Exotics and wildlife

Question 1

How to sex rabbits

Answer 1

Male - round genital opening and protruding penis
Female - vulva is V shaped and points cranially

Question 2

Sexing guinea pigs

Answer 2

Male - penis
Female - Y shaped opening

Question 3

Sexing rodents

Answer 3

Male - longer anogenital distance

Question 4

Sexing bearded dragons

Answer 4

Larger femoral pores in males
Males have hemipene bulges

Question 5

Sexing tortoises

Answer 5

Tail is longer in males
Concave plastron in males
Margin of carapace is tucked in males and flared in females

Question 6

Sexing snakes

Answer 6

Sexing probe in hemipene - will go deeper in males

Question 7

Answer 7

Question 8

Passerine & Psittacine

Answer 8

Passerine:
Perching or song birds
hardbills and softbills based on diet
Anisodactyl feet (3 forward, 1 back)
e.g. canaries, finches
Psittacine:
Hooked beaks, short necks
Zygodactyl feet (2 forward, 2 back)
parrots, macaws, cockatoos, budgies

Question 9

Indoor birds husbandry requirements

Answer 9

Opportunities to fly/explore outside of cage
Social interaction
Artificial full spectrum of UV light
Perches
Must allow space to spread wings in all directions
Horizontal bars for climbing

Question 10

Indoor bird diets

Answer 10

Seed based (high in fat, low in nutrients)
De-husked seed diets (nutritionally poor, less contamination)
Pulse diets (more protein, nutritionally deficient)
Mixed diets
Formulated diets (complete and nutritionally balanced)
Grit - recommended for all birds - help break down food to improve digestibility

Question 11

Sexing indoor birds

Answer 11

Some are sexually dimorphic:
Budgies - blue cere in males, brown in females
Cockatoos - black iris in males, brown in females
Cockatiels - tail feather differences
Behaviour differences - males more vocal
Some are sexually monomorphic:
Sexing required endoscopy or DNA analysis

Question 12

Critical values for birds

Answer 12

RR - 15-60bpm
HR - 250-500 bpm
Temp - 40-43

Question 13

Indoor birds common husbandry related diseases

Answer 13

Zinc toxicity - from galvanised material e.g. new cage
Bumblefoot - pressure sores on feet e.g. obesity, lameness, poor perching
Feather plucking - breeding or behaviour related
Over-bonding
Hypocalcaemia - UV needed to provide vitamin D for Ca breakdown
Hypovitaminosis A
Respiratory disease

Question 14

Answer 14

Question 15

UK legislation relating to birds of prey

Answer 15

Wildlife and countryside act 1981:
Species listed as schedule 9 are non-native and cannot be released or allowed to escape
General license = some schedule 9 animals can be re-released after a brief period of rehabilitation e.g. barn owls, northern goshawk, red kite, white-tailed eagle)

Question 16

Flight weight
Cast
Cast off
Casting
Foot/footing
Imping
Mutes
Manned
Mews
Hood

Answer 16

Flight weight - ideal weight for flying
Cast - holding a bird for exam - regurgitate pellet - 2 or more birds flown together
Cast off - released from the fist
Casting - indigestible part of diet
Foot/footing - bird strikes with its feet
Imping - replacement of damaged feather
Mutes - faeces
Manned - tamed bird
Mews - housing
Hood - leather cap used to calm bird down

Question 17

Answer 17

Question 18

Common injuries and husbandry related diseases of captive birds of prey

Answer 18

Injury:
wing tip oedema
Pododermatisis/ bumblefoot
Blunt trauma
Diseases:
Enteritis (abnormal mutes, vomiting and regurgitating)
Endoparasites
Crop stasis (Prolonged emptying of crop)

Question 19

Captive birds of prey husbandry requirements

Answer 19

Tethered on perch (block or bow)
OR
In aviaries (free lofting)

Question 20

Captive birds of prey nutritional requirements

Answer 20

Eat full carcass and regurgitate indigestible parts
Don’t feed same every day
Ca:P important
Fresh water for bathing and drinking

Question 21

Husbandry requirements for rabbits

Answer 21

somewhere enclosed to hide/sleep
Able to stand on hind legs without ears touching roof in all areas
Able to take 3 consecutive hops in every area
Absorbant substrates for toilet area
Insulating material for bedding
Enrichment

Question 22

Husbandry requirements for guinea pigs

Answer 22

Robust, damp-proof, draught-proof, escape-proof and predator-proof enclosure
Shade and good ventilation
Chew resistant material
Non-toxic waterproofing
Absorbant substrates for toilet area
Insulating material for bedding
Enrichment

