Nursing other species Flashcards

1
Q

What is meant by zygodactyl feet in parrots?

A

2 forward and 2 backward toes

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2
Q

How much do parrots weigh?

A

10g-3kg

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3
Q

What are the traits of parrots?

A

Intelligent
Social
Tropical climates
Prey animals

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4
Q

What are the most common parrots kept as pets?

A

Cockatiels
Budgerigars
African grey

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5
Q

What are the lifespans of the common parrots?

A

Budgerigars- 18 years, 6 in captivity
Cockatiel- 30 years, 7 in captivity
African grey- 50 years, 20 in captivity

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6
Q

What is meant by dimorphic sexes?

A

Morphology differences between males and females in the same species

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7
Q

How can you sex parrots?

A

Budgies- male has blue cere, female has brown
Cockatoos- male has black iris, female has brown
DNA sexing from blood or feather pulp when not dimorphic
Endoscope to look at gonads

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8
Q

What are features that should be in parrots cages?

A

Large as possible, minimum allow wing extension
Stainless steel bars, zinc is toxic in galvanised wire
Horizontal climbing bars
Seperate activity centre
Perches- natural, non-toxic branches, knotted ropes

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9
Q

What are the lighting requirements for parrots?

A

12 hours light cycle
Bright light but not direct sun
UV supply for vitamin D

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10
Q

How should parrots be enriched?

A
Bathing
Foraging for their food
Chew toys
Toys to stimulate brain 
Mirrors aid companionship
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11
Q

What is the most recommended diet for parrots and explain why

A

Pelleted diet
Preformulated
Prevents selective feeding
Can provide fruit and veg for enrichment

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12
Q

Why are seed based diets not reccomended?

A

High fat and calories
Deficient in vitamins, amino acids and minerals
Poor Ca:P ratio
Easily contaminated by fungal spores
Encourages selective feeding
Hard to supplement as dehusk before eating

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13
Q

What are the health issues of purely seed diet?

A
Chronic infections
Obesity
Poor reproductive performance
Metabolic bone disease
Siezures
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14
Q

Why are home made diets not recommended for parrots and what should they consist of?

A

Hard to balance, need supplementation and can selectively feed
Mainly grains, beans, greens and fruit or equal parts brown rice, seeds and beans, fruit and veg

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15
Q

What are causes of feather pulling in parrots?

A

Lack of enrichment, particularly in intelligent species and females

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16
Q

What history should you take for feather plucking parrots?

A
Sex
Diet
Housing
Enrichment
Cigarette smoke exposure
Previous plucking
Length and pattern of plucking
Any noticeable causes
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17
Q

What is the approach to treating feather plucking?

A
Rule out medical causes
Improve environment
Examine
Change to pellet diet
Humidify environment to prevent dry feathers
Reduce pollutants
Reduce stress
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18
Q

How to treat feather plucking?

A
Treat conditions
Improve diet
Hospitalise when needed
Positive reinforcement of wanted behaviours
Enrichment
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19
Q

How should rabbits be housed?

A

In pairs or groups
Lower than 23 degrees
Outdoors- wooden hutch with wire mesh, dark nesting area, big enough to stand and take 3 hops, waterproof floor, insulated for winter
Indoors- crate or hutch, away from wires and poisonous plants, access to exercise

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20
Q

What bedding should you use for rabbits?

A

Newspaper
Deep layer shavings
Straw
Hay

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21
Q

What features are needed for rabbits runs?

A
Secure including top
Shade and sunlight
Grazing
Exercise
Hiding bolt hole
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22
Q

What can be used to enrich rabbits?

A

Toys
Cardboard tubes
Foraging
Fruit wood to gnaw

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23
Q

What are the nutritional requirements for rabbits?

A

Supplement few pellets alongside hay, prevent selective feeding, GI upset and obesity
Grass for grazing
Herbs- basil, parsley
Veg- low amounts particularly dark greens
No sugary fruit
Calcium for teeth, excess causes bladder stones

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24
Q

Explain breeding in rabbits

A

No regular oestrus
Induced ovulators
30 day gestation
2-12 per litter

25
Q

Sexing rabbits

A

Restrain and place pressure either side of genitals
Males- penis protrudes and testicles present
Females- oval structure with slit opening

26
Q

What are housing requirements for guinea pigs?

A

Not too hot

Kept in groups

27
Q

What are guinea pigs nutritional requirements?

A

Hay for fibre
High vitamin C
Fresh veg
Some fruit

28
Q

Explain breeding in guinea pigs

A

Polyoestrus
60-72 day gestation, born fully developed
2-6 in litter

29
Q

Why do guinea pigs need to be bred youg?

