Cassowary Chicks

[casuarius]

Here are my first two Cassowary chicks of the year. More are on the way

I never know how the season is going to go for these little guys, they are extremely hard to hatch.

 

[moonjelly]

Do you know where I could get some chicks or eggs? Or are they very costly and rare? Btw, they are adorable. So different looking as chicks compared to anything else I've seen.

 

[Nicophorus]

Congratulations!!

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

World-Class Achievement.

Hearty congratulations!!

S.E.

 

[ES Emus]

very cool!

 

[casuarius]

Do you know where I could get some chicks or eggs? Or are they very costly and rare? Btw, they are adorable. So different looking as chicks compared to anything else I've seen.

They are one of the rarest birds in captivity, partly because people have always been too scared of them, and mostly because they are so hard to breed, hatch, and raise. There are only 2 breeders in the US besides myself, and fewer than 50 birds left in the US to my knowledge. I've been looking for them over 10 yrs, & just cant find anymore besides the ones that I already know of. None of us sale eggs because of this, and likely you would spend a lot of money for a egg and it would either be infertile or not hatch. I paid $10k each for my breeders several yrs ago. If only Ostrich, Rheas, and Emus still sold that high, I would be a rich man lol.

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Oh my goodness, just Googled what a Cassowary was. WOW!

 

[moonjelly]

I knew they were rare, but I didn't think they were that rare. I've wanted to keep them since seeing one at a wildlife park in Thailand.

 

[casuarius]

I've contacted dozens of Bird Parks & Zoos in Asia, including Thailand in hopes of finding one that actually breeds them. However, they all are in it for the exhibition of the bird rather than reproduction. They dont breed well in Zoos unless they have a area that they can get away from public and have privacy. Most of the Cassowaries in North American Zoos have died out from old age, and since they are all governed by AZA, they can only breed what they are allowed to breed, and Cassowaries were never allowed until now that they are almost gone. Its a long sad story.

 

[moonjelly]

The bird I saw in Thailand was alone. I have pictures and video, if you're interested. All these laws and regulations that prevent people from raising animals in hopes of protecting them is actually killing them. It makes me sick.