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Exotic Pet Behavior: Birds, Reptiles, and Small Mammals PDF

365 Pages·2006·22.27 MB·English
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A A BOUT THE UTHORS T eresa Bradley Bays, DVM, graduated from Kansas State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. She com- pleted preceptorships at Sea World of Florida and St. Louis Zoological Park before graduation, followed by a 1-year internship at Riverbanks Zoological Park in Columbia, South Carolina. She joined Belton Animal Clinic and Exotic Care Center in 1993, became part owner in 1997, and full owner in 2002. It is a fi ve-doctor practice that has a 30% exotics caseload and that recently moved to a new 7300-square-foot facility that also supports Animal Urgent Care of Cass County. She is the author of numerous articles concerning exotic animal medicine and surgery, several chapters for Veterinary Clinics of North America/Exotic Animal Practice, and is a national speaker. She is a past president and 7-year board member of the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians and is currently president of the Missouri Academy of Veterinary Practitioners. As a wife, mother, business owner, and active member of her community, life is always busy! D r. Lightfoot received her DVM from the University of Missouri. She completed an externship at the St. Louis Zoological Park, and has been practic- ing in Florida since 1980. Dr. Lightfoot is a Charter Member of the ABVP–Avian specialty and is cur- rently Regent for this specialty. She has served as the staff veterinarian for the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary since 1987. Dr. Lightfoot served on the Florida Board of Veterinary Medicine from 1995 to 1999 and served as chair from 1997 to 1999. She has authored numerous articles on avian and exotic species and is an editor of the avian veterinary text Clinical Avian Medicine (in press). She has been an editor for Seminars in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine since its inception. Teresa frequently lectures on avian and exotic medicine and surgery, both nationally and internationally. Dr. Lightfoot is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Association of Avian FM-X0009.indd iii 4/10/2006 9:50:44 AM iv About the Authors Veterinarians Gold Star Award in 1998, the Florida Veterinarian of the Year award for 2000, the 2001 Exotic Veterinarian of the Year awarded by the International Conference on Exotics, and the Dr. Ted Lafeber 2002 Avian Practitioner Award. Dr. Lightfoot has special interests in diagnosis and treatment of avian systemic mycoses and avian neoplasia. Her current research includes study- ing methods of captive raising and their effects on psittacine developmental behavior. A fter Dr. Jörg Mayer graduated from the Veterinary University in Budapest, Hungary, in 1997, he completed an internship in zoological medicine at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island. At the end of the internship Dr. Mayer joined a research team to go into the cloud forest of Papua New Guinea to study wild and captive tree kangaroos for 2 months. Dr. Mayer received a M.Sc. degree in Wild Animal Health from the Royal Veterinary College and the Zoological Society of London, England, in 2000 before he started in his current position as the Director of the Exotic Service at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. He also holds a secondary appointment as Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental and Population Health at the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. FM-X0009.indd iv 4/10/2006 9:50:44 AM 11830 Westline Industrial Drive St. Louis, Missouri 63146 EXOTIC PET BEHAVIOR: BIRDS, REPTILES, ISBN-13: 978-1-4160-0009-9 AND SMALL MAMMALS ISBN-10: 1-4160-0009-7 Copyright © 2006 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Health Sciences Rights Department in Philadelphia, PA, USA: phone: (+1) 215 239 3804, fax: (+1) 215 239 3805, e-mail: [email protected]. You may also complete your request on-line via the Elsevier homepage (http://www.elsevier.com), by selecting “Customer Support” and then “Obtaining Permissions”. Notice Knowledge and best practice in this fi eld are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our knowledge, changes in practice, treatment and drug therapy may become necessary or appropriate. Readers are advised to check the most current information provided (i) on procedures featured or (ii) by the manufacturer of each product to be administered, to verify the recommended dose or formula, the method and duration of administration, and contraindications. It is the responsibility of the practitioner, relying on their own experience and knowledge of the patient, to make diagnoses, to determine dosages and the best treatment for each individual patient, and to take all appropriate safety precautions. