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206 Hand-Rearing Birds

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Medications given to adult females during egg‐forming may cause birth defects, e.g. Daraprim
and Voriconazole should be discontinued 2 weeks prior to the estimated first egg.
Aspergillus spp. infection is always a risk in penguins. It may present as a secondary infection
during medical treatment, or as a consequence of environmental conditions, such as high humid-
ity coupled with still indoor air.
If illness is caught early, sick chicks can be maintained at age‐specific temperatures. Very ill
chicks may not be able to thermoregulate and require additional heat; however, monitor the tem-
perature to avoid overheating. As health is restored, chicks should be returned to a temperature
consistent with age/stage. Health evaluations and blood sampling are recommended for post‐
fledged chicks prior to their introduction into the colony.

Diet Recipes

The SeaWorld Hand Rearing Formula consists of equal portions herring and krill blended with
water and vitamins (Tables 12.2 and 12.3). Formula components are prepared when still partially
frozen. Herring is prepared whole minus skin, head, tail, and fins to reduce syringe‐clogging
pieces; krill is squeezed of moisture. After blending, the formula is pressed through a sieve to
assure a smooth consistency. Herring filets are used for the introduction of fish. Fillets are pre-
pared in the morning with smaller portions cut and weighed just prior to feeding.
Prepare fish components while still very cold or partially frozen to preserve food temperature
during preparation. Blend all ingredients thoroughly. Press through a sieve to ensure a smooth
consistency. Transfer to a suitable refrigerator storage container and mark with the date and time
of preparation for use within 24 hours. This recipe makes approximately 850 ml of formula. While
this recipe may be doubled as needed, cutting the recipe in half may affect the ratio of nutritional
components due to division of supplements. SeaWorld uses Pacific Herring and Superba Krill.
The best fish source is herring, or a fish with a comparable caloric content and similar percent
fat, moisture, and protein. When krill is unavailable, fish‐only formula has been used. The variable
nutrient content of substituted fishes may alter chick growth rate expectations.
Fish lots should be analyzed for caloric content and nutrient levels. Alpha‐tocopherol (vitamin
E) degrades in stored fish and thiamine (B‐1) is lost through thiaminase activity in some fishes (e.g.
herring and capelin). These are the primary supplements recommended for penguins (Slifka et al.
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2002; Bos et al. 2018). Mazuri Vita‐Zu Large Bird Tablets, without vitamin A, are used in the for-

Table­12.2­ SeaWorld Penguin hand-rearing formula recipe.
220 g Whole herring, with head, tail, fins, and skin removed
220 g Krill, squeezed of water prior to weighing
600 ml Filtered tap water
8 tablets Brewer’s Yeast (7 grain tablets)
550 mg Thiamine (B‐1)
2 tablets Mazuri Vita‐Zu Large Bird Tablet 5TLB
4 tablets Calcium carbonate 10 grain (648 mg Ca) tablets (2600 mg elemental calcium total)
1200 IU Vitamin E (squeezed from capsule)
2 ml Pedia Poly‐Vite Children’s Multivitamins Drops WITH IRON