The wild ostrich - Struthio camelus -, is the largest bird on the planet today. It lives in various sub-Saharan areas of the African continent and, given its size and weight, it is impossible for it to fly, but it is capable of running a lot.
However, if we have to consider adopting a ostrich as a pet, it will be necessary to know in depth the characteristics of said animal. Likewise, it will be essential to know the type of ideal territory for captive breeding.
If you continue reading this article on our site, we will inform you in detail about all this so that you can discover if you can have an ostrich as a pet.
Domestic Ostrich
The domestic ostrich differs from the wild. In fact, it is a hybrid between two subspecies of the wild ostrich: the red-necked ostrich and the blue-necked ostrich. The name of this hybrid is black-necked ostrich or african black - Strutio camelus var. domesticus-. This new breed does not occur in nature.
The red-necked ostrich comes from North Africa and is highly threatened, although it is currently being reintroduced in Morocco. The blue-necked ostrich, on the other hand, lives in the southwestern part of Africa. This species is not threatened.
Black-necked ostrich
The black-necked ostrich, or domestic ostrich, is raised on farms in various countries, as it acclimatizes excellently to various ranges of temperatures and terrain. The main countries where this species is currently established are: South Africa, Namibia, Israel, Australia, United States, Canada, Spain, France, Holland, Great Britain, Belgium, Germany, Venezuela, Italy and Ukraine.
The reason for breeding the black-necked ostrich is integral. Their meat, eggs, feathers, and skin are considered to be of high quality.
Pet Ostrich
Another use that is currently becoming popular is that of adopt an ostrich as a pet The fact that a baby ostrich It is a very easy pet to find, it induces many people to adopt a newborn ostrich chicken to satisfy their curiosity about this exotic bird. However, many buyers are unaware of the rapid growth of ostriches and the latent danger that exists in their powerful legs and steely two-toed hooves when they become adults.
Ostrich size
A male wild ostrich can reach a height of 3 meters and weigh 180 kg, being very territorial and aggressive animals.
Domestic ostriches are somewhat smaller and more docile, but their temperament and affinity with humans do not make them excessively compatible as pets. They are animals with the small brain compared to their body and their reactions are very primary. They can mistake a friendly approach on the part of a person and take it as an attack, defending themselves with kicks from the intruder, causing very serious injuries and even death.
Ostrich Growth
Ostriches grow meteorically. When they hatch, they are 25 cm tall and weigh 1 kg. From this moment they can gain more than 400 g a day, so that after two months they can weigh between 15 and 20 kg.
Obviously, only those people who live in a rural environment, or who have a large garden, can adopt an ostrich chicken. This is so because when they reach 12/14 months, ostriches weigh 100 kg and continue to grow until they reach adulthood. Something that happens after three years of life.
The average lifespan of a wild ostrich is 30 to 40 years, while domestic ostriches can live up to 50 years.
Sexual dimorphism and other characteristics
Male ostriches differ from females in the color of their plumage and in size. The males have the body and the stunted wings covered with black feathers, while in the females their coloration is a dull gray. In both genders, its long neck and head are covered with sparse whitish down.
Ostriches are very fast animals, as they can run at a sustained speed of 90 km/h. On the other hand, their eggs are equivalent to 24 chicken eggs each, since they weigh from 1 to 2 kg and their shell is very hard.
Domestic Ostrich Breeding
The eggs of domestic ostriches are not incubated by their parents. They are incubated in industrial incubators.
If you are determined to adopt an ostrich as a pet, you should know that one way to make a baby ostrich be more friendly with a human being is imprintingImprinting is a common phenomenon among birds, which when hatching consider the first living being they see as their mother, whether it is a person, a cat, a dog or any other animal. Following you wherever you go during the first months of life. For this reason, if the chicken imprints on its adopter at birth, it will always trust it and it will be much easier to train it, and above all it will make it more docile in dealings.
