Birds should be watched carefully for their interaction with each other. Some birds will feather-pick other birds or even themselves if stressed. This helps prepare the bird for veterinary health checks which include palpating the abdomen, drawing blood and taking the temperature. All of these procedures require the bird to be touched and handled. If the owner touches the ostrich all over in a playful way from the start, veterinary care will be less stressful for the bird, veterinarian, and owner.
Ostriches require intensive management.
They are very curious creatures and will peck at anything shiny. This behavior is especially apparent when the ostriches are young. Owners should be careful about what they wear when around these birds. They can snatch glasses from your face and swallow them before you have time to react. Their constant running in the pen also works debris up from the soil.