EXO1 - PARROTS Flashcards
Most aviary birds are kept as individual pairs, what are the smaller species that are kept in colonies?
Lovebirds, cockatiels, budgerigars
What is the normal aviary design?
Consisting of a building providing shelter and sleeping quarters (wooden shed), with an outdoor wire mesh flight.
Double door system is advised to help prevent birds from escaping.
What is the ideal parrot proof building material and what is not? Why?
Stainless steel - most suitable for potentially destructive chewing;
Galvanised mesh is not ideal - zinc toxicity
Explain why unsuitable perching material and size would be a problem for birds.
Plastic or smooth wood are not ideal, whereas natural branches provide irregular surfaces of varying diameter, allowing increased blood flow to the feet & avoids development of pressure sores on the feet - Bumble foot
Hard wood/fruit tree can be used as long as they are thoroughly disinfected - provide excellent environmental enrichment by encouraging chewing behaviour, also keeping feet and nails in good condition.
It is best to supply a single perch only which is not used for roosting - keep it lower in the cage.
What is an ideal floor covering for birds?
How should this flooring be maintained?
Newspaper;
Cages should be cleaned out daily , old food stuffs and faeces removed to reduce spread of any infection. Soak the paper with disinfectant prior to removal reduces airborne particles - reduce likelihood of zoonoses e.g. chlamydia.
Explain the term heavy metal toxicity in birds.
Lead or Zinc found in chrome and galvanised metals
Name some potential toxins for parrots.
Toxic plants, avocado, bacon, chocolate, lead, mycotoxins (mouldy nuts can contain aflatoxins), PTFE (from overheated Teflon cookware), rodenticides, caffeine, tobacco, zinc, lead, opioids.
What are some of the problems for permanently indoor housing birds?
Lack of natural exposure to UV light, affecting efficiency of vitamin D metabolism (particularly grey parrots) & preening behaviours.
Artificial UV-b sources should be used for a minimum of 4 hours daily for these birds.
How are parrots sexed?
Most parrots are sexually monomorphic, but can be sexed by DNA analysis on the feather pulp.
How are parrots aged?
Clues:
Grey parrots & macaws have dark grey iris at birth (black eyed babies), colour gradually lightens over 1st year finally becoming yellow at maturity.
Small psittacines become sexually mature after 6-12 months, larger parakeets and parrots maturing at 2-3 years of age.
Name the identification methods for parrots.
- Microchip - introduced into the caudal 3rd of left pectoral muscle (keep digital pressure to reduce risk of haematoma)
- Ring - closed ring require placement as a juvenile confirming they are captive bred, will have year of birth, a sequence number & identifying letters; also helps identify breeders
Chronic malnutrition is a common clinical presentation in captive psittacines, give examples of the main deficiencies.
Vitamin A, E and Calcium;
Vitamin A deficiency causes squamous metaplasia of epithelial cells lining respiratory, GI and urogenital tract leading to hyperkeratosis, poor feathering, poor colouration, reproduction and chronic respiratory infections. Loss of papillae around the choanal slit can be used as a presumptive diagnosis (Hypovitaminosis A)
Deficiencies in Calcium, vitamin D3 or improper calcium to phosphorus ratios can lead to nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism, osteodystrophy & pathological fractures in young parrots, hypocacaemic seizures, egg binding, poor egg shell quality and poor reproductive performance.
*Hypocalcaemia & osteodystrophy are clinically more significant in grey parrots
What are the issues with “parrot seed” mixes promoted by the pet trade?
Nutritionally inadequate and are of poor quality;
May become fixated on individual food components within the diet & selectively take these items.
State the problem with offering millet sprays, honey bars or other ‘seed’ based products to small bird species.
Obesity due to high fat seed based diets;
Fatty liver disease;
Arteriosclerosis
Name some common diet supplements for parrots.
A combination of soaked pulse mixtures, vegetables, fruits;
Commercial vitamin & mineral supplements;
Cuttlefish bone & pink iodine blocks (e.g. to prevent goitre in budgerigars)
