Vegemite sandwiches, cuddles with humans and walks to the kitchen make Ed a happy camper. Ed the emu enjoys his new paddock at home with Ella after he was politely asked to leave the Moonlit Sanctuary because he was causing a ruckus with his friends.  Sound familiar?

“He was fighting with the other emus and trying to mate the keepers!” says Ella.

So this excitable young man was offered to Ella, a self-confessed emu nut who had worked previously at the sanctuary. She knew Ed was lovely and that he’d fit right in with her four other emus. Ed was enthusiastically added to the flock; however, it didn’t go to plan.

“The other emus ostracised him. His lack of social skills with the other emus were the downfall; he just couldn’t seem to build a relationship with any of them. He now happily coexists with chooks, dogs, and cats. Humans are definitely his friend of choice; even my friends’ toddlers just adore him.”

This endearing feathered friend follows everyone into the house, and if you’re not careful you’ll often find him in the kitchen. He’s a fussy eater and will always take a cuddle over food. Generally, he settles on eating what the chooks eat but is extremely partial to a Vegemite sandwich.

“All emus like sandwiches, especially Vegemite sangas, which is why most humans have a fear of emus,” Ella explains.  “If you go into a paddock with emus and you don’t have a sanga, they’ll generally leave you alone.”

Ella has never had a fear of emus and now we know the secret to taming them - or buying their love.  Surprisingly, Ella the emu whisperer fails in one regard at keeping mischievous Mister Ed in line. Ed is a good-looking rooster with a long tail - and he knows it. Therefore, when it comes to mating season, he’s cheeky and isn’t picky at all – he’s even shown interest in a dog!  This is OK because Ed is more like a dog anyway, according to Ella. It’s a result of lots of human contact at the sanctuary, so in turn he’s not the stereotypical “scatty emu”.

This birdbrain is such a character and enjoys the odd selfie bomb with Ella, and she doesn’t mind at all.