Exotic Companion Animals PDF

Exotic Companion Animals Dr. Kaiser Kaiser Laboratory Translational Neural Repair and Regeneration Laboratory College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences  Defining exotic pets Advantages Outline Categories Popularity...

Exotic Companion Animals Dr. Kaiser Kaiser Laboratory Translational Neural Repair and Regeneration Laboratory College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences  Defining exotic pets Advantages Outline Categories Popularity Considerations What are exotic pets? The definition is an evolving one o Traditionally, the term has been applied to wild animals taken into captivity o The definition has expanded to include any non-domesticated animal brought into homes Some define exotics as zoological companion animals Legally, the definition is subject to a given jurisdiction 3 Advantages of exotic pets Exotics can be good pets for several reasons 1. Space: many exotic pets can live in small cages or aquariums. 2. Allergies: some exotic pets are good choices for people with allergies 3. Lifespan: some exotic pets can live a long time 4. Learning experience: exotic pets possess unique behaviors and social interactions 5. Busy-friendly: most exotic pets don't need to daily maintenance 4  Categories of exotic pets Amphibians Birds Insects and Fish Reptiles Small arachnids mammals African clawed African grey Freshwater Anoles and frogs parrots angelfish marsupials Madagascar hissing Bearded Dwarf clawed Toucans cockroaches Fancy guppies dragons Chinchillas frogs Canaries Tarantulas Mollies Burmese Mice/Rats Fire-bellied pythons toads Parakeets Mantis Tiger barbs Ornate box Guinea pigs Northern turtles leopard frogs Cockatoos Millipedes Ocellaris clownfish Rabbits Chinese water dragons Ferrets 5  Axolotl = 10-15 years Amphibians Fire belly toad Most need tanks with both water and land compartments = 12-15 years Plan to feed your amphibian live or pre-killed insects to closely maintain their diet from the wild Tiger salamander = 25 years Should not be held or handled without gloves o Skin sensitivity o Disease transmission Health considerations include: o Should be bright, alert, responsive (BAR) American green tree o Eyes should be clear frog = 6 years o No mucus or discharge from the nostrils or foul odors o No open-mouthed breathing African clawed frogs o No shaking or immobility = 12-15 years o Skin should be free of abrasions, parasites, and in the case African clawed frogs of aquatic animals, fungal lesions or infections = 20-30 years 6  Canary = Birds 8-20 years Birds can be easy to care for, but thrive with attention o Some birds to do best when kept singly, whereas other birds are happiest living in small groups Finches = 4-15 years One difficulty of proper care is space limitations as adequate cages may need to be large Parrot, macaws, In addition to leafy greens, other vegetables, some fruit, grains, and cockatoos = nuts, pellets and seeds, are typically part of a healthy diet 20-100+ years Life spans of birds vary widely Cockatiel 16-30 years Health considerations include: o Eyes should be bright and clear with no discharge o Feathers should be clean and never remain ruffled or puffed up o Legs, feet, and toes should not be excessively scaly o It should not be tail bobbing (pumping action with breathing) Parakeets o Adult birds that keep their eyes closed with people in the room 6-18 years 7 Fish Barb = 3-15 years Fish health is directly related to the health of the water Betta = 2-7 years o Filtration to remove waste products Molly = 3-5 years o Water heater to ensure appropriate water temperature and prevent sudden water temperature changes Dietary needs should be factored in when housing fish o Some fish require frozen or live food Generally, you want a fish that is behaving normally Angelfish = 12 years o Fins spread Goldfish = 10-12 years o Should not be gilling (breathing) abnormally o No wounds; intact skin and fins Guppy = 2 years o Eyes should be clear 8 Insects and arachnids Millipede = 10 years Before deciding on an insect or arachnid as a Hissing cockroach = 5 years pet, make sure you know if it is venomous Ladybird velvet Most are considered low maintenance pets but spiders = 5 years dietary needs should be considered Beginner insects = hissing cockroach and some tarantulas (e.g., Chilean rose, Mexican Tarantula = 10 years Redleg, or Costa Rican Zebra) Stick and leaf insects = 1 year Intermediate insects = stick and leaf insects Praying mantis and mantids = 1 year 9 Reptiles Includes a variety of lizards, snakes, and turtles Ball python = Bearded dragon = 20-30 years 12 years o Some live mostly in the water, others mostly on land, and many live in both Russian o Housing should take account for temperature, tortoises = lighting, and humidity 40–60 years Can be herbivores, insectivores, or carnivores Leopard gecko o Many benefit from having a variable diet and = 10-20 years may even change during different life phases Look over the animal carefully Chinese No external parasites water dragon = Eyes should be clear 10-15 years Inappetence Corn snakes = Skin sheen, color, and shedding 23 years 10 Small mammals and marsupials Small mammals commonly kept as pets can include: Rats = 2-4 years Rabbit = o Rodents like rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, and guinea pigs 8-12 years o Hedgehogs o Sugar gliders Guinea pig o Rabbits = 5-8 years Research different species to figure out which one will fit your lifestyle Sugar glider o Consider a gerbil if you’re worried about cleaning cages = 12-15 years o Rats are smart, affectionate, and playful; Guinea pigs are similar, but more vocal o Avoid sugar gliders and hedgehogs that are illegally traded o Rabbits are intelligent, quiet, clean, don't require vaccines or exercise 11 Popular exotic pets in North America 1. Bearded dragons 2. Hedgehogs 3. Sugar gliders 4. Ferrets 5. Chinchillas 6. Parrots 7. Tarantulas 8. Snakes 9. Skunks 10. Axolotls 12 Considerations associated with exotic pets Keeping exotics as pets can be dangerous, inhumane, and illegal 1. Danger: some may become dangerous when they grow up as they can bite/scratch, carry diseases or parasites that can be transmitted 2. Inhumane: animals may suffer when they are caught in the exotic pet trade 3. Illegal: keeping some exotics as pets can be illegal 13  Legal in Georgia Illegal in Georgia Ferrets (if neutered by 7 months and Cottontail rabbit vaccinated against rabies) Flying squirrel Sugar gliders (if the owner possesses Opossum valid documentation) Raccoon Capuchin monkey (special permits are required for the ownership by disabled Skunk persons) Box turtle Hamsters Corn snake Gerbils Gopher tortoise Guinea pigs Flatwoods or green salamander American bison Skink Water buffalo Savannah cat Llamas All species of birds and fish native to English sparrows Georgia European starlings 14  10/2: Horses ✓ 10/4: Quiz 2 and Horses ✓ Schedule 10/7: Dogs ✓ Today: Cats ✓ 10/11: Exotics ✓ 10/14: Exam Review for 10/2-10/11 10/15: Exam 2  QUESTIONS? Established in 2004 by Steven Stice, the Regenerative Bioscience Center at the University of Georgia connects veterinarians, scientists and engineers from across the university to work together on the challenges of regenerative medicine. They use nanotechnology to understand and manipulate damaged or diseased cells, organs or tissues—to seek ways to repair, replace or regenerate to improve human and animal rbc.uga.edu health. For more information: rbc.uga.edu. [email protected] The central hub of the center occupies the fourth floor of the Edgar L. Rhodes Center https://site.caes.uga.edu/tnrrl/ for Animal and Dairy Science building, located on River Road. RBC Mission Statement: At the core of the RBC is true collaboration – authentic collaboration – with purpose. We are building synergy together in a diverse and inclusive multidisciplinary research culture to explore new treatments and technologies that will jumpstart medical innovation and breakthrough therapies to treat acute injury and chronic disease.