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Environmental Husbandry Manual Click here for CONTENTS Page No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior written permission of the author - For contact details see about the author |
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Individual Methods for Feeding
Methods - Practices
Floating Feeds
The practices outlined in this section relate to methods of food presentation that do not require the use of special materials or devices. Scatter feeds, use of specific locations, and methods of ensuring that specific animals receive required medications and dietary supplements are dealt with.
Floating Feeds |
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| Method | Scatter feeds of complete-diet pellets, nuts or seeds thrown into enclosure pools. Apples, dead mice and corn-on-the-cob will also float on the surface, requiring that the animal swim to them to feed. | |
| Species | Capybara, Red-breasted Goose, Parrots (for nuts, fruit and seeds), Ducks and other Water Birds (for pellets), Terrapins for apple, mice and sweetcorn. | |
| Purpose | Encourage foraging and use of water substrate. Provides animal with natural form of exercise to gain food. | |
| Pro | Fast and easy to implement. | |
| Con | Pools used for feeding should be cleaned more regularly. | |
| Improvements | Throw food into the upwelling caused by aeration pumps, as this causes it to move about confusingly, and takes longer to catch. | |
| Comments | Pools must be kept as clean as reasonably possible, to avoid build up of pathogens. Rotting food in pools adds to the nutrient base for such organisms if allowed to decompose. Dead mice (fed to terrapins), in particular, should be removed when not eaten. | |
| Frequency of Use | On Hot Days (Birds), Once per Week (Terrapins). | |
| Ratings | Usefulness | 5/8 |
| Convenience | 10/10 | |
| Value For Money | 10/9 | |
| Range of Users | 10/7 | |
| Contributed By | Bird Section / Reptile Section | |