Exotics and Wildlife Nutrition 1 - Tesse

Question 1

suspect every reptile you see to be suffering from some form of ______

Answer 1

nutritional deficiency causing metabolic bone disease

Question 2

what is metabolic bone disease? Give three examples of practices that can lead to this:

Answer 2

related to inappropriate husbandry.

1. food and water delivery
2. supplements
3. lights
4. temperature
5. humidity
6. substrate

Question 3

what do hummingbirds do at night

Answer 3

torpor so they can TWEAK ALL DAY

Question 4

what is shedding called

Answer 4

ecdysis

Question 5

What are the overarching goals of exotic/wildlife nutritiion (4)

Answer 5

• growth
  -overall health and longevity
• decreases in infectious and non-infectious diseases
• breeding success

Question 6

What are the 4 feeding strategy goals

Answer 6

1. provide a nutritionally balanced diet
2. stimulate natural feeding behaviours
3. balanced diet that consistently consumed
4. practical and economical to feed

Question 7

When are illnesses in captive birds most commonly noticed

Answer 7

during molt and egglaying

Question 8

What is aflatoxicosis?

Answer 8

Chronic ingestion of low levels of toxins in most seed diets. Found in birds

Question 9

how to prevent aflatoxicosis in birds

Answer 9

proper food storage with low moisture to prevent mold formation

use human grade seeds/nuts

Question 10

what is the most common mycotoxin that causes aflatoxicosis

Answer 10

aspergillus spp

Question 11

what commonly causes aflatoxicosis

Answer 11

inappropriately stored seeds and pet-grade peanuts

Question 12

how does aflatoxicosis present

Answer 12

hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis
hepatic carcinoma

Question 13

what species does aflatoxicosis effect

Answer 13

birds

Question 14

what type of diet is essential for rabbits, but often overlooked

Answer 14

high fiber. required to stimulate normal GI processes

Question 15

what does inadequate fiber content lead to in rabbits

Answer 15

• fur chewing (barbering)
• trichobezoars
• GI stasis
• lethargy, anorexia

Question 16

what species do coprophagy

Answer 16

rabbits, chinchillas, guinea pigs, hamsters and most rodents

Question 17

excessive energy intake in rabbits can lead to

Answer 17

obesity
pododermatitis
UTD
dental disease

Question 18

in cophrophagy, which particle (small or large) get sent back via reverse peristalsis into the cecum to be fermented

Answer 18

smaller particles

Question 19

what is a cecotrophe

Answer 19

concentrated amino acids and volatile fatty acids

Question 20

what covers cecotrophes

Answer 20

mucus, to protect from stomach acids

Question 21

what vitamins are high in cecotrophes

Answer 21

B and K

Question 22

cecotrophes have ___ the protein and ____ the fiber of a normal pellet

Answer 22

twice, half

Question 23

T/F: ferrets are omnivores

Answer 23

False. Ferrets are strict obligate carnivores

Question 24

what is the transit time in an adult ferret?

Answer 24

3 hours

Question 25

What are ferrets

Answer 25

basically tubes

Question 26

T/F ferrets have lots of gut flora.

Answer 26

false. minimal flora with few brush border enzymes

Question 27

what is food consumption and weight regulated by in Ferrets

Answer 27

daylight (20-30% increase in winter)

Question 28

what is an ideal ferret diet

Answer 28

high qual protein (>35%) and fat (>20%), with low fibre and carbs (<5%)

Question 29

What should young ferrets be fed

Answer 29

variety of nutritious foods so their diet is more flexible as an adult (they set preferences early)

Question 30

Should ferrets be fed BID?

Answer 30

no. they need lots of frequent small meals

Question 31

What species does insulinoma affect?

Answer 31

Ferrets

Question 32

what is insulinoma?

Answer 32

pancreatic islet beta cell tumor that causes indiscriminate insulin production

Question 33

what are clinical signs of insulinoma

Answer 33

episodic, worsening with time acute hypoglycemia and chronic lethargy hindend ataxia and weakness hypersalivation depression star-gazing and seizures

Question 34

how to diagnose insulinoma

Answer 34

3.3 to 3.6 mmol/L glucose (very low fasting blood glucose)

Question 35

Medical management of insulinoma

Answer 35

glucocorticoids, diazoxide, diet changes, surgery

Question 36

what are some things that can effect volume or frequency of feeding with exoticvs

Answer 36

-age -reproductive status -season (molt = increased protein) - temperature -daylight hours - hibernation/brumation in reptiles

Question 37

what are the most common nutritional diseases in exotics

Answer 37

-metabolic bone disease -hypovitaminosis A -Vitamin E/selenium deficiency -thiamin deficiency -vit c deficiency - obesity

Question 38

what are some common metabolic bone diseases

Answer 38

-rickets - osteomalacia -fibrous osteodystrophy

Question 39

What are three things that can cause MBD`

Answer 39

1. absolute ca deficiency 2. Ca:P imbalance 3. vit D deficiency