Qualitative assessment of food acceptance by the parakeet (Aratinga eoups) in captivity.
Casanovas Cosío E., Suárez Surí R., Novoa Quiñones R.
Author Affiliation: CETAS/Centro de Estudios para la Transformación Agraria Sostenible, Universidad de Cienfuegos, C.P. 59430, Cuatro Caminos, Cienfuegos, Cuba.
REDVET 13 :41202
Abstract : The qualitative assessment of acceptance of 19 different types of food (four grains, ten fruits and five vegetables) proposed for the first time to the endemic species of Cuban conure (Aratinga eoups) in captivity conditions, according to the proposed methodology based on three criteria: 1 - No acceptance, 2 - Intermediate acceptance and 3 - Good acceptance, showed a high-concordance's level to all foods (P0.001). The comparison among the implemented assessments showed notorious significance for grains and vegetables, and a greater complexity for fruits. The following foods were rejected: wheat, rice, grape and leaves of beet with observed frequencies of 75% for criterion 1. A greater acceptance was showed for fruits such as apple, orange, mangoes, bell pepper, pineapple and banana compare to medlar, tamarind, tomato and grape (P0.05). Responses were equivalent for different vegetables such as mugwort, spinach, carrots and lettuce. These results should be helpful for managing feeding's practices of conures in captivity.