Zoo database

Pudu

Pudu spp.

Natural diet Pudu

Pudus are herbivorous browsers that primarily consume leaves of ferns, trees, vines, herbs and shrubs. They prefer feeding around forest edges or fragmented environments, as they are abundant with smaller plants like saplings and forbs.

Fruits
Fruits
Herbs
Herbs
Leaves
Leaves

Feeding advice Pudu

Feed quantity per day

5-10%

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 8 kg and eats 10% of its body weight, it will get
 
8 x 0,1 = 0,8 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

20% Concentrates
30% Leafy greens and cabbages
50% Browse

Proportions (fresh product)

0,2 x 0,8 kg = 160 g concentrates
0,3 x 0,8 kg = 240 g leafy greens and cabbages
0,5 x 0,8 kg = 400 g browse

Diet Suggestions

Recommended

Variety of browse (willow, oak, chestnut or lime)

Variety of leafy vegetables

Pellets

In moderation

Alfalfa hay

Not recommended

Fruits

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

  • Rumen acidosis
  • Deformed hooves
  • Obesity

Additional advice

  • Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least two feeding moments per day.
  • Supplement the diet with ad libitum browse (read more about browsers and grazers).
  • The browse used in the diet can be a mixture between dried and fresh browse.
  • In the winter months, either dried, frozen (thawed) branches or leaf silage should be provided.
  • Limit the amount of alfalfa hay, as it can cause excess protein and calcium intake.
  • Feeding fruits might lead to might lead to gastro-intestinal disturbances because of the high sugar level and low fiber level in cultivated fruits compared to wild fruits (read more about nutritional values of (wild) fruits and vegetables).
  • Stimulate foraging behaviour by hiding, stacking or hanging the feed (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).

Species within this group

  • Southern pudu
  • Northern pudu