others who may not be well equipped to care for a large exotic bird, let alone have the knowledge or experience. Responsible animal care should be promoted on all social platforms and it’s the websites responsibility to ensure this is the case. This is not responsible animal care - buying an exotic bird egg on Ebay...
I hope that she knows that she just became its father, not its mother. Emu chicks are raised by their dads.
Wait until that sucker starts chasing her and her kids while trying to bite off her earrings and buttons. Emus are cute while they are chicks, but the adult version is absolutely crazy. They need a lot of space and produce a lot of emu discharge. :-)
Please, please, do a follow up in three months.
Load More Replies...
Have fun with the emu when it is an adult. Full grown emus are quite agressive when they feel in danger and are able to kill people with their sharp claws...
Emus are actually to big to hold in a normal house. Unless you have a villa with a big garden you can't keep it. He's cute now, but full grown he can be dangerous. As with a ostrich he can kick really hard. Maybe he won't do that because he will see you as his mother, but when he grows big, you should either put him in a zoo or back into the wild.
Yay! She got a bird that is feared both by tribespeople and hunters, and it can easily open a crater in her chest with its claws! Just wait till it grows and gets territorial.
UPDATE: Thanks to the Internet exposure, the RSPCA got wind of the situation and removed Kevin (who turned out to be female) from the home (well, technically, she was voluntarily surrendered). It's clear this woman was NOT prepared for what she had gotten herself into, and now Kevin has specialized veterinary care and a forever home at some sort of farm/sanctuary. It sounds like the RSPCA officers were very kind to the woman – they explained why she could not give Kevin the life she deserved, and promised they'd send her a photo once she got settled in to her new digs. Here's the link: https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/2694208/mum-gutted-as-shes-forced-to-hand-over-emu-chick-she-bought-on-ebay-to-rspca/ Obviously eBay should NOT be allowing these sorts of transactions, plus Bored Panda was extremely irresponsible in publishing this story!
True animal lovers are responsible owners and would never attempt to raise an exotic animal without having the correct experience and the correct environment for the animal to grow and thrive - aka a wildlife reserve. I appreciate she thinks she is doing the right thing and perhaps she has it all sorted, but the animals needs must come before your own, however cute they may be when they are little. I have contacted bored panda to suggest they remove this post, as not to encourage others to do the same. People are very impressionable and I bet there are people out there now buying eggs from Ebay after reading this story - people who might not be well quipped at all for their care. Animals are not on this planet to be bought by any old person over the internet, it is wrong. Please follow me and do the same by responsibly contacting bored panda.
Yeak ok, my parents did this to me...WITH A DUCK!
Load More Replies...
Trolling or not, you are everything that is wrong with this situation.
Load More Replies...
People shouldn't buy any exotic animal over the Internet. It just encourages sellers to traffic with them and take those animals out of their natural environment. We know most of them are taken by killing first the mother in real cruel ways.
That's like owning a horse. They need lots of space and care and can be very dangerous. If you are not prepared for the commitment and don't have the means, you shouldn't buy the egg. In all fairness, she might know what she's in for.
Agreed! Horses are at least amenable. Emu are very difficult to keep and usually not very friendly at all once they get big. I hope this family has a big space with a very good, very high fence.
Load More Replies... Start looking for a shelter or zoo for him NOW. You don't want a fully grown emu, and if you don't know exactly what he needs, it would be cruel to keep him.
She has had the bird taken from her by the RSPCA . It was cruel to breed to poor creature just for the fun of it
Load More Replies... I'm not sure, but I think this is illegal. The egg would have had to be smuggled out of Australia. Emus are very big birds and very wild.
I don't think there is any protection law for emus since they are not really threaten...But there is certainly laws about exporting/importing living animals, even if it's only for disease check.
Load More Replies... unfortunately...and making publicity about this is irresponsible...
Load More Replies... Just one thing I would like to say to this person: "Don't you even dare to throw the bird away when it is grown up. You must take care of this bird no matter the size or needs."
This is illegal! How can someone buy an exotic animal over internet and think its normal? Bored Panda should filter posts like this because it only encourages people to do the same. An eBay should be ashamed of letting people sell this kind of thing!
I am a biologist here in Brasil and hell yeah, this animal looks like a Velociraptor(Dinosaur) when he is an adult. His legs are f****n powerfull..i dont know if this is a good pet...
