(Nestor notabilis) Husbandry Manual - Kea Conservation Trust

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9.6 Appendix 6 – Example of diet and feeding regime (Franklin Zoo)
Kea 2 birds daily: 1 Apple, 1 pear, 1 carrot, 1 corn cob, 1 banana (vary presentation from
cut in quarters or whole). Additional seasonal fruit and vegetables keep aware of too
many calories and high sugar foods (Kiwifruit, tree tomatoes, tomatoes, passion fruit,
oranges, mango, pineapple etc) If birds are overweight use low GI fruit and Vegetables.
For example remove the banana from fruit offering.
1 cup of seed mix each at main feed (mid morning) and a half a cup each at a scatter
feed either first thing in the morning or late afternoon (when kea most active).
2 or 3 pieces of silver beet, or bunches of spinach, half or whole cabbage or lettuce.
Useful as enrichment and low calorie.
Daily protein in addition to seeds vary between following either
• 3 roasted in shells peanuts cooked each
• Selection of other raw nuts in shells or shelled (hazel, almond, walnut, brazil)
• Bones with marrow and a small amount of meat on them ( 1- 2 x a week)
• 10 mealworms or wax moth larvae ( 5 each) in enrichment (e.g. hidden in cabbage or
in toy, ball, coconut)
Browse
Daily Pouha, willow, poplar rotten logs from safe trees.
Additional calories if birds low weight or in very cold weather:
• Whole meal bread toasted or plain one piece each
• Meaty bones (beef, mutton- not chicken or pork)
• Additional raw nuts
Do not feed avocadoes, chocolate, onions, mushrooms, caffeine, dried beans or
pulses.
Seed mix recipe
Kea and Parrots = 5 parts dove mix 1 Part Sunflower seeds
Dove mix = 1 part sorghum, 1 part wheat, 1 part poultry pellets (laying with calcium), 1
part mixed millet, 5 parts kibbled maize)
Our Timetable is scatter feed at 7am, main feed at 10am, enrichment at 3pm (with food)
Browse in afternoon.
Additional foods can also be supplemented in small quantities:
• Porridge
• Yogurt
• Nectar
Kea Conservation Trust Final 25/11/2010