Husbandry

The Bilby lives longer in captivity (10 years) compared to a wild Bilby, they can share a small to medium sized enclosure between 2 – 3 Bilbies.

Bilbies are displayed in nocturnal housing. Their enclosures would include various tussocks, hollow logs and branches, they primarily need a make shift burrow that they can hide in and sleep in, this may be a wooden box. Their enclosure would include and ground surface of sand to display the environment they inhabit.  Their enclosures would be fully enclosed – not open to the elements and be set at a constant 23 °C. The glass would be sound proof so visitors do not scare the animal. Leftover food and faecal matter should be removed everyday or every second day and a water dish should be refilled daily. Record keeping is essential for captive Bilbies, up to date information on health checks and vet checks, treatments, reproductive conditions, changes in diet, death and births, behavioural changes including signs of stress and weights should all be monitored and recorded (5). Bilbies could be feed a range of foods and can be mixed up, seeds, fruits, insects, termites, bugs and worms are the main food items to present to a bilby – the alive portions can be scattered around to promote foraging behaviour. They may require supplement to get extra nutrients they may not be getting in captivity as to what they would get in the wild (5). They are opportunistic feeders in the wild so are very good at adapting to changes in the environment.

Greater Bilby eating an insect