Avian Flashcards
How should avians be housed?
large cage or aviary for multiple birds
single birds in a large indoor cage
Why should a large cage be important for multi bird housing?
minimize territorial stress and maximize space for flight
What should you offer breeding birds?
nest box
Why do birds require a large variety of nesting surfaces?
grasping
chewing
exercising the feet and reducing the risk of bumblefoot
Why should a large variety of toys be offered?
environmental enrichment and stress reduction
What should food and water dishes be made of?
stainless steel or ceramic
How often should you change food and water?
Daily
How often should you clean the cage?
Every 2-3 days using dilute bleach
What lighting should be used?
UVA and UVB
How do you ID birds?
leg bands or microchips
What do parrots eat?
pellets
What do canaries and finches eat?
seeds
What should birds be fed in addition to pellets or seeds?
Fruits and vegetables
What needs to be supplemented in the diet of birds
calcium
What foods are toxic to birds?
avocados, chocolate, comfrey
What foods should you avoid in birds?
high in sugar or salt
How should birds be brought into the clinic?
Cage or animal carrier
Critical Condition signs in birds?
open beak breathing
wings out
tail bobbing
depression
feathers fluffed in the bottom of the cage
eyes closed
What are the venipuncture sites of birds?
right jugular vein
basilic (wing) vein
median tarsometatarsal vein
Dermatologic diseases in birds?
- flies
- lice, ticks, mites
- ulceration or folliculitis from bacterial infection
- Stress bards
- Feather picking
What causes stress bars?
poor husbandry
infections
self mutilation
What causes feather picking?
Could be disease or psychological
What are normal droppings of birds?
Contain both feces and urine, comes from the cloaca, fecal part should be dark and well formed, urine part should have white crystals and small amount of liquid
What is swollen crop?
GI infection that can be caused by trichomonas, candida, or bacterial
