Zoo database

Crested partridge

Rollulus rouloul

Natural diet Crested partridge

Crested partridges are omnivorous birds that mainly consume seeds, insects, mollusks and some fruits. In the wild, they are commonly found around wild pigs to feed on their discarded food.

Fruits
Fruits
Grain / seeds
Grain / seeds
Insects
Insects
Invertebrates / crustaceans
Invertebrates / crustaceans

Feeding advice Crested partridge

Feed quantity per day

6-10%

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 0.2 kg and eats 8% of its body weight, it will get
 
0.2 x 0.08 = 0.02 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

5% Insects and other invertebrates
45% Concentrates
20% Leafy greens and cabbages
20% Other vegetables
10% Other

Proportions (fresh product)

0.05 x 0.02 kg = 1 g insects and other invertebrates
0.45 x 0.02 kg = 7 g concentrates
0.2 x 0.02 kg = 3 g leafy greens and cabbages
0.2 x 0.02 kg = 3 g other vegetables
0.1 x 0.02 kg = 2 g other

Diet Suggestions

Recommended

Variety of (leafy) vegetables
Variety of insects
Grain mix
Soluble grit

Not recommended

Bread
Fruits

Common diseases

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

  • Pododermatitis/Bumble Foot
  • Metabolic bone disease
  • Rickets syndrome
  • Perosis

Additional advice

  • Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least two feeding moments per day.
  • Supplement the diet with around 10% grain mixture.
  • Supplement the diet with ad libitum soluble grit as a source of calcium.
  • Insoluble grit is not required if they go outside, as they will ingest small stones (read more about grit).
  • Although present in their natural diets, feeding fruits might lead to might lead to gastro-intestinal disturbances because of the high sugar level and low fiber level in cultivated fruits compared to wild fruits (read more about nutritional values of (wild) fruits and vegetables).
  • Avoid feeding bread as the high starch content may cause gastro-intestinal disturbances.
  • Stimulate foraging behaviour by using feeding puzzles and scatter feeding (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).