Exotic Medicine

Question 1

Leading Cause of Illness

Answer 1

• Improper care is the leading cause of illness in exotic animas
o Environments, diets, substrate caging, lighting, temperatures
o Through history as to how these pets are kept is essential to diagnosing problems

Question 2

Number of Species of Reptiles and Amphibians

Answer 2

6,800 rept and 4500 amph

Question 3

Snakes have…

Answer 3

Snakes have one fully developed and functioning organ (lung, kidney)

Question 4

Snakes and Lizards have

Answer 4

hemi-penes; two branching penises

Question 5

Insectivores

Answer 5

 Crickets, waxworms, mealworms, superworms, giant meal worms, silk worms, cockroaches, earthworms, ect.
 Recommend that they be gutloaded, or fed nutrious food that is then passed to your pet, these products are commercially available or can be homemade
• Important nutrients to grow properly and sustain life

Question 6

Herbivores

Answer 6

 Green leaf, red leaf, spinach, dandelions, collard, kale, carrot tops, squash, carrots, peppers, ect.
 Small percentage of fruit- peaches, pears, apples, grapes ect.
 Hay (timothy orchard grass, Bermuda grass, alfalfa)
 Flowers
 Seeds (ie. Uromastyx

Question 7

Carnivores

Answer 7

 Mice, rats, rabbits, chicks, chickens ect.
• May be live, or frozen thawed
o Frozen and thawed is best because reduces risk of injury to pet, parasitic (bacterial or viral) infections, lower cost (multipacks)
• Some animals need to be trained to accept these food items
• Chicken and Beef may be given in small quantities
• NO dog or cat food

Question 8

Commercially prepared diets

Answer 8

 Pellets, gelatinous, freeze dried (fruits, veggies, insects)
 Some are designed to be to sole source of food
 Others should be mixed with the above options

Question 9

 Calcium supplementation

Answer 9

• In young and growing animals, or gravid (pregnant)
• Some species have higher requirements
o Leopard geckos should always have free choice calcium, especially babies

Question 10

 Preferred optimum temperature zone –

Answer 10

 Preferred optimum temperature zone – required temperature to live, produce and use bodily functions, enzymes, digest, ect.

Question 11

scientific name for ferrets

Answer 11

mustela putorius furo

Question 12

ferrets were used for

Answer 12

hunting 2000 years ago, brought to US 300 years ago

Question 13

Ferrets have a unique organ called the

Answer 13

j shaped Os penis

Question 14

Ferrets need supervision when out of cage because

Answer 14

they can get into small places and consume foreign bodies

Question 15

the best bedding for ferrets is

Answer 15

recycled paper

Question 16

ferrets eat

Answer 16

commercially available diets, kitten food; strict carnivores

Question 17

ferrets need the following at yearly examinations

Answer 17

heartworm prevention, distemper vacc, rabies vacc (imarab three is given every year)

Question 18

Rabbits are also called

Answer 18

lagomorphs

Question 19

Some types of rabbits include

Answer 19

mini lop-eared, netherlands dwarf, angora, lop eared, new zealand white

Question 20

Outdoor rabbits should have

Answer 20

a proper enclosure to keep them out of the cold

Question 21

What kind of pellets are good for rabbits/guinea pigs

Answer 21

alfalfa= bad, high in Ca and protein good for growing rabbits but not adults, obesity and urinary disease
timothy hay based are good
oxbow hay is a good brand

Question 22

Papaya tablets

Answer 22

given as a hairball preventative to rabbits, contains papain, an enzyme that digests hair, should be given daily as a preventative

Question 23

A hairball is also called

Answer 23

trichobezoar

Question 24

Guinea Pig scientific name

Answer 24

cavia porcellus

Question 25

three breeds of guinea pig

Answer 25

english/common: short straight, fine hair abyssinian: rough and wiry hair in rosettes peruvian: long straight, silky hair

Question 26

Guinea pigs need this nutrient

Answer 26

Vitamin C - cannot synthrsize their own, needed for the proper development of many body tissues, deficiency can lead to illness, 6 mo shelf life, food should be supplemented daily

Question 27

Hamster types

Answer 27

``` Golden or Syrian Hamster (3-4 years) teddy bear chinese dwarf (1-2 years) european dwarf hungarian dwarf ```

Question 28

Gerbils

Answer 28

mongolian gerbil, native to dry environment, so drink very little and have little waste

Question 29

Rats

Answer 29

white rat/hooded rat

Question 30

General care of Rodents

Answer 30

Provide a wood chew and a hiding box pelleted diets help to wear down overgrown teeth exams should include a thorough oral exam to ensure that teeth aren't overgrown

Question 31

Two types of Hedgehog

Answer 31

african pygmy hedgehog and white bellied four toed african hedgehog

Question 32

Hedgehogs should be kept in

Answer 32

aquariums

Question 33

hedgehogs eat

Answer 33

a mix of cat/kitten food, fruit/veggie mix, mealworms/crickets, commercial diets are also available, which can be fed as a sole diet or in combination with above

Question 34

Sugar gliders are from

Answer 34

new guinea/austrailia

Question 35

Sugar glider toes

Answer 35

second and third digits are partially fused on the hind foot forming a hair comb for grooming

Question 36

Male sugar gliders have

Answer 36

a bifuricated penis and three scent glands (one by top of head, one on ventral abdomen and one by genitals)

Question 37

Female sugar gliders have

Answer 37

pouch

Question 38

What sounds do sugar gliders make

Answer 38

barking or screeching

Question 39

What should be in a sugar gliders cage

Answer 39

a hide box, and branches to climb on

Question 40

a Sugar gliders diet should be

Answer 40

75% fruits and veggies and 25% protein sunflower seeds, corn, cat food (dry/low fat), dog buscuits, baby food, cooked pasta, mealworms, crickets, waxworms vitamin and mineral supplements

Question 41

Two types of Chinchillas

Answer 41

``` Chinchilla lanigera (longer tail, most common) Chinchilla brevicaudata (shorter tail) ```

Question 42

Where are chinchillas from

Answer 42

the semi-arid slopes of the andes mountains

Question 43

what types of chinchillas can be housed together

Answer 43

one male with multiple females

Question 44

chinchillas should eat

Answer 44

small amounts of pellets, a lot of hay (timothy, alfalfa, oat) and sugary treats should be avoided

Question 45

snakes have this type of vision

Answer 45

blurry- they cannot see long distances

Question 46

calcium deficiency in lizards may lead to

Answer 46

metabolic bone disease

Question 47

types of reptiles that do not require uvb

Answer 47

snakes- noctural reptiles and amphibians

Question 48

why no teflon?

Answer 48

gives off toxic gas when heated

Question 49

a type of bird foot issue is

Answer 49

bumblefoot

Question 50

gram stain

Answer 50

in adult sample there should be 90% gram positive bacteria

Question 51

hamsters should be housed

Answer 51

separately