How to Choose Food for an Ostrich

Animal experts are still studying ostriches to determine the best diet for them, but there are certain nutrients that we know ostriches need. In addition, commercially prepared foods are now available to take some of the guesswork out of feeding an ostrich.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Commercially prepared ostrich food, grass or alfalfa pellets, sand or grit.

1. Buy commercial ostrich feed. Such feed is available from a number of dealers in major cities or online. This type of food will supply an ostrich most of its nutritional needs.

2. In the wild, ostriches eat both plants and animals. To supplement the commercially prepared ostrich feed, provide your ostrich with the opportunity to eat grass, seeds or tree leaves or, alternatively, offer him or her alfalfa pellets. Ostriches enjoy eating small animals such as lizards. They also enjoy insects such as grasshoppers and locusts.

3. Ostriches need grit (sand or gravel) to help them grind up food in their gizzard. You can find commercial grit preparations provided on a free access basis.

4. Ostriches do not need to drink water because they absorb it from the food they eat, but they will drink water if you provide it for them.

Tips & Warnings

• Store ostrich feed in an airtight container in a cool place to avoid contamination and ensure stability of the nutrients.
• Ostriches of egg laying age need a fortified diet during egg production. Feed companies offer a high-protein formula for before and during egg production.

Resources

• A primer on ostrich care.
• Gives ostrich basics, such as behavior and diet, and describes what zoo ostriches eat.