Practical feeding Flashcards

Question

Feeding canaries

Answer 1

○ Canary mix/pelleted food ○ Soft food ○ Green food/fruit ○ Grit, calcium source Many canaries are fed a 'colour food' during the moult to enhance feather colour

Answer 2

○ Most are mainly frugivorous ○ Diet varies according to habitat ○ No wild parrot eats dry sunflower seeds and peanuts ○ Max 8% fat (except large macaws)

Answer 3

§ Generally a rubbish diet, but unfortunately almost universally fed § High in fat § Low in fibre § Low in calcium § Lack lysine and methionine § Low in EFAs Low in fat soluble vitamins

Answer 4

§ One flavour, lots of colours § Good but dry and boring § Often not easy to convert birds to dry diets- takes time and patience In essence a bit like feeding complete dog food, but to a more intelligent and discerning animal

Answer 5

§ Excellent if the owner understands teh composition needs § Include pulses, maize, fruit, and vegetables § May need supplementation - especially certain species § May need a protein source Easy for young bird that's a member of the family

Answer 6

§ Chocolate § Avocado - toxic to all birds § High fat foods § High salt foods § Caffeine ?human foods?

Answer 7

Fermented milk products are fine - mix with fruit Bones, chicken legs, insects Man made treats and juices - may make giving medicines easier if trained with syringe of orange juice etc.

Answer 8

- nectar +/- fruit - there are commercial nectar replacements - some owners do a mix of honey, 'complan', baby foods, sponge cake, etc.

Answer 9

5 main species Herbivores (more or less) Diet varies with the seasons in quantity and quality There are very active animals, and have periods of rapid and nil growth during the year Ideally adlib grazing

Answer 10

- flower petals - fallen fruit - occasionally invertebrates and carrion

Answer 11

- peas or beans - dog food - just tortoise pellets - lots of fruit Too much protein and will cause issues

Answer 12

Overgrown beaks and claws Liver disease Too rapid growth in young animals - shell abnormalities Weakness/osteodystrophy Hypovitaminosis A

Answer 13

Omnivorous (but practically carnivorous) Pelleted foods are now excellent, but should not me exclusive We used to see osteodystrophy, thiamine deficiency and hypovitaminosis A - on fresh and frozen meat diets

Answer 14

Leaves, flowers, and fruit Supplements Full spectrum UK daylight fluorescent tube Slow growth Exercise

Answer 15

Insects, flowers, and fruit and greens Supplements High sunlight requirement - full UV spectrum light

Answer 16

Dont eat greens Commercial live food Supplements (in date) Some species like fruit/nectar UV 'daylight' tube must be in date

Answer 17

Low calorie, infrequent feeding Lots of exercise Full spectrum UV lights Tegus etc.

Answer 18

The basis for most insectivore diets Need gut loading and supplementation Relatively expensive Keratin on crickets can be tough Can bite back! Dont just leave them in there

Answer 19

Cheap Can be fatty Slow moving Ca:P = 1:22 Gut load and supplement

Answer 20

○ All are carnivorous (some just eggs) ○ If captive bred, will be used to and will feed on thawed out frozen rodents ○ Prefer a quiet environment with minimal vibration ○ Some are agoraphobic and neophobic Will remember bad experiences and relate for future feeds

Answer 21

§ Choose appropriate sized feed item § Feed as much as the snake wants to eat at one sitting § Feed with supplements if using immature feed § Do not feed again until faeces ahs been passed § Feed each snake in separate containers § Some eat eggs, amphibians, and other reptiles

Answer 22

- Commercial livefood (which moves) - Pinkie mice (need to be waved about)

Answer 23

- Fruit and veg - calcium source

Answer 24

- Indian stick insect - privet