Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Small Mammal and Avian nutrition (Guinea Pigs (Water should be provided ad…
Small Mammal and Avian nutrition
Guinea Pigs
Water should be provided ad lib in water bottles and any changes should be made gradually - water bottles with metal drinking spouts will oxidise any vitamin c supplement added, so daily changes of water is required
Variety can be provided by supplementing with hay and fresh vegetables
A variety of commercial diets are available including both complete pelleted diets and mixtures of pellets, grains and other vegetable material
Highly selective feeders
Complete pelleted diets are often preferable as they help ensure the guinea pig receives a balanced diet
It is essential that guinea pigs receive an adequate supply of vitamin C, and require an intake of 10mg/kg/day and this requirement increases to 30mg/kg/day during pregnancy
Food - 5-8g/100g of body weight/day
Water - 10ml/100g of body weight day
Rodents
This group includes rats, mice, gerbils and hamsters
All of these animals have prominent, yellow incisor teeth
Can be divided into three main groups
Myomorphs, or mouse-like rodents. These are omnivorous. Some mice and rats are surface living, whilst others - hamsters/gerbils are burrowing
The sciuromorphs - squirrel-like rodents are also omnivorous includes the chipmunk
The hystricomorphs - this term related to the mode of reproduction and the group includes guinea pigs and chinchillas, both of which have long gestation periods, and produce precocial young. The members of this group are herbivores
Rats and mice
To avoid dietary imbalances, it is best to feed on a commercially produced diet (e.g. reggie rat). This can be supplemented with a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables (e.g. toast, cheese, grapes and broccoli etc).
Excessive supplementation can result in dietary imbalances, obesity, or gastric upset
'Treats' such as chocolate and yoghurt drops or sticks consisting of dried grains, fruits and vegetables held together with molasses or honey should be reserved for special occasions or as trained rewards because overfeeding can result in obesity or dental disease
Approximate daily quantities of food and water required by rats:
Dry food - 10-20g/day
Water - 25-45ml/day
Approximate daily quantities of food and water required by mice:
Dry food - 5-10g/day
Water - 5-7ml/day
Avian nutrition
Pet Psittacines
Birds do not choose appropriate diet for themselves when presented with a variety of seeds and fruit
Many birds have very definite dietary preferences and will eat one or two types of food to the exclusion of all others
Different species vary in this respect, and african grey parrots tend to be the worst, eating only sunflower seeds which have a high fat, low protein content and are almost devoid of vitamins A, D and calcium
If feeding a 'natural' diet then the variety of deeds and grains should comprise of no more than 60% of the diet, with no more than 20% of this being sunflower. Other grain items include cooked brown rice, oats, dry corn, barley and wheat
Vegetables should be provided 10-15% of the diet, in particular choosing strongly coloured items such as dark leafy greens, peppers, carrot and corn on the cob, since these have higher vitamin A levels
Fruits should be relatively restricted at only 5% of the diet to prevent over-consumption. Virtually all fruits (except avocado which is toxic) are acceptable
The remaining 20-25% of the diet should compromise protein-type foods, and this part is often overlooked. Cooked or sprouted beans/peas should be the majority portion, although occasionally small amounts of cooked meat, fish, poultry or eggs can be offered. When feeding this type of diet a vitamin and mineral supplement should be used
Budgerigars in particular are prone to iodine deficiency and in many cases benefit from liquid iodine added to drinking water
The problem with feeding a balanced 'natural' type diet is that despite the ratios offered, the birds will often choose what they like and leave the rest - so it is difficult to persuade a bird to eat everything
Complete pelleted diets have become available over the years, and vary in formulation depending on the birds age and lifestyle. Pelleted diets should be chosen under the vet
The necessity for providing hard, indigestible grit is controversial. The only birds that need grit to grind the food are chickens, pigeons and doves which swallow seed whole. For smaller birds a pinch of grit in the seed monthly is sufficient as these birds husk their seeds before swallowing them. Soluble grit such as oyster shell can be useful in small amounts as a source of calcium
Some bird species have a special dietary requirements, such as lories and lorikeets (nectar feeders) and mynahs and toucans (need low iron diets)
Avoid feeding any food that contains caffeine, sugar, salt, alcohol, dairy or food that has been fried/cooked in oil
Avian nutrition
Raptor SPP
Feeding in captivity should always aim to emulate as closely as possible to the diet the species would have in the wild
In general, the food consumed by raptors can be broken down into four compartments
Muscle - the flesh of the carcass, high in protein and fat but poor in vitamins and minerals
Bone - an essential source of calcium and other minerals
Gut contents - an important source of various vitamins and minerals
Casting - various indigestible components of the carcass which are regurgitated. Owls will cast bone in addition to fur and feathers whereas other species often digest the bone
If the proportions of these components are altered, disease can follow. This can occur in wild raptors - e.g. during the glut of a rabbit who has had myxomatosis outbreak. Buzzards may selectively eat the meat and gut contents but leave the bones and therefore develop calcium deficiencies
Captive birds that overfeed on the carcass may leave the bones and therefore could also develop calcium deficiencies. Day old chicks are commonly used as a food source but the bones of these are poorly mineralised and there is no gut content which may have the effect of predisposing the bird to calcium, vitamin and other mineral deficiencies if fed this exclusively
This can be overcome by feeding a 'mature' food on several days a week e.g. rat/quail
If the majority of the diet is day old chicks or shin beef, a nutritional supplement should be fed
Risks to feeding raptor specific foods:
Raptors fed on pigeons - pigeons commonly have tuberculosis infections so the carcass should be inspected prior to feeding. They also carry trichomonas, to avoid spreading this parasite to the raptors the pigeon should be frozen for a short period prior to feeding
Raptors fed on rabbit, corvid and game species. These diets should potentially be contaminated with lead, which can cause poisoning in the bird