Feeding the exotic and intelligent

People think about toast with bacon and flapjacks on the side for breakfast and spaghetti for dinner while pellets and hay are staples on some animals’ menus.

But what if they too had an appetite for let’s say scrambled eggs, bananas and chicken pieces? Would you believe it?

Well if you farm with animals this is for you. The Herald on its daily quest for news came across some interesting animals and what they are being fed. We didn’t search far though as the Animal and Playpark in Hillside had it all.

May Aucamp, the owner told the Herald about the parrots, birds, pigs, goats, ponies, rabbits, geese and porcupines – just to mention a few – she keeps on the plot.

According to her, the Eclectus parrots are very playful in a graceful way. The male generally is quieter than the female and a little less moody. The female is the dominant gender of the species. When the female reaches breeding age, she may become aggressive. May said the rare thing about these parrots is that the female usually is far more attractive than the male, where as in nature, the males normally are the attractive ones.

Eclectus parrots require large amounts of fibre, fruit and vegetables in their diet to remain healthy. This need has to be met. They are far more likely to suffer from nutritional deficiencies than other parrots since many people ignore their special dietary needs.

May said, “It is very important to feed these parrots fresh fruit and vegetables.”

Health warning signs to look out for in the Eclectus parrot:

Change in their appetite, droppings, posture, activity level and breathing.

The pigs on the plot are not to be taken lightly, as they are very intelligent and learn quickly. They pick up tricks faster than dogs. Pigs are very social animals. They form close bonds with each other and enjoy close contact. Pigs use their grunts to communicate with each other. Pigs are omnivores and eat vegetables, fruit and even bugs.

To make sure you have a healthy, happy pig, look at the following:

Your pig should have clear, bright eyes; no discharge from its mouth, ears and eyes. It should have smooth skin and hair; it should be bright and alert, without stiff movements or being lame.

The goats are fun because they all have different personalities and are very affectionate, especially during the summer. The goats on the plot eat pellets, weeds, shrubs, leaves and bark of the trees. An interesting fact about goats is that they helped to discover coffee! Goat herders noticed the goats being very energetic after nibbling on coffee berries and investigated …

Signs of a healthy goat:

They are alert and inquisitive, they show a great interest in food, they chew cud after feeding and they remain a stable weight. Their eyes must be bright and their noses must be clear without it running. Their coats must be dry and glossy without any lumps on their skin, and their urine must be light brown without any signs of blood.

May showed the Herald her baby porcupines, and we were surprised by what these little creatures eat. Every day they eat small pieces of chicken, scrambled eggs, cat pellets, bananas, dry worms and meal worms.

Raising a baby porcupine without a mom can be like having a newborn baby, as it needs to be fed every two hours.”

An interesting fact is that porcupines are not known to chase and attack people or other animals, but many dogs get quilled because of their playful nature. Unfortunately, due to their predatory nature, the dogs do not learn their lesson, and often get quilled more than once.

In the case of your dog getting quilled by a porcupine, do the following:

• Give your dog antihistamine

• Keep your pet still

• Wear gloves to remove quills

• Look for hidden quills

• Wash the effected area