Effects of environment on health and welfare of small mammals Flashcards
Space – Rabbits
1 million rabbits owned in UK.
26% - 260,000 - are kept in inadequate housing – small hutches with no run.
36% of veterinary professionals identified small hutches as one of the top five welfare concerns for rabbits.
Most rabbits spend 11 hours per day in their hutch.
Currently pet rabbit housing guidance advises that rabbits should be kept in a hutch which is large enough for them stand on their hind legs without their ears touching the top, stretch out fully in all directions and long enough to complete at least three hops, they should also be provided with a run for exercise with regular opportunities to exercise
Standard guidance given by numerous welfare organisations and pet stores. No recommended size given.
This advice can be confusing as rabbit owners may not be aware of how far a rabbit can hop and will underestimate the length of three hops.
RWAF found that three hops from an average rabbit is 183cm to 213cm
183cm to 213cm.
Hutches and indoor cages are available to purchase online, sold as suitable for rabbits, smallest available is 90cm in length, with 120cm being average sold as “starter cage”.
This equates to an average of 0.4m2 to 0.54m2 floor space
In comparison, laboratory rabbits are provided with 0.2m2 to 0.6m2 dependent on weight.
Dixon, et al. (2010) found that rabbits change their behavioural repertoire dependent on the amount of space available to them.
In small pens rabbits were less active and did not interact with their surroundings or enrichment provided.
Suggesting, that smaller pens lead to reduced mobility.
As well as this, single entire rabbits become territorial showing aggression to “intruders”
Implications – bite, scratch owners.
Owners reduce interaction further. Rabbit relinquished, abandoned or ONLY basic provisions provided.
Vets often presented with aggressive rabbits.
Vets often presented with rabbits in poor health with progressed health conditions. E.g. malocclusion, flystrike.
Common stereotypical behaviours in rabbits
Inactivity, bar biting, gnawing, scratching, restlessness, excessive grooming, fighting if bonded with another.
Stereotypical behaviours are performed during times of frustration or stress as a coping mechanism, suggesting compromised welfare.
These behaviours can become habit.
Enrichment – Rabbits
Research conducted on laboratory rabbits found that shelter/hides and a raised platform reduced stereotypical behaviours performed.
They used platforms and the roof of hides as look-out or resting-place, utilising their inclusion daily.
It is worth noting that to achieve higher standards when breeding rabbits as pets it states:
“…rabbits that are physically able to use platforms must be provided with access to a platform or multiple platforms…”
To achieve minimum standards, it states:
“…Suitable enrichment items include, but are not limited to, tunnels, paper bags filled with hay, willow sticks/balls and branches from non-toxic, untreated fruit trees (e.g. apple)…”
Behaviour – Rabbit
44% of owners want to change one or more of their rabbits’ behaviours
Top five behaviours owners wanted to change:
13% digging up ground or carpet
13% chewing furniture
13% thumping back feet
7% biting bars or run/hutch repeatedly
7% hiding
These problems are best prevented and treated by understanding their origin in both species-specific behavior and learning.
Urine spraying is primarily a problem of intact males.
Litter box use results from both rabbits’ species-specific tendency to use particular sites for elimination and from training.
Rabbits may become fearful of humans because of painful or frightening experiences with them. Rabbits will become comfortable with humans if they have numerous positive interactions with them. Fearful or aggressive rabbits may be treated by repeatedly exposing them to pleasant associations with humans.
Rabbits are territorial and may aggressively reject new rabbits that are not members of the group. Introduction of a new rabbit must be gradual, allowing rabbits to become familiar with each other and preventing them from fighting.
Digging and chewing are natural, species specific behaviors. Giving rabbits acceptable objects to chew prevents them from destroying household items.
Social - Rabbit
49% of rabbits live alone (490,000)
But only 18% of owners perceived their rabbit to be lonely
“Rabbits need companionship from their own kind to thrive. Data from other work shows us that rabbits kept alone are strongly motivated to seek out social contact” (Seaman, et al., 2008) “and solitary pet rabbits live shorter lives” (Schepers, et al., 2009).