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the Authors assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property arising out or related to any use of the material contained in this book. The Publisher ISBN-13: 978-1-4160-0009-9 ISBN-10: 1-4160-0009-7 Publishing Director: Linda Duncan Publisher: Penny Rudolph Developmental Editor: Shelly Stringer Publishing Services Manager: Patricia Tannian Senior Project Manager: Sarah Wunderly Book Designer: Jyotika Shroff Working together to grow libraries in developing countries Printed in China www.elsevier.com | www.bookaid.org | www.sabre.org Last digit is the print number: 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 FM-X0009.indd vi 4/10/2006 9:50:46 AM www To my husband Martin, and to my daughter Nicole and stepsons Zachary and Isaiah, for their patience and support (and for making me laugh) during this more than 2-year project. I am thankful for the many blessings that have been bestowed on me and for the lessons that I continue to learn in this journey called life. Teresa Bradley Bays, DVM www To my husband, Chris Lane, my mother, Bea Lightfoot, my brother, Tom Lightfoot, and my sons, Cory, Derek, Richard, and Matt. Without our convoluted family dynamics, I would not have developed such an interest in normal and abnormal behavior. I love you all dearly. Teresa Lightfoot www To my parents, Christel and Walter. Their love, belief, and support made it possible for me to be a veterinarian caring for the smallest and most fragile patients today. Ich möchte dieses Buch meinen Eltern, Christel und Walter, widmen. Ihre Liebe, Ihr Glaube und Ihre Unterstützung hat es für mich möglich gemacht, ein Tierarzt zu sein, der sich um die Kleinsten und die Zerbrechlichsten Patienten kümmert. Jörg Mayer www FM-X0009.indd vii 4/10/2006 9:50:46 AM C ONTRIBUTORS Teresa Bradley Bays, DVM Belton Animal Clinic and Exotic Care Center, Inc. Belton, Missouri Elizabeth I. Evans, DVM Assistant Professor Biology Department Rockhurst University Kansas City, Missouri Peter G. Fisher, DVM President PetCare Veterinary Hospital Virginia Beach, Virginia Dan H. Johnson, DVM Practice Owner Avian and Exotic Animal Care, P.A. Raleigh, North Carolina Adjunct Assistant Professor Department of Clinical Sciences North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine Raleigh, North Carolina Teresa Lightfoot, DVM, Dipl. ABVP Florida Veterinary Specialists Tampa, Florida Jörg Mayer, Dr. med.vet., M.Sc. Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University Department of Exotic Animals North Grafton, Massachusetts Carina L. Nacewicz, DVM Seattle, Washington FM-X0009.indd ix 4/10/2006 9:50:46 AM F OREWORD There is a growing trend toward ownership of exotic or unusual pets, and the experience of guardianship can be fascinating and educating for the owner, providing a glimpse into the world of a novel species. Caring for such creatures requires knowledge of the behavior of the species in order to provide proper husbandry in a captive environment. Behavior and affi liations of exotic animals, as well as of more common domestic pet animals, are shaped by nature and nurture. Nature directs from its hard-wired bastions, while nurture (learning) fi ne tunes and shapes the fi nal behavioral output and reactions. In species such as dogs and cats, their nature and the infl uence of learning is well known. Maternal and peer infl u- ence is important to normal behavioral development, and behavior can be shaped to advantage during certain well-defi ned critical (more accurately termed “sensitive”) periods of learning. The behavior of the exotic species detailed in this book should be viewed in light of the normal behavior (nature), the infl uence of early interactions (maternal, peer, or otherwise), and the situation the animal is likely to encounter within the confi nes of captivity for each species. Some owners research a species prior to purchase and are reasonably well- equipped to look after it, but others do not. Both types of owners may at some point seek out a veterinarian for advice. It is essential that they receive correct information concerning the proper health and welfare of their small charge. They must know which species are social and are best kept housed with conspecifi cs, and which should be housed individually. Some species have special requirements with respect to light, heat, and humidity, and others have specifi c nutritional needs. Also, the behavior of an animal can be an indication of its well-being or lack of same, and these behaviors are, for the most part, unique to each species. Understanding an animal’s behavior increases owner enjoyment and appreciation of their exotic pet and helps the owner recognize potential problems. Recognizing normal and abnormal behaviors can be interpreted as a crude form of communication, albeit mostly one-way. If owners do not understand normal behavior, they will not recognize abnormal behavior that may indicate a medical problem. Veterinarians must recognize unusual behavior of various species and be prepared to convey pertinent information, appropriate recommendations, or treatments. The authors of this highly informative compilation