I feel so bad for this bird. Taken away from its real mama and while this lady may love him now she wont once he gets full sized and even if she does the chances she can actually keep him is slim.... I just feel so badly and its not right to even run stories like this so now EVERYONE knows they can just buy eggs on ebay..... come on
Do you have a Vet that knows how to treat Emus ? and is willing to come to the Emu ?
and is willing to get round house kicked in the balls by the emu?.....just sayin' ;)
Load More Replies... In the original article she mentions that he'll be moved to a paddock when he gets bigger. I hope he can handle the weather in Hampshire
On ebay?? Wow. I wonder where does she live and what is her plan in the future when this bird gets big.
There not exotic.. They are everywhere here in australia.. in the outback you can come across herds or well i guess flocks of like 30 of them standing in the middle of the road.. for this egg to have hatched it wud have had to have been warm the entire time or itd likely die.. No one should be buying animals on the internet like this if they arent designed to be pets... im sure when he is fully grown he will end up attacking them
My dad had a friend who had a monkey and an ostrich(at different times) while living in Africa. he loved them, but they were a lot of work to take care of.
While I dislike the practice of buying/selling animals, not just exotic, as this leads to illegal trade and more darker stuff, I am glad that "Kevin" seems to have encountered a good home and family.
She has had the bird taken from her by the RSPCA and it's gone to a specialist farm that will be able to handle a bird this dangerous
Please join in contacting Bored Panda to encourage them to remove this post. It is not right to buy exotic animals over the internet, and posts like these will only encourage others to do the same; others who may not be well equipped to care for a large exotic bird, let alone have the knowledge or experience. Responsible animal care should be promoted on all social platforms and it’s the websites responsibility to ensure this is the case. This is not responsible animal care - buying an exotic bird egg on Ebay...
I hope that she knows that she just became its father, not its mother. Emu chicks are raised by their dads.
Wait until that sucker starts chasing her and her kids while trying to bite off her earrings and buttons. Emus are cute while they are chicks, but the adult version is absolutely crazy. They need a lot of space and produce a lot of emu discharge. :-)
Please, please, do a follow up in three months.
Load More Replies... Have fun with the emu when it is an adult. Full grown emus are quite agressive when they feel in danger and are able to kill people with their sharp claws...
Emus are actually to big to hold in a normal house. Unless you have a villa with a big garden you can't keep it. He's cute now, but full grown he can be dangerous. As with a ostrich he can kick really hard. Maybe he won't do that because he will see you as his mother, but when he grows big, you should either put him in a zoo or back into the wild.
Yay! She got a bird that is feared both by tribespeople and hunters, and it can easily open a crater in her chest with its claws! Just wait till it grows and gets territorial.
UPDATE: Thanks to the Internet exposure, the RSPCA got wind of the situation and removed Kevin (who turned out to be female) from the home (well, technically, she was voluntarily surrendered). It's clear this woman was NOT prepared for what she had gotten herself into, and now Kevin has specialized veterinary care and a forever home at some sort of farm/sanctuary. It sounds like the RSPCA officers were very kind to the woman – they explained why she could not give Kevin the life she deserved, and promised they'd send her a photo once she got settled in to her new digs. Here's the link: https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/2694208/mum-gutted-as-shes-forced-to-hand-over-emu-chick-she-bought-on-ebay-to-rspca/ Obviously eBay should NOT be allowing these sorts of transactions, plus Bored Panda was extremely irresponsible in publishing this story!
True animal lovers are responsible owners and would never attempt to raise an exotic animal without having the correct experience and the correct environment for the animal to grow and thrive - aka a wildlife reserve. I appreciate she thinks she is doing the right thing and perhaps she has it all sorted, but the animals needs must come before your own, however cute they may be when they are little. I have contacted bored panda to suggest they remove this post, as not to encourage others to do the same. People are very impressionable and I bet there are people out there now buying eggs from Ebay after reading this story - people who might not be well quipped at all for their care. Animals are not on this planet to be bought by any old person over the internet, it is wrong. Please follow me and do the same by responsibly contacting bored panda.
Yeak ok, my parents did this to me...WITH A DUCK!
Load More Replies... Trolling or not, you are everything that is wrong with this situation.
Load More Replies...
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