(Nestor notabilis) Husbandry Manual - Kea Conservation Trust

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4.5.7 Handling/physical restraint
• Handling and restraint should be conducted by trained personnel or under
supervision of trained personnel as per documented handling protocol.
• Restraint of birds must be for husbandry and/or research purposes
• Records must be maintained stating reasons for restraint, outcomes and
techniques used
4.5.8 Transport Requirements
Appropriate transport containers available: Over short distances kea can be
transferred in a solid carry cage with the following:
• Non-slip floor surface (newspaper/toweling/mat of a type not able to be
ingested)
• Ventilation which does not allow the keas beak access outside the cage
• Water supply with refilling capabilities on the outside of cage or suitable
moist food available.
Compliance with IATA container requirements where relevant: Air transport
containers must comply with the principles specified for the relevant International
Air Transport Association (IATA) container requirement (Container Requirement
21, IATA 2008).
DOC transfer permit - A DOC transfer permit (Authority to Transfer Protected
Wildlife) must be obtained from the local conservancy office prior to transferring
a bird between captive facilities. A copy of the permit obtained by the receiver
from the senders conservancy, should accompany the bird in transit.
Appropriate hygiene protocol during transfer - All transport boxes should be
wiped down with disinfectant (e.g. Trigene) after use.
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Best Practice 4.5 – Health care Standards
4.5.1 Environmental hygiene and cleaning
In larger environments, the issues of hygiene and cleaning should be kept to a
minimum. Kea enclosures should not be unnaturally tidy as this will limit
complexity for the birds.
Detailed records should be kept regarding changes in behaviour (physical and
mental).
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4.6 Feeding Standards
4.6.1 Introduction
Kea are opportunistic omnivores. In the wild kea are known to forage on almost
200 different food items from over 100 species of plant and a variety of animal
food sources including insects and their larvae (Clarke, 1970; Brejaart, 1988),
animal carcasses (Brejaart, 1988; Maloney pers. comm.), and live animals. Live
Kea Conservation Trust Final 25/11/2010