How to Take Care of Baby Penguins

If there were a vote on who are the best parents in the animal kingdom--and that includes human beings--penguins would win hands down. This is because there is a lot of cooperation between father and mother penguin while caring for their baby. Since penguins live in extremely cold conditions, they take turns providing warmth and food for their baby. If you plan to raise a baby penguin as a pet, this sort of knowledge will come in handy.

Things You'll Need

  • Penguin food
  • Water
  • Penguin enclosure
  • Commercial heating equipment
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Instructions

    • 1

      Build a suitable enclosure for the baby penguin. To save money, use locally available materials that replicate its natural habitat, such as plant material and dry grasses.

    • 2

      Place the newly-hatched baby penguin in its enclosure. Be sure to provide the warmth the baby penguin needs. This can be accomplished by the use of commercial heating equipment.

    • 3

      Feed the baby penguin regularly and frequently. Penguins eat small fish, squid and herrings. During the first five days, the baby penguin may not each much. The amount of food it consumes will gradually increase as it grows older. Give it up to six meals per day.

    • 4

      Teach the baby penguin how to walk. Stand behind the baby penguin and gently nudge it forward, while guiding it in the right direction. Do this for several days and soon the penguin will totter away.

    • 5

      Keep giving the small penguin a steady supply of food and water. In a few months it will grow strong and healthy, and may even start looking for its own food. With time, you can also switch off the heating.

    • 6

      In addition to the regular feedings, give the baby penguin vitamins and other nutritional supplements at regular intervals. This helps the penguin to build its immunity and ward off diseases.