have gone to great lengths to detail the behaviors of selected exotic pets. With this knowl- edge veterinarians will be able to guide their clients in the proper care for these animals. FM-X0009.indd xi 4/10/2006 9:50:46 AM xii Foreword Whether an owner is asking about an anorectic reptile, a rabbit that may be in pain, or the courtship behavior of a psittacine, veterinarians should be able to supply the answer. The authors of this important text cover these questions and numerous other behavioral issues related to many exotic species. Veterinarians will fi nd this text benefi cial as a behav- ioral reference as well as enormously interesting reading. Nicholas H. Dodman, BVMS, DACVB, DACVA Professor Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University North Grafton, Massachusetts The study of animal behavior, or ethology, to ensure good health and improve welfare is a long tradition in veterinary medicine, starting originally with food-producing animals. Discerning readers will realize that the impact of a behavior on the human observer is not necessarily a function of its impact on the animal. Failing to do this, we get an anthropomorphic idea of animal consciousness in which the so-called “objective” measure becomes the test giving the wanted answer; if it fails, we seek other “objective” markers until we achieve a set of measurements that supports our subjective impression. Applied as such, the study of animal behavior is no longer based on objective data, but on manipulated opinions. Unlike what is considered to be anthropomorphic, the scientifi c idea of animal consciousness has allowed us to appreciate the ability of each animal to express species-specifi c behavior in the environment in which it is placed. Any discomfort produced by husbandry or disease may be detected through anomalies in the expression of this behavior, or by examining preferences expressed by the animal when offered a free choice. Applied animal behavior is an objective approach to achieving good health and well-being in animals, avoiding either a mechanistic or an emotional evaluation of an animal’s quality of life. Without knowing what is normal we cannot recognize what is abnormal or appreciate how animals express pain and suffering. Information on behavior of exotic animals is widely scattered in many journals, so the publication of a single volume summarizing what is known is signifi cant. This book represents a major advance in the fi eld of exotic animal medicine as it will help veterinarians meet the needs of clients demanding the highest standards of care for their animals. Thomas M Donnelly, DVM The Warren Institute Ossining, New York Formerly Adjunct Professor and Associate Professor New York State College of Veterinary Medicine Cornell University Ithaca, New York FM-X0009.indd xii 4/10/2006 9:50:47 AM P REFACE In 1994 a dwarf rabbit patient changed my life forever (TBB). It was a 4-year- old intact female that had been seen by two other veterinarians because she was not eating or defecating and her abdomen was distended. After three enemas at the other practices, her “constipation” still hadn’t improved. When she presented at our hospital she had not had the benefi t of radiographs or other diagnostics, just the “red bag” technique. She died from the severe hydrometra (see Figure 1-4 in text) that caused her abdominal distention, severe dyspnea, weight loss, anorexia, and gastrointestinal stasis. It was then I realized that she died because, at that time, veterinarians often did not know what normal behavior was for rabbits and therefore did not recognize the abnormal behaviors that help to guide diagnostics and treatment. It was then that I decided to become more active in researching and disseminating information on behavior in exotics. This book is a result of that effort and includes information on chelon - ians, snakes, lizards, psittacines, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, gerbils, hamsters, chinchillas, fennec foxes, hedgehogs, ferrets, sugar gliders, and short-tailed opossums. Each chapter includes social and antisocial behav- iors, sensory behaviors, communication behaviors, elimination behaviors, eating behaviors, locomotor behaviors and activity, grooming behaviors, and reproductive behaviors. Medical implications of abnormal behaviors and pain-associated behaviors are also discussed. Several chapters highlight how behavior is affected by captivity and hospitalization. Tables and sections provide practical and invaluable information for rabbits (litter training, behavioral enrichment, curbing negative behaviors, common postures and vocalizations, and tips for bonding), guinea pigs (common postures and vocalizations), ferrets (litter box tips, controlling biting behaviors, and envi- ronmental enrichment) and psittacines (species-specifi c behaviors). Client education handouts are included for the miscellaneous small mammals. Behavior is an intricate subject with many facets. It is associated with all aspects of anatomy, physiology, and pathology, making