Zoo database

Atlantic puffin

Fratercula arctica

Natural diet Atlantic puffin

Atlantic puffins are carnivorous birds and their diet almost entirely consists out of fish. Besides this, they occasionally consume various crustaceans and invertebrates such as shrimp, mollusks and polychaetas.

Fish
Fish
Invertebrates / crustaceans
Invertebrates / crustaceans

Feeding advice Atlantic puffin

Feed quantity per day

10-20%

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 0.5 kg and eats 15% of its body weight, it will get
 
0.5 x 0.15 = 0.08 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

99% Fish products
1% Supplements

Proportions (fresh product)

0.99 x 0.08 kg = 74 g fish products
0.01 x 0.08 kg = 1 g supplements

Diet Suggestions

Recommended

Variety of fish

Whole fish

Supplements

In moderation

Variety of insects

Not recommended

Bread

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

  • Pododermatitis
  • Hypervitaminosis A
  • Angel wing
  • Angular limb deformities

Additional advice

  • Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least three feeding moments per day.
  • Small fish can be offered whole, but larger fish should be cut into smaller pieces.
  • When feeding thawed whole fish, then supplementation is recommended.
  • The supplements should be given according to the appropriate dosage that is mentioned on the labelling.
  • Avoid feeding bread as the high starch content may cause gastro-intestinal disturbances.
  • Stimulate foraging behaviour by using stacking or hanging the prey. Another method is to use feed puzzles and feeding whole prey (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).