What Do Swans Eat - 4 Food Options If You Plan on Feeding Swan

Published: 15th April 2010
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Are you planning to raise some swans in your garden pond? In getting started, it is helpful to know first the basic details about swans so you can effectively raise and breed them successfully. For first time breeders or swan raisers, the food that swans mostly eat is a mystery for them. Some people are thinking that they feed on formulated feeds just like chickens and other birds. Actually, swans are generally herbivorous, but there are some species that also eat insects and small aquatic animals. Being familiar with what do swans eat is crucial especially for people who plans to raise them in an artificial or man-made environment, as their usual foods are not naturally occurring.

So what do swans eat? The following are the common foods that most swans eat:

• Aquatic Plants - since swans spend most of their time in bodies of water like ponds and lakes, they also source out their food from here. They usually feed on stems, roots, leaves, tubers and other parts of any aquatic plants. This is not a problem for swan raised on natural bodies of water; however, people that raise their swans in man-made ponds or lakes must ensure that aquatic plants are present to serve as the swan's food.

• Insects - swans also wander on land and they can eat whatever small insect that may come into their way. This includes snails, aquatic beetles and many more. This is the intriguing part about what do swans eat; at first people thought that swans are purely herbivorous but as time passes by, it was discovered that swans also feed on small insects.

• Small Aquatic Animals - this includes shrimps, small fishes and other small aquatic animals. These aquatic animals are eaten by fully mature swans living in a natural pond or lake.

• Grains and Vegetables - this is the usual food for domesticated swans, especially those that are raised on farms. Swans on captivity feed on corns and other grains as well as on left over vegetable scraps.

With the mentioned facts, you now have idea about what do swans eat. In raising swans, make sure to provide them with a continuous supply of food, as they may wander away if their needs are not sustained. Don't be confused about what do swans eat; there are a variety of swan food options where you can choose from. Providing them food is also a way to tame them, so don't forget to regularly assist your swans in their foods!

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