(Nestor notabilis) Husbandry Manual - Kea Conservation Trust

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• Tactile big clump of straw, smooth surfaces (metal plate), thick rubber mat
or ball (watch they don’t ingest it), non toxic coloured wax (not white) or
clay they can manipulate etc
• Auditory other kea calls, music, etc
Occupational:
Puzzles to manipulate (requires use of
cognitive abilities)
• Large hessian sack or large paper
rubbish bag filled with other enrichment
items (birds can make holes in sacks and
pull items through – large enough for
several birds to have a go at once)
Social:
Those items which require cooperation or
interaction from other kea or keepers:
• Puzzles requiring cooperation
• Kea are motivated to watch keepers
pulling items apart or burying them
• Training sessions would also fit into this –
must be fun and positive
Be inventive and have fun! Anything that could be
broken of and ingested will need to be monitored carefully, particularly where
there are juveniles present. However kea are unlikely to swallow most items
unless they think they are food. Watch for white objects which may illicit a fat
response – anything that is white and able to be manipulated may be considered
high energy food (fat) and ingested. This has been noted by hunters who have
observed kea eating white candle wax instead of fat at the site of a deer carcass
(Moloney, pers. comm., 2009).
4.2.4 Additional Links
For additional enrichment ideas refer Auckland Zoo’s Kea Enrichment manual
(may be downloaded from www.keaconservation.co.nz).
Enrichment ideas and information can also be found at the following websites:
• The Shape of Enrichment – www.enrichment.org
• Enrichment Online (Fort Worth Zoo) – www.enrichmentonline.org
• Animal Enrichment – www.animalenrichment.org
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Minimum Standard 4.2 - Enrichment
(refer Internal Audit Document in Appendix 1).
Kea checking out a puzzle.
Photo credit: Rachel Johnston
4.2.2 Behavioural needs
These must be met through provision of a complex enclosure which stimulates
both physical and mental activity. This is particularly important for high
maintenance birds, such as those exhibiting high levels of stereotypic behaviour
Kea Conservation Trust Final 25/11/2010