Zoo database

Scimitar-horned Oryx

Oryx dammah

Natural diet Scimitar-horned Oryx

Grasses
Herbs

The scimitar-horned Oryx is a herbivorous grazer that has adapted to desert habitats. They can survive for up to 10 months without water since their kidneys prevent water loss through urination. Their natural diet often contains wild melons and Capparis to provide enough moisture.

Feeding advice Scimitar-horned Oryx

Feed quantity per day

1-2.5% of body weight

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 160 kg and eats 2% of its body weight, it will get

160 x 0.02 = 3.2 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

10% Concentrates
90% Grass, lucerne and other roughages

Proportions (fresh product)

0.1 x 3.2 kg = 320 g concentrates
0.9 x 3.2 kg = 2880 g grass, lucerne and other roughages

Diet suggestions

In moderation

Lucerne hay
Variety of browse (willow, aspen, birch, rowan)

Not recommended

Fruits
Protein rich products
Vegetables

Additional advice

Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least two feeding moments per day.
Supplement the diet with ad libitum hay (read more about browsers and grazers).
Feeding fruit might lead to abnormal fermentation in the hindgut because of high sugar levels (read more about nutritional values of (wild) fruits and vegetables).
Stimulate foraging behaviour by hiding, stacking or hanging the feed (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

Chronic rumenitis
Bloat
Obesity
Excessive hoof growth

Feed quantity per day

Sample percentage calculation

Feed composition

Proportions (fresh product)

KNZ Leckstein Wild

Boskos Grazer

Grazer pellets

Martijn den Blijker

Director Kiezebrink Rodents