Nursing other species

Question 1

What is meant by zygodactyl feet in parrots?

Answer 1

2 forward and 2 backward toes

Question 2

How much do parrots weigh?

Answer 2

10g-3kg

Question 3

What are the traits of parrots?

Answer 3

Intelligent
Social
Tropical climates
Prey animals

Question 4

What are the most common parrots kept as pets?

Answer 4

Cockatiels
Budgerigars
African grey

Question 5

What are the lifespans of the common parrots?

Answer 5

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

Question 6

What is meant by dimorphic sexes?

Answer 6

Morphology differences between males and females in the same species

Question 7

How can you sex parrots?

Answer 7

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

Question 8

What are features that should be in parrots cages?

Answer 8

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

Question 9

What are the lighting requirements for parrots?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

How should parrots be enriched?

Answer 10

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

Question 11

What is the most recommended diet for parrots and explain why

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Why are seed based diets not reccomended?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

What are the health issues of purely seed diet?

Answer 13

Chronic infections
Obesity
Poor reproductive performance
Metabolic bone disease
Siezures

Question 14

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

Answer 14

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

Question 15

What are causes of feather pulling in parrots?

Answer 15

Lack of enrichment, particularly in intelligent species and females

Question 16

What history should you take for feather plucking parrots?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

What is the approach to treating feather plucking?

Answer 17

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

Question 18

How to treat feather plucking?

Answer 18

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

Question 19

How should rabbits be housed?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

What bedding should you use for rabbits?

Answer 20

Newspaper
Deep layer shavings
Straw
Hay

Question 21

What features are needed for rabbits runs?

Answer 21

Secure including top
Shade and sunlight
Grazing
Exercise
Hiding bolt hole

Question 22

What can be used to enrich rabbits?

Answer 22

Toys
Cardboard tubes
Foraging
Fruit wood to gnaw

Question 23

What are the nutritional requirements for rabbits?

Answer 23

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

Question 24

Explain breeding in rabbits

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Sexing rabbits

Answer 25

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

Question 26

What are housing requirements for guinea pigs?

Answer 26

Not too hot | Kept in groups

Question 27

What are guinea pigs nutritional requirements?

Answer 27

Hay for fibre High vitamin C Fresh veg Some fruit

Question 28

Explain breeding in guinea pigs

Answer 28

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

Question 29

Why do guinea pigs need to be bred youg?

Answer 29

At a year old pelvis fuses

Question 30

Sexing guinea pigs

Answer 30

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

Question 31

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

Answer 31

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

Question 32

What are the housing requirements for small rodents?

Answer 32

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

Question 33

Sexing small rodents

Answer 33

Males have longer anogenital distance

Question 34

Sexing ferrets

Answer 34

Males have longer anogenital distance

Question 35

How to reduce the smell of ferrets?

Answer 35

No baths Clean bedding Neutering Correct food

Question 36

How should ferrets be housed?

Answer 36

Indoor or outdoors Secure hutch or pen Straw or shavings Enrichment

Question 37

What is the diet suitable for ferrets?

Answer 37

Similar to cats | Pelleted or wet

Question 38

Explain breeding in ferrets

Answer 38

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

Question 39

How can you stop a ferrets season?

Answer 39

Mate with castrated male Progesterone injection Neutering- adrenal disease

Question 40

What are the general requirements for exotics?

Answer 40

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

Question 41

What are the different living requirements for lizards?

Answer 41

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

Question 42

What diet should you give lizards?

Answer 42

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)

Question 43

Lizard sexing

Answer 43

Shape and size Probing Femoral pores

Question 44

How to handle lizards?

Answer 44

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

Question 45

What are the housing requirements for snakes?

Answer 45

``` 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 ```

Question 46

What are the temperature requirements of snakes?

Answer 46

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

Question 47

What are the feeding requirements of snakes?

Answer 47

Carnivore or insectivore | Most eat thawed rats/mice, some eat fish and reptiles

Question 48

Sexing snakes

Answer 48

Sexual dimorphism and probing

Question 49

How to handle snakes?

Answer 49

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

Question 50

What are the different types of chelonia?

Answer 50

Tortoise- land Turtle- sea Terrapin- semi aquatic

Question 51

What are the nutritional requirements for chelonia?

Answer 51

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

Question 52

How to handle chelonia?

Answer 52

Support body weight | Beware of biting

Question 53

Housing requirements of chelonia?

Answer 53

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

Question 54

What are the heating requirements of chelonia?

Answer 54

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

Question 55

What are the reasons for hibernation and what triggers it?

Answer 55

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

Question 56

How to prepare for chelonia hibernation?

Answer 56

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

Question 57

What are the environmental conditions for hibernation?

Answer 57

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

Question 58

When to wake up chelonia from hibernation?

Answer 58

Loose 1% body weight Injured Is waking up

Question 59

How to wake from hibernation?

Answer 59

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