Nursing other species Flashcards
What is meant by zygodactyl feet in parrots?
2 forward and 2 backward toes
How much do parrots weigh?
10g-3kg
What are the traits of parrots?
Intelligent
Social
Tropical climates
Prey animals
What are the most common parrots kept as pets?
Cockatiels
Budgerigars
African grey
What are the lifespans of the common parrots?
Budgerigars- 18 years, 6 in captivity
Cockatiel- 30 years, 7 in captivity
African grey- 50 years, 20 in captivity
What is meant by dimorphic sexes?
Morphology differences between males and females in the same species
How can you sex parrots?
Budgies- male has blue cere, female has brown
Cockatoos- male has black iris, female has brown
DNA sexing from blood or feather pulp when not dimorphic
Endoscope to look at gonads
What are features that should be in parrots cages?
Large as possible, minimum allow wing extension
Stainless steel bars, zinc is toxic in galvanised wire
Horizontal climbing bars
Seperate activity centre
Perches- natural, non-toxic branches, knotted ropes
What are the lighting requirements for parrots?
12 hours light cycle
Bright light but not direct sun
UV supply for vitamin D
How should parrots be enriched?
Bathing Foraging for their food Chew toys Toys to stimulate brain Mirrors aid companionship
What is the most recommended diet for parrots and explain why
Pelleted diet
Preformulated
Prevents selective feeding
Can provide fruit and veg for enrichment
Why are seed based diets not reccomended?
High fat and calories
Deficient in vitamins, amino acids and minerals
Poor Ca:P ratio
Easily contaminated by fungal spores
Encourages selective feeding
Hard to supplement as dehusk before eating
What are the health issues of purely seed diet?
Chronic infections Obesity Poor reproductive performance Metabolic bone disease Siezures
Why are home made diets not recommended for parrots and what should they consist of?
Hard to balance, need supplementation and can selectively feed
Mainly grains, beans, greens and fruit or equal parts brown rice, seeds and beans, fruit and veg
What are causes of feather pulling in parrots?
Lack of enrichment, particularly in intelligent species and females
What history should you take for feather plucking parrots?
Sex Diet Housing Enrichment Cigarette smoke exposure Previous plucking Length and pattern of plucking Any noticeable causes
What is the approach to treating feather plucking?
Rule out medical causes Improve environment Examine Change to pellet diet Humidify environment to prevent dry feathers Reduce pollutants Reduce stress
How to treat feather plucking?
Treat conditions Improve diet Hospitalise when needed Positive reinforcement of wanted behaviours Enrichment
How should rabbits be housed?
In pairs or groups
Lower than 23 degrees
Outdoors- wooden hutch with wire mesh, dark nesting area, big enough to stand and take 3 hops, waterproof floor, insulated for winter
Indoors- crate or hutch, away from wires and poisonous plants, access to exercise
What bedding should you use for rabbits?
Newspaper
Deep layer shavings
Straw
Hay
What features are needed for rabbits runs?
Secure including top Shade and sunlight Grazing Exercise Hiding bolt hole
What can be used to enrich rabbits?
Toys
Cardboard tubes
Foraging
Fruit wood to gnaw
What are the nutritional requirements for rabbits?
Supplement few pellets alongside hay, prevent selective feeding, GI upset and obesity
Grass for grazing
Herbs- basil, parsley
Veg- low amounts particularly dark greens
No sugary fruit
Calcium for teeth, excess causes bladder stones
Explain breeding in rabbits
No regular oestrus
Induced ovulators
30 day gestation
2-12 per litter
Sexing rabbits
Restrain and place pressure either side of genitals
Males- penis protrudes and testicles present
Females- oval structure with slit opening
What are housing requirements for guinea pigs?
Not too hot
Kept in groups
What are guinea pigs nutritional requirements?
Hay for fibre
High vitamin C
Fresh veg
Some fruit
Explain breeding in guinea pigs
Polyoestrus
60-72 day gestation, born fully developed
2-6 in litter
Why do guinea pigs need to be bred youg?
