diets for birds, reptiles, and exotic mammals Flashcards
what is important to remember with husbandry
there is no way to mimic the natural environment of animals we bring into our home
nutrition for birds
- challenging to know needs for every species
- age variation
- nutritional studies on young cockatiels and chickens
what is the solution to bird nutrition
pellets
what is the break down of bird diet
- 80% = pellets
- 15% = veggies
- 5% = treats
what not to feed to birds
- avacado, chocolate, alcohol, caffeinated beverages
- peanuts can carry aflatoxins
bird behavior with eating
- many will not just eat whats infront of them
- prey animals - repeat what they did yesterday
- pretend they are eating
- pretend not eating
- not eat
- stool production tells all
stool production
birds
- have owner count stools fot 24 hour period
- record it
- during convo owner must continue to count stool
- small drop in prod. is expected
- large drop. - inform owner to go back one step and call for advice
how to convert to new bird food
- adding 1/4 of total per week of new food in pellets and remobe 1/4 old food
- take 4 weeks
- give small amounts of mix regularly so birds do not pick through
what is birdie bread - corn bread
- corn bread dry mix replaced with crushed pellets
- cook normally
- increase pellet part each week by 1/4
- cut into small squares
what do poor bird diets lead to
- atherosclerosis
- sinusitis/rhinits
- hepatic lipidosis
- gout
- egg production/dystocia
- fractures
- over conditioning
- lipomas
what does poor diet in reptiles cause
- overweight
- hypocalcaemia
- hepatic lipidosis
- renal disease
UV light - reptiles
- symbiotic role for absorption of calcium
- incandescent bulbs cannot emit UVB
- fluorescent bulbs - 24” long minimum and changed every 6mo
- mercury vapor bulbs changed every 3-4mo
what is preferred optimal temperature zone
- species variation
- immune stimulant
- absorption of vitamins/minerals
what is bad temp husbandry
- heat rocks/caves/mats
- heat should not be within reach - get burns
herbivores - reptile ex
iguana
omnivore reptile ex
bearded dragon, turtles
insectivores reptile ex
geckoes, chameleons
carnivore reptile ex
snakes, monitor lizards
what is the diet of a herbivore
reptile
- dark veggies
- minimal fruits unless species specific
what is the diet of insectivores
- generally lizards
- prey should be half the size of the head
- gut load = “feed the food”
diet of carnivores
- snakes and monitor lizards
- whole prey items best
- feed dead/thawed frozen (may have to stun/kill first)
dietary supplementation in reptiles
- if on good diet - dont need supplements
- can be used for gut laoding prey items
calcium supplementation in reptiles
- common to add
- only when changing diet
- not in older than 12mo
- use calcium supplement not containing phosphorus
- under vet instruction
ferrets
- ferrets are strict carnivores
- built to tear and swallow prey or parts of prey whole
- stomach - HCL
- GI transit time ~ 3 hrs
- used as model for many human GI dieases
ferret diets
- high protein and fat diet
- no cat or kitten food
- feed throughout the day
rabbits
- herbivores
- monogastric, hind gut fermenters
- fiber, low energy dense food items
- produce cecotrophes
why is fiber important in rabbit diets
- promotes motility
- undergoes fermentation in cecum with diverse microbiome
cecotrophes in rabbits
- stool that is ingested for energy that was produced in ther femenration process
- produced overnight
veggies in rabbit diets
- start adding in veggies 12 weeks of age
- take small amount of one veggie and feed that daily for 1 week
- if no issues, add another veggie next week
- repeat process until nice variety
general feeding rules in rabbits
- free choice hay - timothy/orchard grass
- 1 cup veggies/4lbs
- 1/4 cup pellet/4lbs highin hiber (min 18% fiber)
- free access to water
guinea pigs
- GI physiology and feed is similar tp rabbits
- free choice hay - timothy/orchard grass
- 1/2 cup veggies
- 1/8 cup pellets (min 18% fiber)
- free access to water
- VC is a must
- produce cecotrophs throughout day
what does hypovitaminosis C cause
scurvy
vitamin C
- natural better than manufactured
- VC supplements shelf life of 90 days
chinchillas
- very similar to rabbits and guinea pigs
- chinchilla pellets
- VC is endogenously produced
- cecotrophy throughout day
hamsters/gerbils/rats/mice
- omnivores
- monogastric hind gut fermenters
- not obligate fermenters
- extruded pellet diet for each
- offers hay
- variety of veggies
- multiple water sources
hedgehogs
- omnivores, love insects
- monogastric, no cecum
- insects and veggies
- extruded pellet diet is majority of diet
weight management in hedgehogs
- 2-3 tsp/day pellets
- 1tsp wet food/day
- veggies/fruits 1tsp day
- feed inset/prey 3-4x week
- exercise
sugar gliders
- omnivorous hind gut fermenters
- tree sap, nectar, insets
- gut load insects
- artificial nectar mix
- small am fresh veg/green
