Clueless about emu but INTRIGUED

[TMarie]

Maybe that's why no one around here has them! I could definitely see needing a permit. That makes sense!

Also, depending on your area, they may be considered exotic and not allowed or dangerous which would require a permit. Where I am, both Emu and Ostrich are allowed but the Ostrich are "dangerous animals" and require permitting, specific fencing (per the law), and a decent insurance policy in case they hurt someone.

Also, because they are birds, they are vulnerable at night so you would need to lock them in or have some sort of guard animal out with them.

 

[FortCluck]

Exactly. Like I already said in my post: "They're HUGE. That means when they get mad and decide to kick you, they have to power to literally break your bones or disembowel you. I mean, if someone's 2 ft tall roo gets irate, the most a person may suffer is a severely stabbed hand or broken finger. If an emu gets irate, they can literally kill you."

But if someone is educated on them and learns about them first, there usually isn't an issue.

I know a few people who own them and they properly care for them.

I wish I could go back in time and be at my grandfather's with his ostriches. I absolutely loved them and I was only 7 years old going inside their pens. It wasn't because my grandfather didn't care, he properly trained me on how to approach them and care for them.

 

[Peepsi]

But if someone is educated on them and learns about them first, there usually isn't an issue.

I know a few people who own them and they properly care for them.

I wish I could go back in time and be at my grandfather's with his ostriches. I absolutely loved them and I was only 7 years old going inside their pens. It wasn't because my grandfather didn't care, he properly trained me on how to approach them and care for them.

I agree with you 100%. If someone is trained well, and they have the time, money, space and resources, they can certainly keep emu (which was my point #1 in my original post....many people simply don't have the space, such as myself with my 30' x 30' backyard. And there are some people who are blessed with large ranches or farms who certainly have the space and land to keep an emu).

I feel that any animal (even wild ones) can be kept in captivity if a person has enough resources, time, land, money and knowledge. If someone wanted to keep a tiger, they could. But few people have the knowledge, SPACE, money, government permit, etc to keep a tiger properly.

The best example is parrots. Many people keep parrots improperly. They think they can keep an parrot because so many people have one, so they get one, stick it in a tiny cage, and then leave it alone for 9 hours each day while they go to work. Then they wonder why the poor parrot screams in distress 24/7 and has plucked itself bald. Just because they CAN keep a parrot, doesn't mean they should. And again, you are 100% correct....it boils down to knowledge (and responsibility). People serious about keeping parrots such as an African Grey do their research, gain knowledge, then consider if they can responsibly keep one.

So if someone like myself (with a 30' x 30' backyard and an 8' x 16' enclosure and not much money or ability to get rid of large amounts of poop) tries to keep an emu without good strong knowledge of emu keeping or any knowledge of how to handle them, they're going to be surprised when it doesn't work out.

 

[FortCluck]

I agree with you 100%. If someone is trained well, and they have the time, money, space and resources, they can certainly keep emu (which was my point #1 in my original post....many people simply don't have the space, such as myself with my 30' x 30' backyard. And there are some people who are blessed with large ranches or farms who certainly have the space and land to keep an emu).

I feel that any animal (even wild ones) can be kept in captivity if a person has enough resources, time, land, money and knowledge. If someone wanted to keep a tiger, they could. But few people have the knowledge, SPACE, money, government permit, etc to keep a tiger properly.

The best example is parrots. Many people keep parrots improperly. They think they can keep an parrot because so many people have one, so they get one, stick it in a tiny cage, and then leave it alone for 9 hours each day while they go to work. Then they wonder why the poor parrot screams in distress 24/7 and has plucked itself bald. Just because they CAN keep a parrot, doesn't mean they should. And again, you are 100% correct....it boils down to knowledge (and responsibility). People serious about keeping parrots such as an African Grey do their research, gain knowledge, then consider if they can responsibly keep one.

So if someone like myself (with a 30' x 30' backyard and an 8' x 16' enclosure and not much money or ability to get rid of large amounts of poop) tries to keep an emu without good strong knowledge of emu keeping or any knowledge of how to handle them, they're going to be surprised when it doesn't work out.

You definitely need a lot of land for them. My grandfather had over 3 acres I think and they each had individual stalls inside his barn.

 

[briefvisit]

'they have to power to literally break your bones or disembowel you. I mean, if someone's 2 ft tall roo gets irate, the most a person may suffer is a severely stabbed hand or broken finger. If an emu gets irate, they can literally kill you." '

Perhaps so. But in years and years and years of looking, I'm yet to find a report of an emu killing anyone.

I used to example Eric the Emu: he was a mean old dinosaur -- mean-o-saur -- and yeh, if you were dumb-a**ed enough to back him into a corner and try to stuff him in a pillow case, he'd've torn you to shreds.

We have reports of would-up emus needing a good bit of broom to keep them at bay. But disembowelling?

SE

 

[briefvisit]

R.I.P Greedy the Emu. I miss her. I could stroke her chest feathers. But she was a double-alpha bird (female). And -- if you were another emu -- yeh, you were in a whole bunch of trouble.

 

[Peepsi]

'they have to power to literally break your bones or disembowel you. I mean, if someone's 2 ft tall roo gets irate, the most a person may suffer is a severely stabbed hand or broken finger. If an emu gets irate, they can literally kill you." '

Perhaps so. But in years and years and years of looking, I'm yet to find a report of an emu killing anyone.

I used to example Eric the Emu: he was a mean old dinosaur -- mean-o-saur -- and yeh, if you were dumb-a**ed enough to back him into a corner and try to stuff him in a pillow case, he'd've torn you to shreds.

We have reports of would-up emus needing a good bit of broom to keep them at bay. But disembowelling?

SE

It's good to know they aren't as ornery as a Cassowary. Now those HAVE been proven to kill people, multiple times over, by kicking and disemboweling.
Still, an emu does have the capacity to do the same as a cassowary, even if there have been no reports of emu doing it....yet.

 

[Kusanar]

'they have to power to literally break your bones or disembowel you. I mean, if someone's 2 ft tall roo gets irate, the most a person may suffer is a severely stabbed hand or broken finger. If an emu gets irate, they can literally kill you." '

Perhaps so. But in years and years and years of looking, I'm yet to find a report of an emu killing anyone.

I used to example Eric the Emu: he was a mean old dinosaur -- mean-o-saur -- and yeh, if you were dumb-a**ed enough to back him into a corner and try to stuff him in a pillow case, he'd've torn you to shreds.

We have reports of would-up emus needing a good bit of broom to keep them at bay. But disembowelling?

SE

Yeah, I thought that was a little much as well. There is a reason that in my area Casowary and Ostrich have to have a dangerous animal permit but Emu does not. I mean, my horses COULD kill me as well and likely would if mishandled to an extreme, but I'm not otherwise worried about them. I'm honestly more worried about my house cats, if I ever start bleeding they very well may decide to finish me off... there are 7 of them and 5 of them hunt as a pack...

 

[NHMountainMan]

Do Emu/ Ostrich/ peafowl and Guineas all pose a biosecurity risk to chickens? There's a small farm not far from me that recently added all of the above. I've wanted to stop in to say hello, because I'm curious (particularly about guineas) - but didn't want to risk the biosecurity of my flock.

 

[FortCluck]

Do Emu/ Ostrich/ peafowl and Guineas all pose a biosecurity risk to chickens? There's a small farm not far from me that recently added all of the above. I've wanted to stop in to say hello, because I'm curious (particularly about guineas) - but didn't want to risk the biosecurity of my flock.

Just don't wear the same shoes or clothes that you wore to their place in your chicken run area.

I'm interested to hear what you encounter when you go there!