Zoo database

Emu

Dromaius novaehollandiae

Natural diet Emu

Emus are omnivorous birds that primarily eat seeds, flowers, fruits and roots. Besides this, insects are also frequently consumed and occasionally some small vertebrates.

Fruits
Fruits
Grain / seeds
Grain / seeds
Grasses
Grasses
Insects
Insects
Leaves
Leaves

Feeding advice Emu

Feed quantity per day

3-5%

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 35 kg and eats 4% of its body weight, it will get
 
35 x 0.04 = 1.4 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

5% Insects and other invertebrates
60% Concentrates
30% Leafy greens and cabbages
5% Other

Proportions (fresh product)

0.05 x 1.4 kg = 70 g insects and other invertebrates
0.6 x 1.4 kg = 840 g concentrates
0.3 x 1.4 kg = 420 g leafy greens and cabbages
0.05 x 1.4 kg = 70 g other

Diet Suggestions

Recommended

Variety of leafy and root 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:

  • Leg disorders
  • Obesity
  • Metabolic bone disease

Additional advice

  • Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least two feeding moments per day.
  • Supplement the diet with around 5% 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).