Exotics Flashcards
True or false: Rabbits are part of the order lagomorpha.
True
What is the difference between a lagomorph and a rodent?
Rodents have one pair of incisors and lagomorphs have two
What is the difference between a rabbit and a hare?
Rabbits are altricial - born without fur, ears and eyes closed
Hares are precocial - born fully furred, ears and eyes open
List some common rabbit breeds
Holland Lop, Dwarf, Flemish Giant, Dutch, Lionhead, Angora (any others as well)
Where are rabbit eyes located and why?
Side of their head, they are a prey animal so need a wide range of vision
True or false: Rabbits have a high bone to muscle ratio.
False
Is a rabbit a carnivore, omnivore, or herbivore?
Herbivore
What type of digestive system does a rabbit have?
Hind-gut fermenter
True or false: The rabbit’s cecum comprises 40% of their total GI capacity.
True
What is a second type of rabbit poop produced by the cecum?
Cecotrope
Why do rabbits have to eat cecotropes?
To obtain further nutrients
Why do we avoid using Elizabethan collars on rabbits?
Need to consume their cecotropes for their nutritional value.
Can rabbits vomit?
No
Why can’t rabbits vomit?
Lack a gag reflex and have a thin, weak diaphragm, incapable of reverse peristalsis
How much hay should a rabbit eat?
It should be 80-85% of their diet
What type of hay should NOT be fed to an adult rabbit from this list and why?
Timothy, meadow grass, oat, alfalfa, orchard grass
Alfalfa (can be fed to rabbits under 4 months of age) It promotes urinary stones and bladder sludge.
Why is it so important for rabbits to eat hay?
Wears down their teeth, and promotes GI health
What percentage should veggies be of the rabbit’s diet?
8-10%
What percentage should pellets be of the rabbit’s diet?
0-10%
What percentage should treats be of the rabbit’s diet?
0-5%
What are common causes of malocclusion in rabbits?
Improper diet and genetics
What type of ovulator is a rabbit?
Induced
When can rabbits breed again after giving birth?
24 hours after
What is a dewlap and what is used for?
It is loose skin hanging under a mature female rabbit’s chin, the rabbit plucks fur from it to line the nest.
Should rabbits be fasted for surgery? Why or why not?
No, they can’t vomit and they should never be fasted as it may cause GI stasis which may be fatal.
Why should rabbits be spayed?
Reduces aggressive behaviour, prevents false or real pregnancies, prevents uterine adenocarcinoma, prevents pyometra and endometritis
Why should rabbits be neutered?
Reduces aggressive behaviour, prevents testicular cancer, reduces urine marking A.K.A spraying behaviours, decreases urine smell and encourages better litterbox habits
True or false: It is easier to bond rabbits when intact.
False
What are considered rabbit emergencies?
Anorexia (12-24 hours without eating), diarrhea, presence of cecotropes or lack of feces
What zoonotic disease can rabbits and rodents have?
Ringworm
True or false: Rabbits can have the same ectoparasites as dogs and cats.
True
What should we do to minimize stress of rabbits in the veterinary hospital?
Separate waiting room or put in exam room right away, change into clean scrubs, rabbit should be in their travel cage with familiar scents, provide non slip surfaces
What can rabbit thumping and stomping indicate?
Frightened/threatened, mad, irritated and used to warn others of danger
What does it mean when a rabbit circles your feet?
Originally a courtship behaviour, indicates love and is a way to ask for attention
What does it mean when a rabbit grunts, growls and charges?
Angry, threatened and territorial, they want you to leave and may bite
What is a rabbit doing when chinning?
Claiming their territory with scent glands under the chin spread the rabbit’s scent.
Each one has a unique scent.
What is the best combination for rabbit bonding? What can be the most difficult?
Spayed female with a neutered male.
Bonding two females can be the most difficult especially if unspayed.
Why are pine and cedar shavings not recommended for any small animals?
They contain aerosols that are toxic to the liver and lungs.
Can rabbits be litter trained?
Yes
What does tonic immobility mean?
