Sugar Glider and Hedgehog Husbandry & Diseases Flashcards
Which class and order are sugar gliders a part of?
class = mammalia
order = diprotodontia
which of the folllowing is FALSE of sugar gliders?
A. social
B. diurnal
C. arboreal
D. marsupial
B. diurnal
these animals are noctural
What are the numerous scent glands of sugar gliders used for?
marking territory and individuals
What is a patagium?
a gliding membrane that sugar gliders use when they leap from surface to surface.
Which bone do sugar gliders lack?
ossa marsupialia (eupubic bone)
T/F: sugar gliders and ferrets do not have cecums
false – sugar gliders have a large cecum; ferrets have no cecum
Which of the following is FALSE about sugar glider behavior?
A. they should be kept as solitary/individual animals to avoid territorial behavior
B. extremely difficult to rouse during the day
C. consistently mark with scent and urine
D. communicate by making yaps, chatterings, and screams
E. will chew any wooden material available
A. they should be kept as solitary/individual animals to avoid territorial behavior
they are very social and should NEVER be kept as solitary animals
what is the diet of sugar gliders?
nectar- insectivorous diet + fruit
* they want their food on an elevated surface*
do NOT feed: nuts, grains, and seeds.
T/F: sugar gliders require elevated structures within their housing
true
aviary type caging is good for this.
T/F: sugar gliders are very sensitive to heat and prefer cooler environments (55-65 degrees)
false – they prefer temps 75+ and require supplemental heat to maintain that.
what is the lifespan of sugar gliders?
4-7 years
What is different about the male and female anatomy of sugar gliders that should be considered if you are planning to spay/castrate?
Males have bifurcated penis and their testicles are attached by a short stalk to the abdominal wall
Females have 2 vaginae and 2 uteri; they also have a ventral abdominal pouch with 2 teats.
how long is the gestation time versus pouch time for sugar gliders?
gestation = 15-17 days
pouch = 60-70 days
weaning in these guys is 110-120 days (long)
What is the most common nutritional deficiency in sugar gliders that causes lethargy, weakness, limping, swollen extremities, fractures, lack of coordination, and muscle tremors?
Calcium deficiency
from low Ca diet, inadeq vitamin D
both of which can lead to secondary metabolic bone disease
how do you diagnose and treat calcium deficiency in sugar gliders?
diagnose by looking at blood calcium levels
treat by calcium supplementation, give parenteral vitamin D, or calcitonin
what causes cataracts and blindness in infants/joeys?
poor nutriton of nursing female or bacterial infection
what are 3 possible causes of stress in sugar gliders?
- excessive handling
- arousal from sleep/rest
- temperature fluctuations
T/F: sugar glider pouches are sterile areas for joeys to develop after initial gestational phases
false – they are NOT sterile and joeys can get bacterial or yeast infections while in the pouch.
T/F: you do not need to do a fecal at every wellness exam on every sugar glider because they are sold from captive populations and rarely carry internal parasites
false – you should!
what are potential causes of constipation in sugar gliders?
- not enough fluid in diet
- not enough fiber in diet
- poor overall diet
- lack of exercise
- GI problems
What is a potential cause of aflatoxicosis in sugar gliders?
crickets added to diet (the crickets were likely fed aflatoxin-contaminated corn)
signs will be loss of appetite, anemia, jaundice, and death due to liver failure.
what class and order are hedgehogs a part of?
class = mammalia
order: insectivora
why are african pigmy hedgehogs no longer being brought into the United States?
they were asymptomatic carriers of foot mouth disease
T/F: hedgehogs are not good pets for small children because their spines contain barbs
false – they are NOT barbed!
During your exam on a hedgehog, it gets frightened and rolls into a ball. What is the BEST way to get it to unroll?
very difficult to do. leave it alone and it will unroll on its own. once unrolled, scruff neck, have client hold the animal, or take hind leg approach.
Which of the following is FALSE of hedgehogs?
A. quiet and docile animals
B. nocturnal
C. rooting behavior is used to feed
D. have strict carnivorous diet
E. exhibit self-anointing (salivate excessively in response to new food/odor/salt, then spread onto quills)
D. have strict carnivorous diet
they have an omnivorous/insectivorous diet
Why should you avoid ramps in hedgehog housing?
they have poor eyesight
what is the lifespan of a hedgehog?
4-7 years
how do you sex hedgehogs?
male - presence of abdominal penile button (looks like they have a belly button)
females - directly adjacent to anus, not near abdomen
how long is gestation in hedgehogs?
35 days
and they wean in 6 weeks
______________ is progressive loss of muscle control as a result of demyelinating paralysis. The etiology of this condition is unknown, but death will occur within 18-25 months. Euthanasia is likely the outcome.
Wobbly hedgehog syndrome
what causes facial and eye injuries in hedgehogs?
rooting behavior
what zoonotic disease can hedgehogs pass to humans?
salmonellosis
