Exotics Nutrition And Husbandry Revision

Question 1

How do you sex budgies?

Answer 1

Male has blue care, female has nude cere.

Question 2

Describe general accommodation for ducks

Answer 2

Need:
A pond to swim in which is lined with concrete or plastic so easy to clean.

To exhibit natural behaviour.

One side of pond to be sloped for easy access.

Shelter.

Water/feed dished placed on rack/platform.

Question 3

How should a budgie be transported to the vets?

Answer 3

Make the journey as stress free as possible. Cover cage with blanket to create low lighting. Remove toys to make catching budgie easier.

Question 4

Describe clinical signs and treatment of a budgie with iodine deficiency.

Answer 4

Enlarged thyroid gland presses on trachea to cause noisy breathing.
Permanently in moult phase.

Supplement with iodine block.

Question 5

Describe clinical signs and nursing requirements of a parrot suffering from Psitticosis due to poor husbandry.

Answer 5

Clear nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, green diarrhoea, dyspnoea, feather plucking.

Barrier nurse with mask, gloves, apron.
Tetracyclines.
Keep in darkened room in incubator at 26°C.
Supplemental oxygen/nebuliser.
Feed every hour.

Question 6

Explain the basic breeding procedure for a budgie.

Answer 6

Sexually mature at 6 - 9 months.
Stimulated by day length (breed in summer).
Feed extra protein before breeding.
Nest box with concave in base to lay eggs as budgies don’t line their nests.
Incubator at 36.9 - 37.5°C.
1-2 eggs laid before brooding when 3rd egg laid.
Incubation starts after 3rd egg laid and lasts 18 days.
Clutch can have 3 - 10 eggs.

Question 7

Describe the signs of pain and distress in a bird.

Answer 7

Ruffled feathers, mouth breathing, tail bobbing, anorexia, feather plucking, perching in unusual places.

Question 8

Describe the procedure for euthanasia in a bird.

Answer 8

Ketamine IM (40mg/kg) to sedate first.
IV injection into ulnar vein with pentobarbitone.

Question 9

Describe the clinical signs if a bird is 7 - 10% dehydrated.

Answer 9

CRT >1-2 secs.
Tenting of skin over feet and eyelids slow to return to normal.
Dull corneas.
Dry MMs.
Cold extremities.
Weak pulse.
Muddy coloured feet scales.

Question 10

Describe the general housing conditions of a snake including acceptable and maximum requirements.

Answer 10

Acceptable:
Small glass tank.
Ventilation at the top.
Strong, secure.
Easily cleaned.
Water provided.
Substrate like newspaper.
UV lamp or temperature gradient.

Maximum:
Vivarium with astroturf.
UV lamp with guard.
Heat mat and temperature gradient more than half the length of the vivarium.
Min/max thermometer.
Humidity provided by spraying plants in vivaround.

Question 11

Describe the feeding pattern and method of feeding for a terrapin.

Answer 11

Omnivores but mainly fish and aquatic invertebrates e.g. trout, salmon, shrimp, mussels, crayfish.
Only feed in water.
Plants to feed include pondweed, watercress, dandelions, tomatoes.
Complete foods available.
Young terrapins feed every day.
Adult terrapins feed 2-3 times per week.

Question 12

Describe the feeding pattern and method of feeding of a garter snake.

Answer 12

Fed on defrosted fish. Cooked at 80°C then cooled.
Use tongs so snake does not strike your hand.
Hatchlings feed after their first shedding. Feed at least once per week.
Adults fed from once per week to once per month.

Question 13

Describe the feeding pattern and method of feeding for a boa.

Answer 13

Rats/ rabbits every 2 - 3 weeks. Defrost before feeding.
Use tongs to avoid snake associating you with food.
Food presented head first.
Warm food under heat lamp before feeding.

Question 14

Signs a snake shows when hungry.

Answer 14

Up at glass more often.
Moving around vivarium more.
Flicking tongue more.

