<p>By Dana Urbanski, Keeper II<br />North Carolina Zoological Park, Asheboro, NC</p>

<h3>Purpose</h3> 
<p>Through training, safely perform a physical exam, vaccinate and draw blood on 0.3 ostrich without using restraint devices (baffle boards or physical restraint).</p>

<h3>Background</h3>
The Forest Edge exhibit at the North Carolina Zoological Park houses three seven year old female ostrich (Redbird, Bluebird, and Yellowbird) in a mixed species exhibit with zebra and giraffe. The ostrich are accustomed to "gating," or coming into designated holding stalls every morning. These stalls have a specially coated floor and are approximately 10ft. x 10 ft. [~3m x3m]. The ostrich are locked in the stalls between 30-45 minutes each morning to eat their grain while keepers service the exhibit. The ostrich are trained before they are released onto exhibit.</p>

<h3>Training Background</h3>
<p>In August of 2005 I began a training program with the ostrich. This was the first time a training plan had been implemented for these particular animals. The first task was to desensitize the ostrich by free feeding and then establishing the bridge while I was in the stall with them. Once they were calm being in close proximity to me, a training program was initiated. Training project forms and shaping plans were created. These forms help to organize objectives and target specific behaviors. Training sessions were 5-15 minutes long and were done three to four times a week.</p>

<p>"Hooding" became the first training project. Hooding the ostrich became top priority so that annual physical exams could be done without the use of baffle boards and physical restraint. The ostrich were much calmer and more relaxed with the hoods on. The stress level of the ostrich, keepers and veterinary staff was also reduced. The success of the hood training prompted new training projects such as targeting, stationing, steady, physical exam desensitization, scale training and currently, leg and foot desensitization. Through the implementation of these training projects, hoods are no longer necessary when doing annual physical exams simply because the ostrich have become accustomed to daily tactile training.</p>

<p>The author training the hooding behavior with 0.1 ostrich at the North Carolina Zoological Park. <em>(Photo: Becca Wentz, Keeper I)</em></p>

<h3>Training Tools</h3>
<ol>
    <li><strong>Hood</strong> – made from the bottom two feet of a dark colored sweat pant leg, with the wide end sewn with a draw string.</li>
    <li><strong>Target</strong> – a colored paddle approximately 3ft. long [~1m].</li>
    <li><strong>Whistle</strong> – dog training style with lanyard to wear around neck.</li>
    <li><strong>Platform metal scale</strong> – approximately 3ft. x 4ft. [0.914m x 1.219m] and 3" [7.62cm] off the ground with a black fatigue mat on top to help prevent slipping.</li>
    <li><strong>Reward bucket</strong> – a small plastic measuring cup or hip bucket that can be worn on the waist line and hang on the hip for easy access to rewards.</li>
    <li><strong>Training forms and shaping plans</strong> – forms that help organize training projects.</li>
</ol>


<h3>Trained Behaviors</h3>

<h4>Hooding</h4>
<p>Place the hood over trainer's right forearm with hand sticking out the wide end, when the ostrich comes down for a treat the hood can be pulled over the ostrich's head using the left or free hand. The ostrich were reinforced with repeatedly whistling and praise. Once the hood was removed the ostrich received bonus apple rewards. This behavior took about three months of desensitizing and training.</p>

<h4>Targeting</h4>
<p>Using the paddle target, ask the ostrich to touch the target with its beak. Ostrich are extremely curious and this came easy to all three. Within a week they were all targeting.</p>

<h4>Steady</h4>
<p>Using a paddle target as a visual focus item, ask the ostrich to steady. The ostrich should stand tall with neck straight up in the air and not peck at the target. I bounced back and forth with target and steady until both behaviors were learned. This behavior took three months for the ostrich to learn.</p>

<h4>Stationing</h4>
<p>Ask the ostrich to stand at a designated point in the stall, using a small plastic shovel and Wiffleballs&reg; clipped to the caging as visible stations. This behavior proved to be...</p>

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