2. Exotics
⢠Overview of common species
ďĄ Natural habitat/diet
ďĄ Anatomy/physiology
⢠Husbandry and nursing care
ďĄ Captive housing
ďĄ Diet requirements
ďĄ Handling
ďĄ Medical procedures (catheters, blood draws)
⢠Common medical conditions
3. Species we see at BVH
Yes
⢠Rabbits
⢠Ferrets
⢠Rodents
⢠Hedgehogs
⢠Chinchillas
⢠Reptiles
No
⢠Wildlife (other than for
euth)
⢠Species illegal in MA
⢠Birds
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele
/dfw/wildlife/living/keepin
g_wildlife.htm
4. Predator vs. prey
Predator (carnivore)
⢠Teeth designed for
puncture and shearing
⢠GI adapted for meat
⢠Eyes relatively forward-
facing (best depth
perception)
⢠Bursts of high speed
locomotion
⢠Defense/attack: teeth,
claws (biting, scratching)
Prey (herbivore)
⢠Teeth designed for grinding
⢠GI adapted for vegetation
⢠Eyes relatively side-facing
(greatest peripheral vision)
⢠Quick acceleration and
endurance
⢠Defense: running, kicking
⢠Much sicker when
presented
5. For all speciesâŚ
⢠In-house lab equipment can be used
⢠No more than 1% of body weight (kg)
should be collected
ďĄ 2 lb animal = 9ml
ďĄ 100 g hamster = 1.0 ml
⢠Chemical restraint may be required for
diagnostics
7. Ferrets
⢠Single breed kept in captivity
⢠Color variations
⢠âStinky Thiefâ
⢠Large number of sebaceous glands in
skin emit musky odor
⢠Domesticated >2000 years ago
⢠Originally rabbit hunting and rodent
control
8. Ferret breeding
⢠Single large breeding facility in U.S.
⢠Marshall Farms
⢠Performs EARLY spay/neuter
⢠Performs âdescentingâ (anal
sacculectomy)
⢠Ferret breeders exist
9. Ferrets
⢠Females = Jills
⢠Males = Hobs
⢠Offspring = Kits
⢠Group of ferrets = Business
⢠Puberty onset 6 months
10. Ferrets â how do we live?
⢠Lifespan â 5-8 years
⢠Play 25% of day
⢠Sleep 75% of day
⢠Most active dawn and dusk
⢠Territorial
⢠Burrow
⢠Prefer to sleep in an enclosed area
11. Ferrets â life in captivity
⢠Cage â Multi-story, used for safety
⢠Caging is similar to crate-training puppies
⢠Require large amounts of time out of cage
ďĄ 3-4 hours per day of playtime
ďĄ Best with other ferrets
⢠Can be litterbox-trained
Implications for hospitalization: provide
litterboxes, environmental enrichment
12.
13. Ferrets â what do we eat?
⢠Obligate carnivores (more than cats)
⢠Very short GI tract
⢠Rapid GI transit time (3-4 hours)
ďĄ Easy to digest
ďĄ Highly nutritious (high protein and fat)
ďĄ Constantly available
Hospitalization: Feed Oxbow âCarnivore careâ,
chicken baby food or watered down a/d
18. Ferret Restraint
⢠Work with them rather than against
⢠Nipping usually out of curiosity
⢠Ferretone or Furotone to lick
⢠Scruff and suspend over exam table
19. Ferret routine care
⢠Vaccines
ďĄ High risk of vaccine reactions
ďĄ Rabies
ďĄ Distemper
⢠Heartworm preventative
⢠Flea/tick preventative
22. Hospitalization concerns
⢠IV catheters â 25 g catheter
ďĄ Cephalic
ďĄ Medial saphenous
⢠Escape-proof cages
⢠Provide a litterbox
⢠Continuously available food +/- force
feeding
26. Rabbits
⢠47 - 60 distinct breeds, >500 varieties
⢠Lagomorphs (not rodents)
⢠Domestic rabbits originate from Europe
⢠Distinct from wild rabbits or hares
⢠No feral rabbit population
⢠Originally bred for fur or meat
27. Rabbits
⢠Females = Does
⢠Males = Bucks
⢠Neonates = Kits
⢠Puberty onset 4.5 months of age
28. Rabbits â how do we live?
⢠Burrowing animals
⢠Prey
⢠Varied habitats â
fields, farms,
woodlands, deserts,
swamps, and forests
⢠Lifespan â in
captivity 9-10 years,
rarely up to 18 years;
in the wild 7.6 years
29. Rabbits â living in captivity
⢠Active livestyle
⢠Large indoor cage
⢠Smooth bottom (no wires)
⢠Daily exercise is essential
Implications for hospitalization: Largest
cage possible, provide regular exercise
out of the cage (in exam room or other
closed space)
30. Rabbits â what do we eat?
⢠Foraging species
⢠Similar to horses
⢠Grasses, leaves, flowers
31. Rabbits â eating in captivity
⢠Free choice grass hay (timothy)
⢠Free choice green leafy vegetables
⢠Minimal pellets (1/8 â Âź cup daily max)
⢠Minimal âtreatâ foods (carrots, fruit, yogurt
snacks)
Implications for hospitalization: Owners need
to bring green leafies or we need to send
someone out for them.
