Lectures 17-19 Flashcards
What two environmental conditions should rabbits be kept away from?
heat
dryness
What environmental condition should guinea pigs be protected from?
excessive cold
Where should guinea pigs be kept in the summer?
outside
In what 2 environmental conditions should chinchillas be kept?
dry
cool
Are rats adversely affected by ultrasound?
yes
What are gerbils active?
during the day
What are hamsters active?
at night
What species of hamster is solitary?
syrian
What 2 environmental conditions do birds generally not like?
hot
dry
What can be done to increase the humidity for birds?
spray a mist in the morning
Which Act states that caged birds should be able to spread their wings fully in a cage?
Wildlife and Country side Act 1981
From what tree could the branches used in bird cages come from?
willow
What should birds be kept away from in a room?
gas fires
What should the humidity be above for a bird?
51%
Which reptiles do not need exposure to UVB?
snakes
What is the problem with using sand for snakes?
causes scale abrasions
Why do reptiles require a thermostatically controlled external source of heat?
because they are exothermic
Why should heat pads not be put on the wall of a vivarium?
because this does not create a very good temperature gradient
What device is best for heating a vivarium?
ceramic bulbs with wire guard
What distance from the basking area should a UVB strip light be?
20cm
For what reptiles should a combined heat and light bulb be used?
zoo reptiles
How should humidity be created for reptiles?
spraying the cage with a mist
Why might it not be good to use sand as a substrate for reptiles?
if they ingest it they can become constipated
What should the conditions for a chameleon be during the day and at night?
day- hot
high- dramatic temperature drop with high humidity
What should the temperature during the day for a bearded dragon be?
very hot
What should happen to the temperature at night for a bearded dragon?
suddenly drop off
When especially does a snake need to be vibration free?
when it is eating
What two conditions do young terrapins need?
deep water
basking light
Where can adult terrapins be kept?
in a secure pond
What area do tortoises need?
10 sq m per adult
Why does a tortoises grazing area need to be rotated?
to avoid build up of parasites
Can male and female tortoises be kept together?
no
Which seasons need to be artificially prolonged for tortoises?
autumn
spring
Where should tortoises be kept during the winter?
in a fridge
What commonly builds up in an amphibian aquarium?
parasites
What three groups of rabbits need concentrate feed?
growing rabbits
breeding rabbits
very active rabbits
What kind of food is Supreme ‘Russel Rabbit’?
alfalfa mix
What are three problems with cheap rabbit mixes?
too high in carbohydrates
too low in fibre
incorrect Ca:P ratio
Which rabbits should be fed rabbit breeder pellets?
meat rabbits
What are two problems with feeding rabbits diets two high in concentrates?
poor caecal flora
non-caecotrophy
What are two problems with not feeding rabbits the correct Ca:P ratio?
osteodystrophy
calciuria
What food has a Ca:P ratio of 10:1?
carrot tops
Why can rabbits be fed some dandelion even though the Ca:P ratio is 3:1
dandelions contains a diuretic which removes some of the Ca
What three problems does feeding rabbits on a low fibre diet cause?
poor gut motility
poor caecal flora
non-caecotrophy
How much concentrates should rabbits not be given more than in relation to rabbit body weight?
2-3%
What problem can be caused in rabbits by feeding them too much lettuce?
bloat
How much daily dietary vitamin C do guinea pigs require?
5-30mg/kg
In what 5 situations do guinea pigs need 2-3 times the normal amount of vitamin C?
in growth stress pregnancy lactation sickness
After how long with vitamin C deficiency do clinical signs start to shown in guinea pigs?
14 days
How should guinea pigs be provided with enough vitamin C?
supplemented pellet
Can guinea pigs be fed ad lib concentrates?
yes
Do Supreme Pet Foods or Burgess Super Guinea food contain a better amount of vitamin C?
Burgess Super Guinea food
What problem in guinea pigs can the lack of fibre cause?
barbering- chewing themselves or other guinea pigs
What problem can the lack of vitamin C cause in young guinea pigs?
joint swelling
What three problems can the lack of vitamin C cause in adult guinea pigs?
malocclusion
poor wound healing
immunosuppression
What two diseases can be exacerbated in animals with immunosuppression?
skin disease
respiratory disease
What two things can cause vitamin C deactivation if vitamin C supplements are put in water bottles?
sunlight
soft metal tips
What does the fat content in a chinchillas diet need to be less than?
3%
What are the two characteristics of good chinchilla food?
low fat
supplemented vitamin C
What four food items can be given to chinchillas as treats?
hard vegetables
fruit
raisins
sultanas
What can soft fruits cause in chinchillas?
colic
How much vitamin C do chinchillas require compared with guinea pigs?
same amount
Do chinchillas need a source of hay?
yes
What are 6 common health problems in chinchillas?
hypocalcaemia dental disease greasy fur fatty liver paraphimosis bloat
What two treats should not be given to chinchillas because they are high in fat?
peanuts
sunflower seeds
What two foods should degus be fed?
hay
guinea pig pellets
What disease can degus get if they are fed on gerbil food?
diabetes mellitus
What is the first sign of diabetes mellitus in degus?
cataracts
What nutrient is pet rat food often lacking?
protein
What percentage of a maintenance rodent diet should be crude protein?