it an onerous task to stay on topic. Behavior is also not a static subject and the ability to capture normal and abnormal behaviors in still photographs is diffi cult. Add to that the tremendous number of exotic species that are presented to today’s veteri- narian and this subject becomes formidable. The editors and authors have taken this seemingly impossible task and created this text that is designed to provide an overview of behaviors seen in reptiles, psittacines, and small mammals. It is presented in order to aid the veterinary practitioner in address- ing the needs of the entire patient and to provide a knowledge base that will FM-X0009.indd xiii 4/10/2006 9:50:47 AM xiv Preface allow the practitioner to answer clients’ questions with confi dence. The authors join together to wish you the best in your quest to further your knowledge regarding exotic patients and their treatment. Teresa Bradley Bays, DVM Teresa Lightfoot, DVM Jörg Mayer, Dr. med.vet., M.Sc. Acknowledgments The understanding, support, and never-ending encouragement of my entire staff has been incredible (even when they thought I was more crazed than usual!). I am particularly thankful for those who have supported and encour- aged me through good times and bad in my most recent growing-up years, including Ellen Esterkin, Ruth Liebau, RVT, Marcia Kristman, RVT, Michelle Ambler, Pam Olsen, Kelli Johnsen, CVT, VTS (ECC), Elizabeth Evans, DVM, Kaylee Beal, Jack Olsen and Dani Anderson. Thank you to Robin Rysavy and Kathy Smith for helping me to see beyond the disease to the entire patient and who taught me a lot about rabbits and the life they lead. Many thanks to Drs. Teresa Lightfoot and Jörg Mayer for all of their help, knowledge, and patience throughout this process and to all of the authors for the precious time spent away from their families to make this book a reality. Thank you to Ray Kersey for asking me to work on this project and to Shelly Stringer, Sarah Wunderly, and Stacy Beane of Elsevier for their help and encouragement to make this a book we are all proud of. Teresa Bradley Bays My thanks to and admiration for Teresa Bradley for the incredible amount of effort, time, and knowledge she has poured into this text. Kudos to Jörg Mayer for his valuable insights, experience and prompt responses when time was critical. Teresa Lightfoot I would like to thank my partner Janet for understanding how important this project was for me and for accepting my sitting at the computer for hours and hours during the preparation, writing, and editing of this book. I would also like to thank my co-editors for such great and easy cooperation and com- munication throughout the 2-year process of “giving birth” to this book. Jörg Mayer FM-X0009.indd xiv 4/10/2006 9:50:47 AM 1 C H A P T E R T ERES A B R A D L E Y BAYS R B ABBIT EHAVIOR Introduction Knowing the specifi cs of rabbit anatomy and physiology and how these differ from those of other mammals is imperative for veterinarians who treat exotics. Rabbits, like other exotic species, cannot be treated success- fully by extrapolating from cat or small dog medical principles. Equally important is the need to become familiar with normal and abnormal behavior in order to provide the best health care possible for rabbit patients. Understanding abnormal behavior in rabbits will enable practitioners to better interpret common presenting signs and owner complaints. With this information, veterinarians can better communicate and educate rabbit owners so that they may be able to detect problems in their pet rabbits earlier. This is especially important in light of the major shift that has occurred in the status of the rabbit from backyard child’s pet to member of the family, often living freely in the house. Natural History, Behavior, and Domestication Domestic rabbits are the descendants of the European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, from Western Europe and Northwestern Africa, and have been kept as domesticated pets since the early sixteenth century.12,16 Many of the behaviors that we see in wild rabbits are mimicked in our pet rabbits. Rabbits live in large groups in warrens or burrows that are dug in sandy, hilly terrain, and they rarely venture far from the safety of the warren. They are primarily nocturnal, moving away from their burrows at dusk to forage. They have a highly developed social hierarchy and as a prey species have evolved for fl ight rather than fi ght. The males are very territorial, and females will aggressively protect their nests. Pregnant females will dig burrows away from the warren, as the 1 Ch001-X0009.indd 1 4/10/2006 9:52:14 AM

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This text provides a strong foundation for treating a variety of avian and exotic species. Key topics include normal and abnormal behavior and behavioral modification. Each chapter addresses normal behavior in captivity, medical implications of abnormal behavior, pain associated behaviors, and how b
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