“Acquiring rabbits in neutered pairs, or, where feasible, ‘bonding’ a compatible rabbit under careful supervision with a lone rabbit” (Stapleton, 2016), is therefore a positive way to improve rabbit wellbeing
Health – Rabbits
13% of rabbits get no preventative healthcare
49% of rabbits received primary vaccinations, 51% received a booster
Owners commented that they didn’t vaccinate as their rabbit did not come into contact with other animals, 16% said it wasn’t necessary and 18% said that their vet didn’t recommend annual vaccination, 13% said it was too expensive
This reveals a lack of understanding of disease risk and vaccination schedules
Neutering – Rabbits
54% of rabbits are neutered, unfortunately the top reason for not neutering is that rabbits live alone.
Neutering is advantageous for health, prevention of unwanted litters, and encourages compatibility when bonding
15% of owners did not think there was any benefit to neutering
Incorrect husbandry in rabbits
Otherwise known as bumblefoot
Caused by wire floors, not enough substrate, inability to exercise
Overgrown teeth - Lack of hay, forage, gnawing opportunities
Rabbits have open rooted teeth which continually grow - Hysodontic
Treatment for overgrown teeth is burring of teeth under anaesthetic
If not treated will be fatal
No real signs as rabbits hide pain very well
Dribble, off food, smelly breath, loss of weight , coat not groomed
Bloat:
Very painful
Once the animal stops eating this leads to gut stasis
Requires emergency veterinary treatment
Fatal if not treated
Many “home remedies” on the internet
Pineapple juice, mint, human remedies for indigestion, etc
Substrate
Incompatible bonding
Incorrect gender combinations
Over feeding
Poor hygiene
Weather extremes
Implications of incorrect husbandry on rabbits
Approximately 33,000 rabbits are relinquished every year to rescue centres
Numerous reasons
It is thought that many more will die due to improper care
Not always owners fault
Huge amount of conflicting, false and dangerous information on the internet relating to rabbit care which confuses owners
Guinea pigs
Most common health & welfare implications seen are:
Ringworm Mites Hygiene Overgrown teeth Diet, lack of forage/gnawing material Scurvy Diet Breeding females over 1 year old Incorrect social groups Spatial restriction Incorrect substrate Lack of hides and enrichment
Fear and stress!
Bacterial enteritis – stress
Pseudotuberculosis – Contaminated feed
Coccidiosis – Overcrowding, poor husbandry
Bacterial pneumonias - Overcrowding, poor husbandry
Pododermatitis – poor husbandry
Hamsters
Common health conditions include;
Bacterial enteritis / wet tail
Dental disease – malocclusion
Cheek pouch impaction – Use of cotton wool bedding
Neoplasia
Parasites
Common injuries include;
Broken limbs – inappropriate wheels, dropping
Fighting – incorrect social groups. Syrain hamsters will kill each other!
Hamsters hibernate which is not widely known by the general public and can lead to hamsters being buried alive
Frequently kept in very small cages!
Rats & mice, common problems
Sudden change in diet can result in diarrhoea Salmonella typhimurium or S. enteritidis Causes acute or chronic diarrhoea Because of zoonosis – euthanasia Treated animals become carriers Tyzzer’s disease Chlostridium piliforme Important in rats, mice, hamsters,
gerbils commonm problems
Diarrhoea, generalized illness, dehydration, death
Stress can cause disease
Source – normally spore-contaminated food or bedding
Treatment not normally successful
Enteritis
Diarrhoea, starey coat, hunched posture and skin tenting associated with dehydration
Gastric dilation
Bloat
Feeding inappropriate diets or stale food
Hamsters, common problems
Proliferative ileitis
Mainly affects weanlings 3-8 weeks
Lawsonia intracellularis currently considered aetiological agent
Other factors involved in development of clinical disease are:
Stress
Weaning
Dietary change
Guinea Pigs, common problems
Bacterial enteritis
Diarrhoea associated with E.Coli
Uncertain of cause
Normally develops after period of stress or change of food
Antibiotic-induced enterotoxaemia
G. Pigs particularly susceptible to disruption of normal gut flora by administration of antibiotics
Can allow enterotoxin-producing clostridia to multiply
Results in diarrhoea, acute illness and death
Broad spectrum antibiotics seem less likely to cause this condition
