Small Animals Flashcards
What is essential for rabbit enrichment?
Toys, food puzzles, foraging for physical and physiological wellbeing
Why can’t rabbits intake excessive calcium?
They metabolise it differently
Why is fiber essential in a rabbits and guinea pig diet?
Hind gut fermenters and continuously growing teeth so fibre ensures good gut and dental health
Are rabbits omnivores or herbivores?
Herbivores
What does the ideal rabbit diet consist of?
85% hay (their body/lots)
10% veg (their head/tablespoon or egg cup)
5% pellets (their ears/handful)
What does the ideal guinnea pig diet consist of?
85% hay/grass/forage
12% veg
3% pellets
Why is vitamin C important for guinnea pigs?
Cannot synthesise their own
Why must alfalfa be avoided when feeding rabbits and guinnea pigs?
High in calories
Why must certain veg be avoided when feeding rabbits and guinnea pigs?
Can be very high in calcium and sugar
What is bruxism (rabbits)?
Teeth grinding and is an indicator of pain
What does a rabbit thumping indicate?
Alarm call
Are guinea pigs and rabbits:
Nocturnal
Crepuscular
…
Crepuscular
What are common health issues in rabbis related to poor breeding?
Dental malocclusions ie.dental disease
Narrow ear canals - chronic ear infections
Brachycephalic - over-heating
(most common in lops)
Rabbit Physical Parameters
Temp : 38.5-40 degrees
Heart Rate : 130-325 bpm
Gestation : 29-35 days
Respiratory rates : 30-60bpm
What health issues can incorrect diets cause?
Dental disease - gut stasis
Obesity - arthritis/spondylosis - bladder disease
Excessive dietary calcium - bladder disease
Hypovitaminosis C - swollen joints - pain
What health issues can small enclosures cause?
Lack of movement - arthritis - bladder disease
Poor ventilation - respiratory infections
Poor hygiene - pododermatitis and myiasis/fly strike
What is wildlife rehabilitation?
treatment and temporary care of injured, diseased, and displaced indigenous animals, and the subsequent release of healthy animals to appropriate habitats in the wild
What is the aim of triage?
To differentiate between wildlife that have a good chance of survival and eventual release and those requiring immediate euthanasia.
(both vets and nurses can do this)
What 3 questions should you ask yourself with wildlife triage?
Good chance of success?
How long will recovery take?
Do we have appropriate facilities/resources/money?
What is capture myopathy (capture shock)?
Natural mechanism that hastens death and reduces pain in prey species that have been caught in predators (kicks in after a lot of chasing or being manually restrained)
What happens if a non-native species comes into practice from the wild?
They must be euthanised and must not be rereleased (schedule 9)
What are hedgehogs natural parameters?
Temp : 31.5 degrees +/-1
Heart Rate : 200-280 bpm
Respiratory rate : 25-50 bpm
Gestation : 35 days
What are rodents natural parameters?
Temp : 36-38 degrees
Heart Rate : 300-800 bpm
Respiratory rate : 70-220 bpm
Gestation : 19-21 days
What are squirrels natural parameters?
Temp : 37.4-38.5 degrees
Heart Rate : 110-420 bpm
Respiratory rate : 30-125 bpm
Gestation : 33-42 days
How many rodent species are there?
2000 species, making up 40% of all mammals
Reasons for keeping rodents
Pets
-breeding
Lab
Wildlife and conservation
