39 Interesting Facts:

 1- In nature, the eggs are incubated by the females by day and by the males by night.

2-Healthy ostriches, which drink relatively large volumes of water, produce a highly Urine.

3-Ostrich is only able to urinate standing.

4-Sometimes, ostriches can grow up to 3 meters (9 feet) tall and they can weigh up to 175kg.

5-At high environmental temperature, Birds begin to have open-mouth breathing which does not generally lead to alkalosis.

6-Normal breathing in ostriches is at a rate of 6-12 cycles per minute.

7-The Normal respiratory rate of an adult ostrich varies from 2/1 – 6/1.

8-The patella is absent in ostrich.

9-These birds have two toes on each foot and four digits on each.

10-Crop is absent however the last part of the gullet widens to become the glandular stomach (periventriculus).

11-Ostriches lacks a gallbladder as well.

12-Ostrich ceca are paired.

13-A common problem in ostriches is impaction.

14-If the bird is subjected to high temperature, panting may be increased to 40-60 breathes/min.

15-The only known aired bone in ostrich is pneumatic

16-Only the Left Ovary and oviduct is persist.

17-Ostrich veins which could be used to draw blood samples:

    – right jugular vein

    – The carotid artery vein

    – Left jugular vein

18-Injection into the thigh muscle of bird should be avoided.

19-Testicle will not usually regain its sperm-making capabilities.

20-Penis of ostrich male lacks urethra which has no role in the systema urinarium

21-Cocks have no reproductive accessory glands.

22-The reproductive tract of the male ostrich consists of two functional testicles. The paired testes, phallus or penis, overlay in the ventral cloaca, in the upper lobes of kidney.

23-The growth rate in young ostriches depends on heredity, environmental conditions (management) and nutrition.

24-Heart rate (pulse) is 30-40 minutes at rest and it’s up to 175 times per minute while running up.

25-Contractions of the muscles of the abdomen and gravity, leads to the onward movement of food from the stomach to the gizzard.

26-Digesting fiber occurs in ostrich digestive system by bacteria whose final product is volatile fatty acids.

27-When running away from the ostrich attacker is impossible, sleeping on the floor surface is generally the best defense.

28-The bird is extremely aggressive and dangerous during the mating season.

29-The appropriate age of bird transport is 3 to 8 months old.

30-Using cap is another way of restraining or handling the ostrich.

31-Vaccines frequently used in ostrich farm include anthrax, botulism, enterotoxemia, smallpox, influenza and Newcastle.

32-Ketamine is the most common anesthetic for ostriches.

33-Swallowed hard and sharp objects, which is very common in ostriches, may lead to deaths.

34-Drugs and toxic compounds include Furazolidone compounds, anti-coccidiosis ionophore, (such as Monensin, Salinomycin, Narasin, Lasalocid), Thiabendazole, Mebendazole and Linden urea.

35-One of the disease that has only reposted in ostriches, is anthrax.

36-Poor nutrition, stress and improper management practices, decreases the ostrich immunity.

37-The most important approved ant parasitic drugs in ostrich are Ivermectine, Fenbendazole, Oxfendazole.

38-Though Levamisole is the appropriate stimulant the ostrich’s immune system, however, this one sometimes causes digestive disturbances and fast parasitic resistance.

39-Medicines treating the ostrich tapeworms (Cestoda) are Niclosamide and praziquantel 5.2%.