Kea Health Information

An appropriate aviary for Keas is about 18 by 7.5 by 6 feet (6 by 2.5 by 2 meters) and in cold climates, an inner room or roosting box should be provided. Usually an earth or sand covered floor is appropriate. Plenty of hiding places should be provided in the form of pipes or tree roots. A supply of fresh branches and roots should also be present for chewing. In captivity, a Kea's diet can usually be made up of fruits and vegetables with carbohydrate and protein supplements. Keas are known for their ready acceptance of most foods. Often maize and brown rice can be cooked and offered as a meal. Soaked pigeon feed, peanuts, hemp, and sunflower seeds have also been offered with good results. Vegetables, a large portion of the diet, can be offered in the form of carrots, potatoes, cabbages, greens, and beets. A variety of fruits are accepted: oranges, berries, and passion fruits to name a few

Breeding
Usually Keas are good breeders. Females reach sexual maturity when they are about three years old, though male Keas are not normally sexually mature for four or five years after their hatching. In some areas of the world, it is forbidden to breed Keas, so be sure you know your local laws before you attempt this. In captivity, Keas have been known to breed in colony settings. Often, wide ended pipes can be used as nests, so long as nesting material, like grass and pine needles, is provided. Oblong boxes that have tunnels made of pipes for entrances are also quite popular with Kea breeders. Lots of roots and branches should also be available. Keas normally lay clutches of three to four eggs, which will be incubated for about 29 days. After ten weeks, the young usually fledge and many breeders prefer to leave them with their parents until they are several months old. In the wild, Keas will breed between July and January, using nests built in rocky areas. They have also been known to nest in dead trees at high altitudes, in crevices, or in tree roots. The nest is lined with lichens and mosses, and the clutch contains between two and four eggs. Male Keas may mate with up to four females. Normal incubation in the wild lasts three weeks. In the wild, the fledgling period is usually about 13 weeks.