32. Rabbits - senses
⢠190 degree field of view
⢠âBlind spotâ below their nose
⢠Good night vision
⢠Some color vision
Implications for hospitalization: quiet area,
minimize exposure to predators, donât
grab them in their blind spot
33. Rabbits - illnesses
⢠Gastrointestinal disease (not eating,
abdominal pain, dehydration)
⢠Dental disease
⢠Vestibular disease
⢠Parasitic skin disease
Often treated as outpatients, sometimes
require hospitalization.
34. Rabbit restraint
⢠Gentle
⢠Clean surfaces and hands (no predator scents)
⢠Donât reach under chin without warning
⢠Quiet
⢠Donât scruff (at risk of breaking backs)
⢠Always support hind end
⢠Donât grab by ears
⢠Bunny burrito
35. Rabbit venipuncture
⢠Maximum blood draw: 1% of body weight
ďĄ 2 pound rabbit = 9 ml
⢠Lateral Saphenous
⢠Jugular
⢠Auricular (ear) not preferred site, but an
option for very large-eared rabbits
⢠Cephalic (try to reserve for IV catheters)
36.
37. Rabbit radiographs
⢠As for a cat
ďĄ âWhole rabbitâ
ďĄ Thorax
ďĄ Abdomen
ďĄ Skull
⢠May require sedation or anesthesia
ďĄ Reduce stress
ďĄ Skull
38. Hospitalization concerns
⢠Keep âem warm
⢠Frequent force feeding (every 4-6 hours,
Oxbow Critical Care)
⢠Exercise them
⢠Minimize stress wherever possible
41. Rabbits â anesthetic concerns
⢠No fasting is necessary (canât vomit)
⢠Endotracheal intubation is blind
⢠Intubation is preferred over mask
⢠Should be monitored the same as any
other species
42. Rabbits - tips
⢠Try not to clip fur from the base of the feet
or hocks
⢠Avoid touching rabbit âblind spotâ (rostral
muzzle)
⢠Venipuncture of ears ONLY in large-
eared rabbits
⢠Support hind end during restraint
53. Chinchillas
⢠Bred for fur
⢠Long-lived (up to 20 years)
⢠Herbivores
⢠Not tolerant of temperatures greater than
80 degrees Fahrenheit
⢠Naturally nocturnal
⢠Dust baths necessary for coat health 2-
3x/week
54. Chinchillas - diet
⢠High quality grass hay
⢠Chinchilla pellets (guinea pig or rabbit
pellets not ideal)
⢠Dark leafy vegetables
⢠Fruits, grains <5% of animalâs diet
55. Chinchillas - hospitalization
⢠Similar concerns as for guinea pigs
⢠IV Cath slightly easier ? (26g cephalic)
⢠Intraosseous catheters
⢠Minimize stress
⢠Appropriate diet
56. Hamsters
⢠Golden (Syrian)
⢠Djungarian (Siberian)
⢠Narrow gene pool
⢠Variably aggressive
⢠Nocturnal
⢠Solitary (except for Siberian)
58. Mice and rats
⢠Many mouse owners also own snakes ď
⢠Mice â small, can be aggressive
⢠Rats â good as pets, likely most intelligent
of small exotic mammals
59. Cage
⢠Soft bedding (no cedar)
⢠Exercise wheels (run up to 10k/night)
⢠Escape artists
⢠Produce large amounts of odiferous urine
60. Diet
⢠Pelleted (not seed mix) formulated for the
species
⢠Occasional high protein, low fat treats
62. Blood collection and radiographs
⢠Requires anesthesia
⢠Jugular, cranial vena cava, saphenous,
cephalic, or tail vein (1% of body weight)
⢠Retroorbital venous plexus
⢠Intravenous access not practical
⢠Intraosseous catheter
63.
64. Hedgehogs (African Pygmy)
⢠Originate in central Africa
⢠Nocturnal
⢠Insectivores
⢠Poor vision
⢠âAnointingâ behavior
⢠Solitary in nature
65. Hedgehogs â husbandry
⢠Large cage size (2â x 2â)
⢠Wheel
⢠Exercise necessary
⢠Can sometimes be litterbox-trained
⢠Pelleted hedgehog food recommended,
with supplemental insects and fruits
66. Hedgehogs â restraint/handling
⢠Circular muscle (orbicularis) pulls
together like a drawstring
⢠When upset: vibrates and hisses
⢠Tips for unrolling:
ďĄ Dangle over a table
ďĄ Stroke the spines against the grain
ďĄ Scruff before rolled (good luck!)
ďĄ Subdued light, quiet