Exotics Flashcards
How to sex rabbits
Male (buck): round & penis can be protruded
Female (doe): vulva V shaped
How to sex guinea pigs
Male (boar): penis may be extruded through circle of tissue
Female (sow): Y shaped opening
How to sex rats
Male (buck) - large anogenital distance & presence of testicles
Female (doe) - small anogenital distance & presence of nipples
How to sex mice
Male - large anogenital distance & presence of testicles
Female - small anogenital distance
How to sex hamsters
Male - large anogenital distance & presence of testicles
Female - small anogenital distance
How to sex bearded dragons
How to sex tortoises
Males have longer tail
Plastron concave in males
Margin of carapace tucked in male & flared in female
How should rodents be housed
Exercise should be encouraged with toys & wheels
Fresh water available
Hamsters housed alone
Other rodents housed in groups (same sex & age)
Sawdust bedding so they can nest & burrow
Gerbils should be offered sand baths regularly for grooming
How should reptiles be housed
Temperature gradient in enclosure
Basking area
Infrared heat source
UV light for lizards & chelonians to make vitamin D
How are snakes sexed
What are commonly kept indoor birds
Passerine:
Perching or song birds
e.g. canaries or finches
Anisodactyl feet (3 forward, 1 back)
Psittacine:
Parrots, macaws, cockatoos & budgies
Zygodactyl feet (2 forward, 2 back)
Describe daily management of indoor kept birds
Indoor bird cages:
Birds must be able to extend wings in all directions
Additional opportunities for exercise
Made of stainless steel
Horizontal bars for climbing
Identification:
To recognise offspring, identify breeding pair, trace origin & owner
Ringing (Left leg – female, Right leg – male)
Microchipping
DNA profiling
Tattooing
Rubber stamping
Photographing
Wing clipping:
Done to prevent flight
Never cut blood feathers
Training & harnesses are alternatives
Claw & beak trimming:
Done due to overgrowth, infectious diseases, fractures or perching issues
May need GA
Correct underlying cause
What are the nutritional requirements of birds
Nutritional requirements:
Huge variety
Many pet diets are seed based
Problems with seed based diets:
Variable in quality & nutritional composition
High in fat & low in nutrients
Bacterial & fungal contamination common
Alternatives to seed based:
De-husked seed diets – less contamination
Pulse diets – more protein but nutrient deficient
Mixed diets – hard to get right & allows for selective eating
Formulated diets – nutritionally balanced, at least 50% fruit & veg
Grit:
Often found in gizzard of wild birds
Enrichment
Helps break down food
Protects GI tract from damage by sharp objects
Source of nutrients
Recommended for all birds
Describe how to sex indoor birds
Some species exhibit sexual dimorphism
Budgies – males blue, females red
Cockatoos – males black iris, females brown iris
Cockatiels – tail feather differences after first moult
Behavioural differences
e.g. males often more vocal
In sexual monomorphic breeds sexing is required
Endoscopy to assess gonads
DNA analysis of blood or feather pulp
Describe critical values of birds
Resp rate – 15-60bpm
Heart rate – 250-500bpm
Temperature – 40-43celcius
Describe toxicity in birds
Due to galvanised/power coated materials
New cage, coins, car keys, wire, lead rings
Signs:
Lethargy
Regurgitation
Weight loss
Anaemia
Drinking & urinating more
Neurological signs
Feather plucking
Describe bumblefoot in birds
Pressure sores on feet
Causes secondary infections
Predisposing factors:
Obesity
Lack of activity
Poor perching
Nutritional problems
Overgrown nails
Poor hygiene
Describe feather plucking in birds
Many causes (e.g. breeding related or behavioural issue)
Can lead to self-mutilation
Describe over-bonding in birds
Bonding with owner can be intense
Can lead to:
Regurgitation
Frustration
Stress
Aggression
Excessive egg laying
Prevention:
Share interaction with others
Avoid stroking down length of back
Do not positively reinforce courtship behaviours
Describe hypocalcaemia in birds
Calcium metabolism requires vitamin D
UV light required to convert vitamin D to active form
Indoor birds often have inadequate UV light exposure = calcium & vitamin D deficient
Signs:
Neurological issues
Bone abnormalities & fractures
Beak deformities
Reproductive issues
Poor feather quality
Describe hypovitaminosis A in birds
Most common vitamin deficieny
Affects epithelial cells throughout body
Clinical signs:
Nasal discharge
Abscesses
Sinusitis
Breathing difficulties
Describe respiratory disease in birds
Due to air quality issues
Aspergillosis
Fungal infection
Opportunistic
Psittacosis
Zoonotic
Stress trigger
What birds are these
What birds are these
Outline legalities regarding birds of prey
Illegal to take birds of prey from wild without DEFRA license, unless its receiving treatment from vet or person registered to treat & release
Wildlife & countryside act 1981:
Species listed in schedule 9 considered non-native & can’t be released or allowed to escape
Some can be re-released after brief period of rehabilitation
