How to Tame an Emu

Emus are large, flightless birds that are native to Australia. They are the second-largest bird in the world and belong to the group of birds known as ratites, which also includes the ostrich, rhea, cassowary and kiwi. They grow to 5 to 6 feet in height and live for about 25 to 35 years. These hardy birds can tolerate a wide range of temperatures and are disease resistant. They are naturally friendly and inquisitive and can become very tame if you get them at an early age.

Instructions

    • 1

      Handle your hatchling or baby chick as soon as you get it. Physically interact with your bird on a regular basis so it gets used to the sight and sound of you. Show other family members the correct way to approach and handle the emu. Spend as much time with the bird as possible when it is young. This is the best way to ensure it will be tame as an adult bird. You can handle emus fairly easily for the first two months of their lives.

    • 2

      Hand-feed tidbits to your juvenile emu on a daily basis. Emus can be trained to follow you but are sometimes difficult to drive. Teaching the young emu to follow by creating a food trail will make handling easier as it matures, so that you can move it from place to place when you need to. If your emu is going to be a pet, call it by name as you bring the food so it learns to come to you when you call its name. For treats give it thinly sliced carrots and apples, grapes and other fruits.

    • 3

      Spend time with your chick or young juvenile to tame it. Move gently around the bird in its enclosure, taking care to avoid frightening it. In hot weather introduce the emu to a garden hose or paddle pool, as emus love playing with water, and it will soon run up to be sprayed with a hose. Provide plenty of food for the growing bird and continue to handle it as it grows. Emus enjoy being talked to and handled.