Question 15

How should a lizard be transported to the vet?

Answer 15

Either in a secure plastic box with contents removed or a secure sack.

Question 16

Which legislation has to be observed to keep a British adder?

Answer 16

The Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976.
Licence issued by local authority.
Pet stored don’t need licence, just person buying dangerous animal.

Question 17

What is the basic breeding procedure for a Mediterranean tortoise?

Answer 17

Sexually mature at 7 - 10 years.
Folliculogenesis stimulated by time of year. Two bouts of egg production can occur per year.
10 - 30 eggs laid each year.
Possible to carry eggs through hibernation.
Fertilisation can occur months after mating as sperm can be stored.

Question 18

What can be done to prevent metabolic none disease in a reptile?

Answer 18

A bearded dragon should be fed gut loaded crickets, fruit flies, locusts, meal worms, was worms.
A cricket should never be wider than the lizards mouth.
Gut loading the insects means that the lizard is getting all the calcium and nutrients it needs.
A UV light should be provided at all times so calcium can be synthesized.

Question 19

What is gut loading?

Answer 19

It is when the crickets and other insects are fed nutritious food high in calcium and vitaminsbefore being fed to the reptile. This ensures the reptile is getting as much nutrition from their diet as possible.

Question 20

What are the clinical signs and nursing requirements for a tortoise with metabolic bone disease?

Answer 20

Diet deficient in Ca and lack of UV light (I.e. deficiency in vit D3) causes softening and pyramiding of shell. Muscles deform shell due to the softening.
Correct the diet and provide UV light. Splint fractures.
If hypocalcaemic paralysis give 100mg/kg of calcium gluconate IM.

Question 21

Describe the clinical signs and nursing requirements of a snake suffering from dysecdysis due to poor husbandry.

Answer 21

The skin peels of in small sections.
Fails to completely remove.

Rehydrate by bathing in lukewarm water.
Allow access to abrasive towel to rub on.
Retained spectacles (scales around eyes) can be removed using moistened cotton buds.

Question 22

Describe 2 clinical signs of a hookworm infestation in a snake and 1 nursing requirement for this.

Answer 22

Enteritis, anorexia and weight loss.

Treat with invermectin twice per year.

Question 23

Describe 2 clinical signs of a more infestation in a snake and 1 nursing requirement for this.

Answer 23

Black mites at edge of spectacle and under chin.
Anaemia, dysecdysis.
Transmit bacteria.

Invermectin topically for 8 weeks.

Question 24

Describe 1 sign of pain and distress in a snake.

Answer 24

Aggression/striking at the glass.

Question 25

Explain the procedure for euthanasia in a tortoise.

Answer 25

IM with 100-200mg/kg ketamine
IV with 200mg/kg ketamine
Pith the tortoise through the foramen magnum or roof of the mouth to destroy the brain.

Question 26

Describe the general housing requirements of a rabbit including acceptable and maximum requirements.

Answer 26

Acceptable:
1.5 x 0.6m floor space
0.45 - 0.9m high
Solid floor with bed of wood shavings/shredded paper/straw
Housing cleaned daily
Separate nest box provided
Cardboard boxes for hiding in and chewing.

Maximum:
Outdoor hitch with access to grass run
Ceramic/metal heavy feeding bowls
Constant supply of fresh water
Optimum temp = 13 - 22°C
Optimum humidity = 30 - 70%
Prevent house rabbit chewing on electrical wires and carpet as it may cause bowel impaction or electric shock.

Question 27

Describe general housing requirements of a budgie.

Answer 27

Cage or large aviary with weatherproof shelter
Furnishes with natural perches of varying sizes and made out of natural wood
Vermin proof
Disinfected before new birds introduced
Floor should drain well and be easily cleaned
Live plants (care taken so not poisonous)
Plywood nest boxes in breeding season
Fed seed mix with some fruit