A

At a year old pelvis fuses

30
Q

Sexing guinea pigs

A

Hold against body and place pressure above genitals
Males- scrotum exposed
Females- Y shaped genital

31
Q

What type of feeders are small rodents and what are there diets?

A

Herbivores
Hamsters and rats opportunistic omnivores
Seeds, grains, fruit and veg

32
Q

What are the housing requirements for small rodents?

A

Wire cage
Shavings, straw, hay, newspaper, to dusty
Enrichment
Gerbils- tank with nesh lid and deep substrate for tunnelling, sand bath, wood to gnaw

33
Q

Sexing small rodents

A

Males have longer anogenital distance

34
Q

Sexing ferrets

A

Males have longer anogenital distance

35
Q

How to reduce the smell of ferrets?

A

No baths
Clean bedding
Neutering
Correct food

36
Q

How should ferrets be housed?

A

Indoor or outdoors
Secure hutch or pen
Straw or shavings
Enrichment

37
Q

What is the diet suitable for ferrets?

A

Similar to cats

Pelleted or wet

38
Q

Explain breeding in ferrets

A

Induced ovulator from february to october
Stay in season when not mated, could cause fatal anaemia
42 day gestation
2-6 in litter

39
Q

How can you stop a ferrets season?

A

Mate with castrated male
Progesterone injection
Neutering- adrenal disease

40
Q

What are the general requirements for exotics?

A

Ectothermic- control body temperature by moving around heat
Humidity important
Temperature gradient
Normal photoperiod maintained
UV light- vitamin D synthesis
Sand, wood chip, newspaper, carpet, peat bedding

41
Q

What are the different living requirements for lizards?

A

Diurnal or nocturnal
Temperate, desert or rainforest environment
Terrestrial or arboreal
Herbivores, insectivores, carnivores or omnivores

42
Q

What diet should you give lizards?

A

Herbivores- low protein diet, calcium and vitamin D supplement, leafy greens, veg, soft fruit
Insectivorous- crickets, meal worms, locusts, supplement calcium (gut loading or coating)

43
Q

Lizard sexing

A

Shape and size
Probing
Femoral pores

44
Q

How to handle lizards?

A

Small- similar to rats
Large- hand under chest, legs held against tail
Be aware of claws, biting, tail dropping

45
Q

What are the housing requirements for snakes?

A
Minimum diagonal length of snake
Individually housed
Escape proof glass or plastic
Ventilation
Hide box
Shallow water bowl- shedding and humidity
Climbing apparatus
Newspaper or wood chips
46
Q

What are the temperature requirements of snakes?

A

Night time drop 2-5 degrees
Tropical snakes- 27-30 degrees
Temperate snakes- 22-28 degrees

47
Q

What are the feeding requirements of snakes?

A

Carnivore or insectivore

Most eat thawed rats/mice, some eat fish and reptiles

48
Q

Sexing snakes

A

Sexual dimorphism and probing

49
Q

How to handle snakes?

A

2 people when over 1.5m
Grasp firmly from behind, caudal to jaws
Support body in 2 places

50
Q

What are the different types of chelonia?

A

Tortoise- land
Turtle- sea
Terrapin- semi aquatic

51
Q

What are the nutritional requirements for chelonia?

A

Leafy greens, veg and fruit
Meal worms and insects
Commercial foods
Some need calcium and vitamin D supplements

52
Q

How to handle chelonia?

A

Support body weight

Beware of biting

53
Q

Housing requirements of chelonia?

A

Kept together, males attack each other and dont mix species
Secure enclosure
Shallow water bowl for humidity for shell development
Pellets, gravel, woodchip, soil, newspaper

54
Q

What are the heating requirements of chelonia?

A

20-32 degrees environment
Basking zone 30-40 degrees
Body temperature 26-30 degrees
UVB for vitamin D and appropriate photoperiod

55
Q

What are the reasons for hibernation and what triggers it?

A

Cope with food scarcity and low temperature by lowering metabolism
Caused by shortened days and temperature lower than 15 degrees

56
Q

How to prepare for chelonia hibernation?

A

Starved 3-4 weeks prior, avoid food rotting in gut, lots of fluids still

57
Q

What are the environmental conditions for hibernation?

A

Temperature 3-8 degrees
Secure container with good humidity and ventilation
Check regularly
Hibernate for 12-16 weeks

58
Q

When to wake up chelonia from hibernation?

A

Loose 1% body weight
Injured
Is waking up

59
Q

How to wake from hibernation?

A

Bring to room temperature over a few hours to 22-25 degrees with UV and basking light
Check for injuries or illness
Warm water baths 2 times daily
Monitor after, should urinate within a week