park and hobby animals

ratites

Rheas, emus and ostriches are ratites. Even though they differ in size, origin and anatomy, they also have striking similarities. For one thing, they are all omnivores. Their main menu consists of grasses and herbs, roots, leaves, buds, flowers, seeds and fruits, but also they eat insects, lizards, frogs or whatever they can catch. These prey are swallowed in one gulp, together with any sand and stones which happen to come along. That is necessary for their digestion, because they grind their food in their gizzard with sharp pebbles. We make these available, preferably, in the form of coarse, sharp stomach gravel. It’s important that their digestive system also can ferment the foodstuffs. In that way they can convert relatively meager material, such as raw fibres, into valuable nutrients.

Ratites eat in these surroundings mostly roughage, such as short grass or hay, greens and, if need be, bread. Besides this, they need protective substances, such as vitamins and minerals. 5054 Ratites pellet supplies the necessary vitamins, minerals and amino acids. These essential amino acids are extracted from high-quality sources of protein. In addition the pellet forms an important source of calcium for the large bone structure of the ratites and for the eggs. When the animals are moulting or laying eggs, a great deal extra calcium is necessary in the form of shell grit.

feeding advice

• make sure there’s always enough roughage (grass, hay, greens, bread)
• supplement year-round with 5054 ratites pellet
• give chicks the first 10 weeks 702 fancy chick starter minipellet and then gradually switch over to 5054 ratites pellet
• give about 30% more feed when the animals are abundantly laying eggs or are moulting
• emus digest less feed while laying. It is, therefore, extra important that, besides the concentrate, little or no supplements are given
• make sure there’s always fresh water