How to Train Koi to Eat out of your Hand
Koi are an ornamental carp, different from goldfish, that are very popular pond fish. They will get to know you and delight and entertain you with their antics. Koi must be fed daily because they will eat every plant in your pond. They might eat all your plants anyway even if you do feed them. Koi can become so tame they will eat from your hands. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Teaching your koi to eat from your hand.
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Crouch down low, have the food in your hand and put your hand in the water. Stay there until the koi come to eat. They will be fearful at first, but soon will be hungry enough to eat a few pellets.
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If the koi don't eat at first, just let the food go and back up a bit.
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Stay close to the water as the koi eat the food. Let them get used to your presence. Each time you crouch down to feed them stay there longer until they get closer. Soon they will get the food from just inches away from your hand.
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Be patient. It takes a couple of weeks. When your koi are used to your presence, they will eat from your hand.
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After they eat from your hand, they will come to your hand to be petted. Koi are wonderful pets and smarter than goldfish.
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Tips & Warnings
Feed koi quartered oranges for a real treat.
If koi come to your hand to eat, they will also come to the egret or heron who has come for a fresh koi dinner. They have difficulty differentiating between the shape of you and the shape of a predator.
Make sure you have places for your koi to hide in your pond. You can buy koi hiding places or make one easily putting a clay pot on its side.
Resources
Comments
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rdnckgrl
Aug 06, 2008
I put a piect of flagstone on some small blocks so my koi can get under them for shade and get away from predators. Also, if you have the patience and sit there for a long time it didn't take me but a few days for them to eat out of my hand. My koi love the freeze dried shrimp I give them for a treat an hour or so before their dinner. -
rdnckgrl
Aug 06, 2008
I put a piect of flagstone on some small blocks so my koi can get under them for shade and get away from predators. Also, if you have the patience and sit there for a long time it didn't take me but a few days for them to eat out of my hand. My koi love the freeze dried shrimp I give them for a treat an hour or so before their dinner.
