andrewt@cs.su.oz (Andrew Taylor) (12/26/90)
In article <27766494.2CA@intercon.com> ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry) writes: > ... keeping food away from a bird for three days is really stupid. > A bird's metabolism is so much faster than a humans, that it would > be like keeping food away from a human for a week. Size not faster metabolism is the important difference. Small birds may have problems with just 1-2 days without food. Many larger birds can fast for longer. For example mallards can fast up to 3 weeks. Champions are male Emperor penguins which fast for 3-4 months. Of course, penguins are not typical cage birds. Andrew
ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry) (12/29/90)
In article <1711@cluster.cs.su.oz.au>, andrewt@cs.su.oz (Andrew Taylor) writes >> (I wrote): > > ... keeping food away from a bird for three days is really stupid. > > A bird's metabolism is so much faster than a humans, that it would > > be like keeping food away from a human for a week. > > Size not faster metabolism is the important difference. Small birds > may have problems with just 1-2 days without food. Many larger birds can > fast for longer. For example mallards can fast up to 3 weeks. Champions > are male Emperor penguins which fast for 3-4 months. Of course, penguins are > not typical cage birds. I have no doubt that this is true with regards to ducks and penguins and other types of birds that either migrate, or live in areas where food is unavailable or in short supply for long periods of time. Please remember, however, that the original line of discussion was regarding cockatoos and other cage birds and trying to adjust their dietary needs. A cockatoo can lose up to 20% of its body weight by not eating for one day. Hard to believe, but true. I saw what was left of a cockatiel that didn't eat for four days. It was one of the most repulsive things I've ever seen. The person involved didn't know the bird wasn't eating (this was her first (and last) bird). I should have prefaced my above quote with "for most cage birds". BTW, I am very interested in learning more about biology and digestion of both cage and wild birds. Please continue to provide this type of info. It's really interesting what different species of birds do regarding food and environment. Mikki Barry --
andrewt@cluster.cs.su.oz.au (Andrew Taylor) (12/30/90)
In article <1711@cluster.cs.su.oz.au>, I write: > Size not faster metabolism is the important difference [in why small > people can go without food much longer than birds]. This doesn't make much sense, let me try again. Metabolism varies roughly with the surface area of the animal. Birds have higher metabolic rates than mammals of the same size. However I'm not sure how resting (basal) metabolic rates compare between birds and mammals. What I should have said was the reason people can fast longer than budgies is mainly because of the difference in surface area/weight ratios not because of bird/mammal differences. I'd believe the important factors in how long a bird can fast * surface area / weight (penguins win here) * surrounding temperature * adaptions of the particular species Herbivores probably aren't adapted to fasting, depending on a regular diet. Birds who feed on larger animals or carrion probably are adapted to fasting. In article <277B7116.1C29@intercon.com>, ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry) writes: > A cockatoo can lose up to 20% of its body weight by not eating for one day. I'm curious to know more. What sort of cockatoo and is part of this water-loss? Cockatoos whose habitat is forest can probably depend on a regular diet. But, in the tropics at least, I would expect storms to occasionally stop them feeding for 3-4 days. I would expect arid country cockatoos (e.g. Pink Cockatoo) to be able to survive for weeks on little food as they travel in search of food in hard times but I don't know if this is the case. Andrew (who knows nothing of cage birds or how to treat them)
ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry) (01/01/91)
In article <1720@cluster.cs.su.oz.au>, andrewt@cluster.cs.su.oz.au (Andrew Taylor) writes: > > A cockatoo can lose up to 20% of its body weight by not eating for one day. > > I'm curious to know more. What sort of cockatoo and is part of this water-loss? > This was one of my pink (salmon crested, or Moluccan) cockatoos. He became ill and I dutifully took him to the vet who weighed him, then had me weigh him again the next day to make sure he was eating. He wan't. He lost approximately 15% of his body weight in the 24 hour period. He had to be tube fed. Weight is especially critical if the bird is harboring any type of bacterial or viral syndrome. > Cockatoos whose habitat is forest can probably depend on a regular diet. > But, in the tropics at least, I would expect storms to occasionally stop them > feeding for 3-4 days. I don't pretend to know much about the outdoor environment for cockatoos, but I think that mine came from Indonesia (or the Mollucus islands (sp?) but I have no idea what that climate is like) > I would expect arid country cockatoos (e.g. Pink Cockatoo) to be able to > survive for weeks on little food as they travel in search of food in hard times > but I don't know if this is the case. Perhaps the bird's metabolism changes when it's environment changes? I don't know. Hopefully, some other ornitholigist/aviculturist knows better. Mikki Barry --