small mammals 2 - Husbandry and Clinical Techniques

Question 1

rabbit diet, most important factors

Answer 1

• Herbivorous – highly efficient converter of poorly digestible materials
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• Composition
• Unlimited, good-quality, high-fiber grass or timothy hay
• Minimal high-fiber (> 18%) pellets (< 1⁄4 cup / 5 lb / day)
• Moderate amount of fresh dark leafy greens (1 cup / 5 lb / day)
• Avoid high calcium / oxalates
• No or only occasional treats (including fruits)
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• Good quality high-fiber hay most important – gastrointestinal motility and tooth wear (elodont).
• Grass hay has high fiber (> 30%) and low calcium content.
• Avoid alfalfa hay for adults (too high in protein and calcium).

Question 2

Hystricomorphs (GP&C) diet
- similarities and differences

Answer 2

• Herbivorous
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  Composition:
• Unlimited grass hay
• Commercial pellets
  > GP - Stabilized form of vitamin C (L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate)
  > C – Long enough to hold
• Leafy greens
  > GP only (high vitamin C, avoid high calcium/oxalates)
  > C - Not part of their normal diet and can cause dysbiosis
• No or only occasional treats
• C – also eat insects

Question 3

what does the chinchillas desert origins mean for its diet?

Answer 3

Chinchilla (and degu) – from the desert region; even more important to have high
fiber and low sugar.

Question 4

Myomorphs (Rats, Mice, Gerbils, and Hamsters) diet

Answer 4

• Omnivorous
• Composition
  > Commercial pellets
  > Very limited fresh foods and seeds/fruits/cheese as treats
• Hoard food, consumption?

Question 5

Rabbit and rodents –
diet-related medical issues

Answer 5

• GI stasis (lack of fiber)
• Obesity (high fat) > esp rats
• Renal insufficiency (high protein)
• Urolithiasis (too high Ca)
• Osteoporosis (hamster)

Question 6

Ferrets diet

Answer 6

• Obligate carnivore
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  Composition:
• Aim
  > Crude protein 30-35%
  > Fat 15-20%
  > Less than 2% fiber
• “Ideal” > Whole-prey or balanced freeze-dried /
  fresh meat diet best → minimal feces
• Alternatively:
  > Commercial ferret kibble (animal protein) regularly +
  > Occasional mouse/chick +
  > Meat-based or moist cat food treat

Question 7

how to ferret diets compare to cats?

Answer 7

• Quite similar to cats, even closer to mink.
• High requirement in animal protein (higher than cats) and fat, and low in fiber and sugar.

Question 8

Ferrets – diet-related medical issues

Answer 8

• IBD, gastritis (too high sugar and/ or fiber)
• Obesity (high fat)
• Urolithiasis
  > Cystine calculi – associated with ZuPreem Grain Free diet?
• Dental tartar (canned food)

Question 9

ferrets have poor dietary tolerance for what ingredients?

Answer 9

Poor tolerance of sugar and fiber.

Question 10

sugar gliders dier?

Answer 10

• Omnivorous, wild diet includes sap or gums
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  Composition:
  Ideal
• 50% nectar
• Insectivore diet
• Adult insects (gut-loaded)
• Minimal fruits and vegetables
  Alternatively:
• 75% commercial pellets
• 25% fruits and vegetables
• Occasional treat, e.g., insects

Question 11

Hedgehogs diet

Answer 11

• Omnivorous, mostly insectivorous
• Commercial hedgehog diet
  > High protein, low fat
• Supplement with gut-loaded insects, eggs, fruit, and vegetables

Question 12

considerations for lifting and handling rabbits

Answer 12

When lifting and handling, always support the spine and hindlegs

Question 13

rodent handling considerations

Answer 13

• Teeth!
• Fur slip
• Tail degloving (gerbils, degus)

Question 14

ferret handling tips

Answer 14

Ferretone and scruffing are your friends

Question 15

Rabbit > Injections & Blood Collection
- watch out for what?
- locations

Answer 15

• Jump!
• Delicate skin
• Delicate vessels
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• IM injections epaxial
• catheter central ear artery / vein
• lateral ear vein
• lateral saphenous vein
• jugular vein

Question 16

Rodents > Injections & Blood Collection
- considerations
- locations for rats, GP, Chinchilla, mouse

Answer 16

• Small
• Bite
• Delicate vessels
• Sedation?
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• R-tail vein
• R - cranial vena cava
• GP - cranial vena cava
• C - cranial vena cava
• M IP injection

Question 17

Ferrets > Injections & Blood Collection
- considerations
- locations

Answer 17

• Fast, flexible and strong
• Can bite!
• Sedation?
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• SC injection
• jugular vein
• cranial vena cava

Question 18

Sugar Gliders > Injections & Blood Collection
- considerations
- locations

Answer 18

• Small
• Bite
• Delicate vessels
• Sedation?
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• Never inject into the patagium
  > a membrane or fold of skin between the forelimbs and hind limbs on each side of a bat or gliding mammal.
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• phlebotomy from cr. vena cava, jugular
• catheter cephalic, lateral saphenous
• IO cather - proximal tibia, femur
• inject IM quads, glutes, biceps, triceps
• inject IV cephalic, lateral, tail, pouch vein

Question 19

Hedgehog > Injections & Blood Collection
- locations

Answer 19

• inject SC in flank o junction of furred and spined skin midbody
• jugular vein
• cephalic catheter