Barn owl
Northern goshawk
Red kite
White-tailed eagle
What are the roles of birds of prey
Falconry
Displays
Zoos
Breeding collections
Outline bird of prey nutritional requirements
Raptors eat entire carcass & regurgitate bones & feathers
Don’t feed pure muscle
Feed different animal each day
Provide fresh water
Ca:P ratio important (growing birds – 2:1, adults – 1.5:1)
Outline bird of prey welfare problems
Poor housing
Lack of exercise
Incorrect diet
Lack of social interaction
Outline common injuries, causes & prevention in birds of prey
Common injuries:
Wing tip oedema
Bumblefoot
Blunt trauma
Causes:
Injury
Incorrect perch
Poor perch hygiene
Obesity
Nutritional deficiencies
Prevention:
Balanced diet
Clean environment
Cover perches with suitable material
Handle & fly more often
Outline common husbandry-related diseases in birds of prey
Enteritis:
Abnormal mutes
Vomit or regurgitate
Emergency
Causes:
Bacterial, fungal, viral, endoparasitic, toxicity
Parasites:
Cause diarrhoea or white plaques in mouth
Common when multiple birds kept in close proximity or poorly sourced food
Freezing pigeons before feeding can prevent infections
Wild birds have natural parasite burden – only becomes problem when stressed or ill
Crop stasis:
Crop emptying is prolonged (stasis) meat will go rotten
Causes:
Crop infection, inappropriate food, dehydration, low body condition, over full crop
What are these
What does flight weight, cast, cast off, footing, imping & mews mean
Flight weight: ideal weight for flying
Cast: method to hold bird OR to regurgitate a pellet OR 2+ birds flown together
Cast off: released from fist
Foot/footing: when bird strikes with its feet
Imping: replacement of damaged feathers
Mews: building that bird is kept in
What are the systems in which birds of prey can be kept
Tethered on blocks or perches
Bow or block made of astrotruf, nylon rope or natural materials
Aviaries
How do you cast a bird
- Grasp bird from behind using towel
- Wrap towel around body & cover head if not hooded
- Don’t restrict breathing
- Place one side of bird against your body & move one hand to place fingers around birds legs to hold feet
- Once casted owner can hold bird in towel for you
Describe daily management of rabbits & guinea pigs
Rabbits:
Somewhere to hide & somewhere to exercise
Can stand up without ears touching roof
Can lie fully outstretched
Can take 3 consecutive hops
Guinea pigs:
Exercise area
Tunnels to run through and hide in
Describe rabbit & guinea pig diet
Rabbit diet:
Herbivores
Hind gut fermenters
Continuously growing teeth
85% hay, 10% vegetables, 5% pellets
Guinea pigs:
Herbivores
Hind gut fermenters
Continuously growing teeth
85% hay, 10% vegetables, 5% pellets
Vitamin C in diet
Describe rabbit & guinea pig welfare concerns
Solitary living
Should never be kept alone – become depressed
Poor breeding
Dental malocclusions – dental disease
Narrow ear canals – chronic ear infections
Brachycephalic – over heating
Describe rabbit & guinea pig welfare related diseases
Incorrect diet
Dental disease – gut stasis
Obesity – bladder disease
Excessive dietary calcium – bladder disease
Hypovitaminosis C – pain
Small enclosures
Lack of movement – bladder disease
Poor ventilation – respiratory infections
Poor hygiene – fly strike
Describe rabbit critical values
Temperature – 38.5-40celcius
Heart rate – 130-325bpm
Gestation – 29-35 days
Resp rate – 30-60bpm
Describe guinea pigs critical values
Temperature – 37.5-39.5celcius
Heart rate – 230-380bpm
Gestation – 59-72 days
Resp rate – 40-120bpm
What are the roles of zoos in modern society
Scientific institutions for study of animal behaviour & welfare
Centres for conservation excellence
Entertainment
Education
Research
What are some relevant legislations regarding zoos
Animal welfare act 2006
Zoo licensing act 1981
Dangerous wild animals license
British & irish association of zoos & aquaria
What breeds are these
What breeds are these
What breeds are these
What breeds are these
What breeds are these
Describe nutritional requirements of reptiles
Carnivorous species – whole prey items
Herbivorous & omnivorous species
Leafy weeds & vegetables
Avoid oxalates foods (reduce Ca availability)
Avoid pellets
Avoid high phytate containing foods
Feed omnivores insects
Don’t handle snakes within 48 hours of feeding
Describe common musculoskeletal diseases of reptiles
Metabolic bone disease
Disorder of calcium metabolism
Fractures & bone deformities
Gout
Uric acid crystals form in joints
Overgrown nails & beak
Describe common gastrointestinal diseases of reptiles
Gut impaction
Endoparasites
Regurgitation
Anorexia
Describe common skin & shell diseases of reptiles
Burns & scalds
Ectoparasites
Tumours (UV damage)
Trauma
Shell pyramiding
Soft shell (metabolic bone disease)
Stomatitis (mouth inflammation)
Describe common respiratory diseases of reptiles
Inadequate ventilation
High temperatures/low humidity – drying of mucous membranes
Low temperatures – reduced immunity
Poor hygiene
Small vivarium – snakes cant clear discharges
Nutritional deficiencies
