rabbits and guinea pigs Flashcards
1.5.4.14 (9/5)
roles of rabbits in society (4 - expand)
ecosystem:
source of food for predators
eat weeds and allow other plants to thrive
research:
produce serum antibodies
‘test animals’ for products e.g. safety testing
food:
for meat eating pets e.g. snakes
UK = wild shot and killed NOT farmed
pets
rabbit enclosure - RCPSCA MINIMUM requirements
[FOR PAIR (social animals)]
- somewhere enclosed to hide/sleep
- somewhere to exercise
(RWAF rec 3m x 2m x 1m)
can perform these behaviours in BOTH sections:
- stand on hind legs without ears touching roof
- lie fully outstretched ANY direction
- 3 consecutive hops
guinea pig enclosure - RCPSCA MINIMUM requirements
[FOR PAIR]
2m x 0.5m x 25CM (ideally larger)
(do not dig like rabbits, but)
- tunnels to run through/hide
enclosures (both): 5 points
- draught/damp/escape/predator-proof
- shade
- good ventilation (free flow of air)
- chew resistant material
- waterproofing treatments must be nontoxic
enclosures (both): substrates and flooring
- toilet area - e.g. newspaper/DUST FREE AND NON CEDAR (irritate resp tract) wood shavings
- bedding - insulate e.g. dust free hay, shredded paper
- no wire mesh flooring (CAN be buried??)
rabbits and guinea pigs:
how often should enclosure be cleaned?
- toilet area - every day
- whole - once week approx
rabbits and guinea pigs:
water requirements
- BOTH bottle AND bowl
(choice, one may break) - check ball bearing flowing smoothly
- change daily
rabbits and guinea pigs: how you should keep them (numbers + species)
rabbits - pairs
GPs - pairs OR MORE
*never keep rabbit and GP together - even in same airspace??**
examples of enrichment (particularly rabbits as inquisitive, social etc)
- toys
- food puzzles
- foraging (may decide to remove food bowl entirely and feed only via forage = encourage nat beh.)
diet - BOTH rabbit and guinea pigs are…
so they need… (2)
herbivores - plants
hind gut fermenters with constantly growing teeth - (constant chewing - low carbs? -)high fibre
diet - rabbits AND guinea pigs
(point to note - certain element…?)
do not feed excess Ca - metabolise differently, can cause urinary tract issues (stones?)
diet - guinea pigs
(point to note)
VITAMIN C IN DIET - cannot synthesise own so reliant on diet
so
veg high in VitC e.g. peppers
may need supplementation when pregnant as greater requirement
diet - rabbits and GPs
AVOID…
muesli based diet - allows for selective feeding (will not eat certain parts = not getting certain nutrients), high in sugar/carbs
ALFALFA HAY (/veg high in Ca) - lots of Ca
rabbit diet - percentages of components
85% hay/grass/forage
10% leafy green veg (avoid kale/spinach = high in Ca/oxalates??????)
5% pellets (NOT MUESLI)
treats occasionally
rabbit diet - make up of components in real terms
- hay as desired
- small handful veg
- tBsp/egg cup pellets
guinea pig diet - percentages of components
85% hay/grass/forage
12% leafy green veg (avoid kale/spinach = high in Ca/oxalates??????)
3% pellets (NOT MUESLI)
treats occasionally
same as rabbits but slightly more veg and less pellets
vitamin C - points to note
- degrades rapid in sunlight and heat
- keep GP food bags (e.g. pellets) closed and stored away from light
- follow instructions about use by dates
behaviour and soc structure - BOTH GPs and rabbits (4)
- prey species
- crepuscular
- live in social groups
- bruxism = pain
define crepuscular
most active at dawn and dusk
RABBIT behaviour and soc structure (3)
- burrowers (underground>high up)
- thumping with hind leg = alarm call
- fear = immobility (flight)
define bruxism
teeth grinding
GP behaviour and soc structure (4)
- hide in abandoned burrows/under structures (not burrowers)
- scared = voice to raise alarm - high pitched squeal
- content = purr to each other
- excited = ‘whistle’
rabbit handling
- key points to support
- name of a good method to use
- position you should NEVER use
- hindlimbs (so cannot kick out), back/spine
- ‘bunny burrito’
rabbit handling - position you should NEVER use
on back = tonic immobility (essentially play dead out of fear)
sexing rabbits
buck (M)
- WIDE anogenital distance
- CIRCULAR penis, rounded shape
doe (F)
- SHORT anogenital distance
- OVAL (pointed) vagina, groove
sexing guinea pigs
FEMALE: Y shape
MALE: I shape
(m = longer anogen dist??)