Question 23

Rabbit and Guinea Pig Nutritional requirement

Answer 23

Both herbivores
Need a lot of fibre for good gut and dental health
Avoid excess calcium
Guinea pigs cannot produce vitamin C so rely on diet
85% hay, 10% fruit + veg, 5% pellets

Question 24

Rabbit behaviour

Answer 24

Prey
Burrowers
Social
Thumping with hind legs = alarm call
Bruxism indicates pain

Question 25

Guinea Pig behaviour

Answer 25

Prey
Hide in abandoned burrows
Social
High pitched squeal = scared
Purr for content, whistle for excitement
Bruxism indicated pain

Question 26

Rabbit Critical Values

Answer 26

Temp - 38.5 - 40
HR - 130-325bpm
RR - 30-60 bpm
Gestation - 29-35 days

Question 27

Guinea Pig values

Answer 27

Temp - 37.5 - 40
HR - 230 - 380 bpm
RR - 40 - 120 bpm
Gestation - 59 - 72 days

Question 28

Rodents and mammals husbandry

Answer 28

Enclosure:
Gnaw-proof
Easy to clean
Multi-levels
Solid floors with substrate
Ventilation and humidity
Lighting
Enrichment:
Hides
Substrate
Nest building materials
Wheels
Feeding methods e.g. hiding

Question 29

Rodent and hedgehog nutritional requirements

Answer 29

Pellet based diet (not seed or muesli)
Small amount of treats

Question 30

Rodent behaviours

Answer 30

Gnawing
Burrowing + nest building
Foraging
Sandbathing
Exercise
Jumping + climbing
Social interaction
Hibernation
Food carrying

Question 31

Safe handling of squirrels, hedgehogs, foxes + badgers and deer

Answer 31

Squirrels - caught using nets, wire cones or squeeze cages
Hedgehogs - easy to catch as ball up when scared/escaping
Foxes + badgers - net or box, sedation reduces stress and risks, scruff, use muzzles
Deer - cover eyes and use nets or blankets to restrain, sedation for transport

Question 32

Rodent critical temp

Answer 32

Temp - 36-38
HR - 300-800
RR - 70-220

Question 33

Rodent and hedgehog husbandry related diseases

Answer 33

Trauma - fighting, poor handling, poor enclosure
Bumblefoot - surfaces, hygiene, obesity
Respiratory disease - ventilation + cleanliness, dust-free bedding, quarantine new arrivals
Dental disease
GI disease - stress, rehoming, overcrowding, poor husbandry

Question 34

Legislation related to zoos

Answer 34

Animal welfare act 2006
Dangerous wild animals license
Zoo licensing act 1981

Question 35

Answer 35

Question 36

Husbandry requirements of reptiles

Answer 36

Size depends on species - must be large enough for temp gradient
Non-toxic, easy to clean materials and substrate
Ectothermic animals - need temp gradient for thermoregulation - thermometers, heat sources (e.g. ceramic bulb, heat pads, hot rocks) - POTZ = preferred optimum temp zone
Infrared light for heat and visible light for reproductive behaviour (need day and night)
Humidity varies with species
Furniture and enrichment
Water
Ventilation

Question 37

Reptile nutritional requirements

Answer 37

Carnivores - whole prey items
Herbivores - leafy weeds + veg
Omnivores - insects
Avoid high oxylate food (e.g. parsley), brassicas (broccoli) and high phytate feed (e.g. cereals)
Snakes:
do not handle within 24-48 hours after feeding
Can alter feeding to manage behaviour - feed over active snakes more frequently to calm down
Supplementation:
calcium
multivitamins

Question 38

Reptile behaviour

Answer 38

Climbing, hiding, bathing etc.
Thermoregulation
Brumation = reptile hibernation
Aggression

Question 39

Husbandry related issues in pet reptiles

Answer 39

MSK issues:
Metabolic bone disease - poor calcium metabolism (fractures, bone deformities, soft shell)
Gout
Overgrown nails and beak

GI issues:
gut impaction
Endoparasites
Regurgitation (worms or handling)
Anorexia (stress, illness, dehydration etc.)

Skin and shell issues:
Burns and scalds - cover bulbs
Ectoparasites
Tumours (UV damage)
Dyseccdysis (abnormal shedding e.g. retained spectacles)
Shell pyramiding

Respiratory disease:
Poor humidity -> drying of mucous membranes
Low temp -> reduced immunity
Poor ventilation

Question 40

Answer 40