Zoo database

Cattle egret

Bubulcus ibis

Natural diet Cattle egret

Insects
Invertebrates / crustaceans
Vertebrates

Cattle egrets are carnivorous birds that primarily consume insects such as locusts and grasshoppers. Besides this, they also eat rodents, small reptiles, crustaceans and mollusks.

Feeding advice Cattle egret

Feed quantity per day

15-20% of body weight

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 0.35 kg and eats 15% of its body weight, it will get

0.35 x 0.15 = 0.0525 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

30% Meat products and whole prey
40% Insects and other invertebrates
30% Concentrates

Proportions (fresh product)

0.3 x 0.0525 kg = 15.8 g meat products and whole prey
0.4 x 0.0525 kg = 21 g insects and other invertebrates
0.3 x 0.0525 kg = 15.8 g concentrates

Diet suggestions

Not recommended

Bread

Additional advice

Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least two feeding moments per day.
Avoid feeding bread as the high starch content may cause intestinal disturbances.
Stimulate foraging behaviour by using feeding puzzles and scatter feeding (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

Secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism
Hypervitaminosis E

Feed quantity per day

Sample percentage calculation

Feed composition

Proportions (fresh product)

Krekels

Insect Patee Premium - Min. 50% insecten

Meelwormen

Wisbroek Ibis - Flamingo Floating

Kuikens (zwarte doos)

Marieke Post

Manager R&D & QA