welfare concerns: 3 issues from poor breeding of rabbits
(and what they arise from)
dental disease - due to dental malocclusions (top and bottom teeth not aligned when mouth closes)
chronic ear infections - narrow ear canals
over-heating - brachycephalic
name the rabbit breed most commonly affected by issues caused by poor breeding
lop
RABBIT physiological parameters - TEMP
RABBIT 38.5-40 DEGC
RABBIT physiological parameters - HR
130-325bpm (INSANE RANGE)
RABBIT physiological parameters - gestation period
29-35 days
(not really for exam explicitly but just remember short = are born quite underdeveloped)
RABBIT physiological parameters - resp rate
point to note here
30-60 (considerably low considering HR)
use chest movement - CANNOT RELY ON NOSE TWITCH
GP physiological parameters - temp
37.5-39.5 DEGC
GP physiological parameters - HR
230-380bpm (fast)
GP physiological parameters - gestation
59-72 days
(longer than rabbits - GP born basically mini GPs - DO NOT WRITE IN AN EXAM)
GP physiological parameters - resp rate
40-120bpm
(large range??)
name 2 welfare issues/topics that can lead to variety of diseases:
- incorrect diet
- small enclosures
welfare issues that can cause disease -
INCORRECT DIET
name 4 diseases/issues and what aspects of incorrect diet cause them
dental disease -> gut stasis (NOT a disease but a clinical sign - caused by something)
obesity -> arthritis/spondylosis (spine issues) -> bladder disease
excessive Ca -> bladder disease
(GUINEA PIGS ONLY)
hypovitaminosis C -> swollen joints (pain)
welfare issues that can cause disease -
SMALL ENCLOSURE
name 4 diseases/issues and what aspects of incorrect diet cause them
lack of movement -> arthritis -> bladder disease
poor vent. -> resp infections
poor hygiene -> pododermatitis AND myiasis (fly strike)
what is common name for myiasis?
fly strike
what is technical name for bumblefoot?
pododermatitis
list some welfare linked diseases/issues
- DENTAL DISEASE
- GUT STASIS (NOT a disease but a clinical sign - caused by something)
- ARTHRITIS/SPONDYLOSIS (in spine)
- BLADDER DISEASE
- PODODERMATITIS (bumblefoot)
- RESPIRATORY DISEASE
- MYIASIS (fly strike)
what can cause dental disease?
dental malocclusions
or
if rabbits temporarily stop eating
= teeth overgrow
OUTLINE - gut stasis
slowing/stopping of material through dig tract
(can be fatal in hind gut fermenters - rabbits and GPS)
caused by:
pain/stress/GI issues/incorrect diet
DEFINE - arthritis/spondylosis
arth: inflamm of joints
spondylosis = type of arth that affects spine
arthritis/spondylosis - CAUSED/WORSENED BY?
arth - obesity and lack of movement
spondylosis - lack of movmement and inability to stretch
explain the link between Ca in diet, arthritis and bladder disease
- increased Ca in diet = Ca build up /ppt in urine
- arth = less movement = Ca ppts settle
- inability of proper stance when urinating = do not fully void bladder = ppts build further
- bladder stones = block bladder entirely
4 factors that me exacerbate signs of resp disease
poor biosecurity
poor ventilation
dusty env
weakened immune systems (e.g. malnutrition)
