Housing and welfare Flashcards
The 5 provisions
- Good nutrition
- Good environment
- Good health
- Appropriate behaviour
- Positive mental experiences
Rabbit housing
- protection from predators
- protection from excessive heat and other inclement weather
- space to exercise and explore
- provide different environments like a warren
Guinea pig housing
- Protection from predators
- protection from cold/damp
- space to exercise and explore
- compatible same-species company
- separate summer and winter accommodation
- dry sheltered nest area
Chinchilla housing
- Dry cool environment with space for nocturnal activity
- quiet, cool resting place for daytime
- protection from excessive heat and damp
- space for exercise
- will chew everything
- mesh on its own can lead to pressure sores on feet
Small pet mammal housing
- Syrian hamsters are solitary, the rest are social
- space and furnishings to allow normal behaviour (foraging, climbing, burrowing)
Rat housing
- like it cool and moist
- can’t cope with US and other high pitched noises
- can climb
- active day and night
- social
- boys may urinate frequently
Gerbil and hamster housing
- desert animals
- prefer it dry
- use burrowing to keep cool
- gerbils: diurnal
- hamsters: nocturnal
Caged bird housing
- need to be able to spread wings and fly
- appropriate perching
- bathing facilities
- appropriate, varying photoperiod/uv-light
- appropriate temp, humidity, ventilation
- environmental enrichment
Housing vivarium for reptiles
- secure
- enough space and furniture to allow normal behaviour
- need a thermostatically controlled external heat source
- need UVB source within 20cm of basking area, replaced annually
Items needed for a reptile vivarium
- ceramic bulb and holder
- strip light and starter
- thermostat
- max/min thermometer
- humidity meter
- cage furniture and substrate
- maybe combo heat/light lamp but need heat when light is off
Heating options for reptiles
- heat pads (most burn issues from these)
- ceramic bulbs
- blue-red bulbs
Lighting options for reptiles
- UVB compact and strip lighting
- heat/light combined bulbs (beware they still need heat), should be in addition
Humidity of reptiles
- most species: spray daily/twice daily
- if need high humidity use automatic misting, needs more ventilation
- some need dripping water to drink from
Substrates for reptiles
- sand and gravel ‘calci-sand’ (can gat impaction if fed on)
- soil/peat (beware fungus)
- orchid bark
- astroturf/reptocarpet (can’t dig etc.)
- bedding pellets
- maize husks
Chameleon housing
- high daytime temp
- dramatic drop at night with high humidity
- need well ventilated enclosure
- need dripping water
Bearded dragon housing
- hot spot in day
- diurnal variation
- high UV requirement
- may bromate
Leopard gecko housing
- arid environment
- humid hide to aid shedding
- need UV light
Snake housing
- need UV
- quiet, vibration free environment
- many need cool rest period during winter
Young terrapin housing
§ Aqua-vivarium
§ Basking light
§ Heated water
§ Decent water depth
§ Filtration or lots of cleaning
§ Separate feeding area
Basking area with heat and UV
Adult terrapin housing
§ Secure pond
§ Greenhouse?
Ability to adapt and hibernate but wouldn’t in the wild
Tortoise housing
Need a large grazing area in the summer, not a tiny pen
Rotate grazing to avoid build up of parasites/regular testing: roundworms
Separate accommodation for adult males and females
In the wild they hibernate for a few months in winter
In UK controlled short hibernation (maximum 3 months)
Extended autumn and spring indoors
Largest land tortoise
African spurred tortoise
Second largest land tortoise
Leopard tortoise
Tortoise that can bend part of its shell
Hinge back tortoise
