ZOO DIETS for CURASSOWS

Houston Zoo

Adults:

Poultry pellets (16% protein) - fed ad lib

Fruit mix (chopped) - 25% apple, 25% papaya, 25% cooked sweet potato, 12.5% grapes, 12.5% soaked raisins Dog/cat chow, soaked

Greens mix (chopped) - endive, spinach, kale

Oyster shell, crushed, pullet size (also a source or grit)

Rotational feeds fed on alternate days or as available (usually increased in breeding season) - cheddar cheese, hard-boiled egg w/ shell, fresh corn (cut from cob), bird-of-prey diet, peanuts in shell, mealworms, crickets, and newborn mice. Non-breeding diet contains about 22.5% protein, breeding diet about 30%.

Chicks:

Gamebird starter crumbles (30%protein) - fed ad lib

Fruit, green, dog/cat chow as adults, but chopped finer

Rotational feeds, except mealworms, not fed until about 12 weeks old.

St. Catherine Island Wildlife Survival Center (New York Zoological Society)
Adults:

Poultry pellets (15% protein)

Fruit mix - banana, apple, cantalope, sweet potato, grapes as treats. Flamingo Fare (26% protein) or primate diet.

Greens, pigeon grain, vitamin supplement and oyster shell.

Chicks:

Gamebird grower pellets (20% protein)

Chopped fruit - as adults

Flamingo Fare, finch seed, vitamin supplement and oyster shell.

Wildlife World Zoo, Phoenix, Arizona

Adults:

Poultry crumbles (19.5% protein) mixed 2:1 with milo.

Hard-boiled eggs - 2 per curassow, every other day.

Fruits as available, some grown naturally in exhibits.

In breeding season boiled eggs are increased and a supplement of carnivore diet (commercial) is given every other day.

Chicks:

Poultry crumble/milo mix fed ad lib

Hard-boiled egg crumbled with Vionate and a few mealworms.

Dr. Jesus Estudillo-Lopez, Mexico City

Poultry mix fed ad lib with abundant fresh fruit and greens.

Non-breeding diet contains 22 - 24% protein; breeding 30 - 32%.

Protein levels are increased using a soy-based product mixed with liquid to form a meal.

Discussion

As evident from the above examples, captive cracids may be maintained on a variety of diets providing basic nutritional requirements. Cracids are more frugivorous (and curassows more omnivorous) than other gallinaceous birds (e.g. pheasants) and accordingly seem to require a more varied ration than commercial poultry-or gamebird-feed provides. Commercial feeds may be an appropriate staple, but successful breeders supplement diets with fresh fruits and greens as well as a rich protein source (especially in breeding season).

Aviculturists outside North America or Europe may not have access to identical ingredients of the above-listed diets. In most cases, however, substitutes are available. Below are suggested some alternate fruits, vegetables, protein and calcium sources, with the caveat that they are for the most part untried; common sense should be used to compose balanced diets and records kept when new items are tested.

Fruits:

Avocados (small quantities as they are fattening); bananas or plantains; bread fruit; caimitos; citrus fruits (all types); coconut (also fattening); jocotes; mangoes; melons (all types); palm fruits; squash and pumpkins (raw or slightly cooked); tomatoes;

zapotes.

Vegetables:

Carrots (cooked); corn; lettuce (leafy green varieties); peas; spinach.

Protein:

In the absence of commercial poultry feed, a mix of cooked beans, corn (masa), and rice with a vitamin/mineral additive; commercial dog kibble (if low in fat), soaked in water to soften.

Calcium:

Crumbled cooked egg shell (boiled or baked to sterilize).

Amounts required vary with the season, climate, level of actvity, and social situation (social birds may stimulate each other to eat - two birds housed together might comsume more than two housed singly). As a rough guideline, the following amounts mightbe supplied to a single curassow at the Houston Zoo:

Poultry pellets - 1 cup (250 ml) Mixed fruit - 1 cup (250 ml) Dog kibble (soaked) - 1/2 cup (125 ml) Greens, chopped - 1/2 cup (125 ml)

Rotational food (cheese, corn, hard-boiled egg, etc.) -

1/2 cup (250 ml)

Live insects - 1/4 cup (60 ml)