New owner of Rhea

[Highlander]

Here's the snow picture.

 

[chickenzoo]

BURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR ... LOL, I'm in FL.

I wonder if you raise them from chicks with a lot of attention if they would be somewhat calmer like my emu....hummmm Mine love attention, give hugs, are in to everything you are doing etc....

 

[DeerFarmer]

Oh Wow...Thanks For Sharing... That is awesome~~

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
I thought I had the only hugging emus! One of mine presses himself against me and I hug him back. He is content for about ten seconds then starts pulling my hair. When I talk to him face to face he messes with my bangs. They are the funniest creatures, aren't they?

 

[chickenzoo]

They are, Jazzy was the friendliest one I ever had, he thought he was a dog. He loved attention, always gave hugs that almost pushed you down.... loved his head and face scratched, i could mess with his legs, he loved me scratching under his feathers, I could dress him up, put a saddle on him for pics..... he'd lay down on command or if I was sad he'd come lay by me with his head in my lap. He'd lay down and let little kids sit on his back... he was very gentle. When he died it took a long time for me to post on here about emu...... I still cry.

 

[casuarius]

I've kept Rheas for around 15 yrs now, and i'll tell you they are the easiest of the Ratites to keep and maintain. They are huge grazers, and will eat tons of grass. I hardly have to feed them in the summer because they are out grazing so much, we have them in a 7 acre pasture. They are really nervous birds, and i've never seen many as tame as emus, although it has been done. Males get meaner the tamer they are. They dont kick, but they have nasty bites, and will run up and try to bite you during breeding season, so its best to keep them a bit scared of you. Cold weather doesnt bother them, remember, Rheas are the only Ratites that come from a climate almost identical to ours down on the colder areas of South America. They have no brains at all, like emus and ostriches, and will run out of fear and can tumble over a fence if they hit against it and it is too short or too weak. The only time ive ever seen them jump is when they are in a trailer being hauled. Emus are much more of a jumper than Rheas. A 4 foot fence will hold Rheas quite well as long as its tight. With grey Rheas, the sexes are easy to distinguish, males are usually bigger, and they always have a black collar or stripe from the base of their neck and up the back of their necks. Females are usually solid grey, and sometimes have some black up around the top portion of their neck or head. Of course there are always exceptions The males will hatch and raise the chicks on their own, and if you want good healthy chicks, this is the best way to do it. Artificially incubated chicks often have leg issues.