our new house pet (that will grow 6 feet tall)
Our baby emu hatched out... now what do we do with her?
So yes, we called her a her. We looked at different ways to sex our emu, and found that a male typically has a bullseye design on their head, while a female has an abstract design. So until we can tell for sure in about 10-14 months... we've got a girl.
First thing we did was find a house (a cat carrier) and provide some food and water. Then we needed a diaper.
It's too cold outside right now, so we are keeping her in the house. Well, like any animal, she poops whenever and wherever. Becky came up with a sock diaper that took three versions to perfect.
We asked for help on naming this girl... we made a poll for everyone to vote between Bamboo, Mushu, or Zazu. All rhyming with emu, of course!
One thing our boys love to do if run around the house and have her chase us. Emu's often have trouble getting through the first three months safely - getting sick, not eating enough, or getting a broken leg because of how thin their legs are. We've been careful to make sure she's doing alright when we run around with her - but we also think that the exercise is making her stronger for when she ultimately does move outside.
We announced our new page on ScaleAbout, where we make educational videos, answer questions and give shoutouts. Be sure to check it out!