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%.