At a year old pelvis fuses
Sexing guinea pigs
Hold against body and place pressure above genitals
Males- scrotum exposed
Females- Y shaped genital
What type of feeders are small rodents and what are there diets?
Herbivores
Hamsters and rats opportunistic omnivores
Seeds, grains, fruit and veg
What are the housing requirements for small rodents?
Wire cage
Shavings, straw, hay, newspaper, to dusty
Enrichment
Gerbils- tank with nesh lid and deep substrate for tunnelling, sand bath, wood to gnaw
Sexing small rodents
Males have longer anogenital distance
Sexing ferrets
Males have longer anogenital distance
How to reduce the smell of ferrets?
No baths
Clean bedding
Neutering
Correct food
How should ferrets be housed?
Indoor or outdoors
Secure hutch or pen
Straw or shavings
Enrichment
What is the diet suitable for ferrets?
Similar to cats
Pelleted or wet
Explain breeding in ferrets
Induced ovulator from february to october
Stay in season when not mated, could cause fatal anaemia
42 day gestation
2-6 in litter
How can you stop a ferrets season?
Mate with castrated male
Progesterone injection
Neutering- adrenal disease
What are the general requirements for exotics?
Ectothermic- control body temperature by moving around heat
Humidity important
Temperature gradient
Normal photoperiod maintained
UV light- vitamin D synthesis
Sand, wood chip, newspaper, carpet, peat bedding
What are the different living requirements for lizards?
Diurnal or nocturnal
Temperate, desert or rainforest environment
Terrestrial or arboreal
Herbivores, insectivores, carnivores or omnivores
What diet should you give lizards?
Herbivores- low protein diet, calcium and vitamin D supplement, leafy greens, veg, soft fruit
Insectivorous- crickets, meal worms, locusts, supplement calcium (gut loading or coating)
Lizard sexing
Shape and size
Probing
Femoral pores
How to handle lizards?
Small- similar to rats
Large- hand under chest, legs held against tail
Be aware of claws, biting, tail dropping
What are the housing requirements for snakes?
Minimum diagonal length of snake Individually housed Escape proof glass or plastic Ventilation Hide box Shallow water bowl- shedding and humidity Climbing apparatus Newspaper or wood chips
What are the temperature requirements of snakes?
Night time drop 2-5 degrees
Tropical snakes- 27-30 degrees
Temperate snakes- 22-28 degrees
What are the feeding requirements of snakes?
Carnivore or insectivore
Most eat thawed rats/mice, some eat fish and reptiles
Sexing snakes
Sexual dimorphism and probing
How to handle snakes?
2 people when over 1.5m
Grasp firmly from behind, caudal to jaws
Support body in 2 places
What are the different types of chelonia?
Tortoise- land
Turtle- sea
Terrapin- semi aquatic
What are the nutritional requirements for chelonia?
Leafy greens, veg and fruit
Meal worms and insects
Commercial foods
Some need calcium and vitamin D supplements
How to handle chelonia?
Support body weight
Beware of biting
Housing requirements of chelonia?
Kept together, males attack each other and dont mix species
Secure enclosure
Shallow water bowl for humidity for shell development
Pellets, gravel, woodchip, soil, newspaper
What are the heating requirements of chelonia?
20-32 degrees environment
Basking zone 30-40 degrees
Body temperature 26-30 degrees
UVB for vitamin D and appropriate photoperiod
What are the reasons for hibernation and what triggers it?
Cope with food scarcity and low temperature by lowering metabolism
Caused by shortened days and temperature lower than 15 degrees
How to prepare for chelonia hibernation?
Starved 3-4 weeks prior, avoid food rotting in gut, lots of fluids still
What are the environmental conditions for hibernation?
Temperature 3-8 degrees
Secure container with good humidity and ventilation
Check regularly
Hibernate for 12-16 weeks
When to wake up chelonia from hibernation?
Loose 1% body weight
Injured
Is waking up
How to wake from hibernation?
Bring to room temperature over a few hours to 22-25 degrees with UV and basking light
Check for injuries or illness
Warm water baths 2 times daily
Monitor after, should urinate within a week