A state of motor inhibition that can occur in prey animals as a last defense
against a predator – a fear response
What can trigger tonic immobility in rabbits?
Lying them on their backs
What is the best way to restrain a ferret?
Scruffing
What is the issue with ferrets in pet stores coming from just 2 farms?
They have a small gene pool - many health issues
What were ferrets originally bred for?
Their ability to hunt rabbits and control the rodent population
What does nocturnal mean?
Most active at night
Is a ferret a carnivore, omnivore, or herbivore?
Carnivore
Are vaccinations required for ferrets?
Yes - distemper and rabies
What are some health issues of ferrets?
Fatal anemia, cancer, heart disease, epizootic catarrhal enteritis (ECE), ecto- and endoparasites
What is the definition of a rodent?
Gnawing animals that have continuously growing upper and lower incisors - one set of teeth
Why is it important to not lift a mouse or rat by their tail?
Tail can slough off
What province is rat free?
Alberta
What is the purpose of porphyrin in rats?
Lubricating the eye and pheromones
Are mice and rats carnivores, herbivores or omnivores?
Omnivores
How can we determine whether mice and rats are male or female?
Distance between anus and genitalia, males are farther apart than females
Why are rats used in the laboratory setting?
Almost all disease-linked human genes are duplicated in the rat, share the same physiology as humans
Why wouldn’t 2 white chinchillas be bred together?
25% chance of getting a homozygous version of these genes that is lethal (the fetus won’t develop)
What is the most common colour of chinchilla?
Standard grey
What is fur slip?
Chinchillas can release a large patch of fur in response to being grabbed or handled too roughly
Are chinchillas carnivores, herbivores or omnivores?
Herbivores
Should we bathe a chinchilla? Why or why not?
No, their fur can take a long time to dry leaving the chinchilla open to possible fungal infections, and the fur also acts as a barrier that prevents water from evaporating, so they can get cold
What type of bath does a chinchilla need?
Dust bath
Are chinchilla offspring altricial or precocial?
Precocial - fully furred with ears and eyes open
What is something that can happen to male chinchillas that we need to make owners aware of?
Fur ring around penis
How many teeth do rabbits have?
16 deciduous, 28 permanent
Define malocclusion
Imperfect positioning or meeting of the teeth when the jaws are closed
Birds have how many respiratory cycles?
2
Birds have________ along with small rigid lungs.
air sacs
Define coprophagy
The eating of feces
What does dimorphic mean?
When males and females of the same species have different physical characteristics (ie. size, colour)
What does monomorphic mean?
When males and females of the same species have the same physical characteristics (ie. size, colour)
What is a jill?
Female ferret
What is a male ferret called?
Hob
What is a spayed female ferret called?
Sprite
What is a gib?
Neutered male ferret
What a baby ferrets called?
Kits
What are baby rats called?
Kits and pups
What is a fledgling?
Baby bird that has left the nest but is still reliant on parents to feed them
What is a hatchling?
Baby bird that has not left the nest yet
True or false: Leopard geckos are herbivores.
False, they are insectivores
True or false: Reptiles can have skin or scales.
True
True or false: The left lung of a snake is smaller than the right.
True
True or false: Reptiles are able to cough.
False
What are 4 temperatures zones that should be in a reptile enclosure?
- Basking zone
- Warm zone
- Ambient zone
- Cool zone
True or false: Snakes are carnivores.
True
What does gut loading mean?
An animal’s prey is raised and fed nutritious foods with the intention of passing those nutrients to the animal for which the prey is intended
True or false: Amphibians are hot-blooded.
False, they are cold-blooded
True or false: Brightly coloured amphibians are typically the most toxic.
True
True or false: Amphibians have a 4 chambered heart
False, they have a 3 chambered heart
True or false: It is very important to wear gloves when handling reptiles, amphibians and turtles.
True
What does metamorphosis mean?
The process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages.
True or false: An ectotherm relies on their environment to regulate temperature.
True
True or false: An endotherm relies on their environment to regulate temperature.
False
True or false: Reptile skin prevents water loss.
True