Zoo database

Greater rhea

Rhea americana

Natural diet Greater rhea

Greater rheas are omnivorous birds that prefer broad-leafed plants and clover. Besides this, they also eat seeds, roots and fruits. Opportunistically, insects and small vertebrates are also consumed.

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

Feeding advice Greater rhea

Feed quantity per day

5%

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 23 kg and eats 5% of its body weight, it will get
 
23 x 0.05 = 1.15 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

60% Concentrates
40% Leafy greens and cabbages

Proportions (fresh product)

0.6 x 1.15 kg = 690 g concentrates
0.4 x 1.15 kg = 460 g leafy greens and cabbages

Diet Suggestions

Recommended

Variety of leafy vegetables
Soluble grit

In moderation

Variety of insects

Not recommended

Bread
Fruits

Common diseases

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

  • Obesity
  • Gizzard impaction
  • Metabolic bone disease
  • White muscle disease

Additional advice

  • Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least two feeding moments per day.
  • 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).