14.7%
What percentage of maintenance rodent diet should be animal protein?
2.5%
What type of protein should rats have some of?
animal protein
What two things do hamsters and gerbils eat in the wild?
invertebrates
fresh vegetation
What health problem do small mammal foods normally cause?
obesity
Why may people not like to feed laboratory food to rats?
comes by the pallet and smells strongly of fish
What three problems commonly arise in small mammals because of incorrect feeding?
hair loss
poor skin
poor immune system
What can hamsters and gerbils be fed as a protein source?
live insects
What can rat and mouse diet be based on?
human food
What health problem may be reduced by feeding ferrets carcasses rather than ferret complete extruded diets?
dental problems
What food from another animal can ferrets be fed?
cat food
What are the two sorts of seed available to birds?
fat rich seeds
carbohydrate rich seeds
What is the fat content in fat rich seeds?
30-45%
What is the fat content of carbohydrate rich seeds?
2-4%
What are three examples of fat rich seeds?
sunflower
rape
linseed
What are three examples of carbohydrate rich seeds?
millet
oat
wheat
What are the two essential amino acids for birds?
lysine
methionine
What three foods are lysine and methionine found?
pulses
maize
animal protein
What does neophobic mean in terms of bird diet?
means that once they have learnt what to eat from their parents they are not willing to change
What should the fat content in bird food be less than?
8%
What percentage fat do big macaws need?
18%
What does bird rearing food contain?
egg protein
Can adult birds be fed on rearing food?
yes
What two amino acids is egg protein high in?
lysine
methionine
What three birds can softbill foods be fed to?
robins
thrushes
starlings
What are three sources of calcium for birds?
cuttlefish bone
oystershell grit
mineral grit
What are two reasons why calcium supplements should not be added to bird water?
they contain sorbitol which encourages bacterial growth
birds don’t often like drinking water with this in
Which birds require a source of iodine?
budgies
How can iodine be supplied to budgies?
iodine pecking blocks
Why should the amount of millet spray given to birds be limited?
because they can induce obesity
What condition can budgies get if they are not fed enough iodine?
hypothyroidism
What seed mix should you advise owners feed their budgies?
‘Trill’ (a supplemented feed)
What two green foods can be fed to budgies?
dandelions
lettuce
What is the two main seeds in budgie mix?
canary
millet
What is in cockatiel food which can lead to obesity?
fat rich seeds e.g. sunflower seed
What should cockatiels be fed if they are becoming too overweight?
budgie food
Why do canary birds need more fat rich seeds in their diet?
because they are smaller than other birds
What food should canaries be fed during moulting?
‘colour food’
Why are parrot mixes not a good food for parrots?
because they are high in sunflower seeds and peanuts
What 5 things are parrot mixes too low in?
fibre calcium fat soluble vitamins lysine methionine
What disease can be caused in parrots by feeding them parrot mix?
aspergillosis
Are complete extruded diets for parrots good quality?
yes
What are the best diets for parrots?
home made fresh diets
In a home made diet what should a parrot diet mainly be?
fruit and vegetables
What three foods can be a carbohydrate source for parrots?
roce
cooked potato
pasta
What disease can parrots develop if given high fat food?
fatty liver disease
What three foods should parrots not be given?
chocolate
avocado
caffeine
What two nutrients do African grey parrots often have deficiency in?
Vitamin D
calcium
What disease can African grey parrots get if deficient in vitamin D and calcium?
osteodystrophy
What should the main component of lories and lorikeets be?
nectar
What three foods can lories and lorikeets be given?
honey
baby foods
sponge cake
What mineral should there be lots of in the soil tortoises graze on?
Ca
What should the grazing pasture of tortoise be like?
weedy
A diet too high in what can cause turetting of a tortoises shell?
protein
What two conditions can overfeeding tortoises cause?
overgrown beaks and claws
liver disease
Why do tortoises need UVB source if kept indoors?
to make vitamin D
What are three common problems arising from incorrect feeding of tortoises?
osteodystrophy
hypovitaminosis A
liver disease
What is a clinical sign of hypovitaminosis A in tortoises?
swelling of the eyes
At what temperature do tortoises need to be kept during hibernation?
4-5 degrees
What should terrapins be fed on?
good quality pelleted food
What disease can be caused in terrapins by feeding them fresh meat?
osteodystrophy
Why should lizards not be fed on mealworms?
because they do not have the correct Ca:P ratio
What three things should a common iguana be fed on?
leaves
flowers
fruit
What four things should be in a bearded dragon diet?
insects
leaves
fruit
flowers
What is an essential characteristic of a Bosc Monitor diet?
low calorie
What is a common health problem in Bosc Monitors?
obesity
Should day old chicks be fed to snakes?
no
How much food should a snake be given in one sitting?
as much as it wants
After feeding a snake when do you feed it again?
when the food has passed out of the snake
What is the Ca:P ratio of mealworms?
1:22
What does the Ca:P need to be for reptiles?
2:1
What health problem can reptiles get with being fed meal worms?
obesity
