How to Diagnose Illness in an Ostrich

Pet ownership and animal farming or husbandry each come with their own unique challenges. One of the biggest responsibilities of taking care of another living thing, outside of nutrition, of course, is health care and being able to diagnose an illness.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Schedule a veterinarian visit as soon as you bring your ostrich home. The vet can ascertain if you have a healthy bird or one that may currently harbor a hidden illness. If the ostrich gets a clean bill of health then this will be the baseline for your bird's health moving forward.
2. Work with a vet that specializes in ostriches. Finding exotic or large animal veterinarians is difficult sometimes, so seek one out before or as soon as you take ownership of your ostrich.
3. Get your ostrich used to being handled. If your ostrich comes into your care at a young age, handling him often will help when it comes time to diagnose an illness or administer veterinarian care.
4. Know your ostrich. The best way to know if your ostrich has an illness is to know what she is like when she's healthy. Get a feel for her behavior and her posture throughout the day.
5. Familiarize yourself the ostrich's eating habits. When an animal doesn't eat for long periods of time it's a sign of stress or illness. Keep in mind seasonal eating habits and breeding or nesting habits in your assessment.
6. Check the ostrich vent (anus in birds) or nostrils for discharge if you suspect an illness. Messy vents and nostrils are signs of illness in birds. Have your vet check any abnormal discharge or stools to diagnose an illness.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your ostrich in a stress-free environment. Stress can make birds ill, and in some instances this may result in death. Feather plucking is one symptom of stress and should be monitored.
• Take a course on ostrich farming or read a book to learn about ostrich care. It will teach you the important aspects of caring for an ostrich in any climate and season.

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