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Care Questions Related To:

Iguanas
Rabbits
Rodents
Birds

Questions Related to Green Iguana:

Most of the problems we see in iguanas are due to improper feeding, housing and lighting. These animals are native to very humid, tropical climates and in the wild spend their days eating naturally growing vegetation and basking in the sun. When we bring them to a cool, dry climate, keep them inside out of the sun and alter their diet we are asking for medical problems. In order to properly care for a green iguana we must try to re-create a proper environment in our home.

Feeding

Green Iguanas are herbivores. This means that in the wild they feed almost entirely on plant material (leaves, flowers and vines). It is important that their diet in captivity be as close to their natural diet as possible. All food offered your iguana must be washed, chopped, well mixed and served at room temperature. Young iguanas should be fed twice a day or have food continuously available. Older iguanas (over 2 years old) can be fed once a day.

The following is a breakdown of a good iguana diet:

What NOT to feed your iguana:

Protein: We DO NOT recommend feeding protein (chicken, dog food, tofu, insects) to iguanas. High protein levels have been linked to kidney failure and a disease called gout.
Beet greens & spinach greens: These may bind calcium and thus lead to metabolic bone disease.

Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale & brussel sprouts: These may bind iodine, leading to a disease called goiter.

Housing

You need to house your iguana in a space were you can control the temperature, humidity and lighting. A large aquarium is ideal for a young iguana, but keep in mind that iguanas live many years and grow to be several feet in length so they will out grow an aquarium. At this point you may have to build a special enclosure. Allowing your iguana to roam free in the house is not an option because temperature and humidity will not be controlled properly and the lighting requirements will not be met.

Your iguana should have enough space to move around the cage freely. Branches for climbing are essential. Privacy should be provided with real or artificial plants and a hide box. A hide box can be made out of a cardboard box or terra cotta pot turned over, with a hole cut in it for access.

The cage bottom can be covered with newspaper, bark chips or alfalfa pellets. It is important that anything used on the cage bottom be easily cleaned, absorbent and digestible in case swallowed. Things to AVOID: gravel, cedar shavings, kitty litter and sand.

Drinking water should be offered in a bowl in the cage. A large bowl will allow your iguana to swim if desired.

Humidity is an important, but often overlooked factor. The iguana is a jungle species which require high humidity. Correct humidity is important to ensure proper shedding of skin. In winter the average humidity in the home can drop to 10%. Iguanas do well with an average humidity of 50 - 70%. Humidity can be increased by frequent misting of the cage with a spray bottle or placing some damp sponges around the cage. Also, giving your iguana a swim is helpful. Place a small amount of lukewarm water in the bottom of the bathtub (not enough to go over the head!) and let your iguana move around in it for a few minutes.

Heat

Iguanas NEED supplemental heat. There are 2 types of heat sources: 1) radiant heat source (i.e.: sunshine, heat lamp); 2) substrate heat source (i.e.: thermal pad under cage) iguanas need both. The ideal situation is to use a thermal pad under the cage 24 hours a day to keep the temperature just above 29oC. Then use a heat lamp at one end of the cage during the day to raise the daytime temperature to 32-38oC. This allows one end of the cage to be warmer so your iguana can move to where he feels the most comfortable. Make sure your iguana cannot climb into direct contact with the heat lamp or he may get burned. Hot rocks are not an acceptable form of heat and are dangerous. There have been many reptiles burned by hot rocks and we do not recommend them. Be careful of direct sunlight, as the cage may get too hot.

Lighting

Iguanas NEED ultraviolet (UV) light. There are two types of UV light: UV-A and UV-B. The UV-A waves are beneficial but it is the UV-B waves that are necessary for vitamin D activation. Vitamin D plays an important role in calcium metabolism. So even if your iguana gets enough calcium in its diet, without the proper UV light it won't be able to use the calcium and therefore could get metabolic bone disease.

Your local pet store will usually carry appropriate light bulbs. The UV light source must NOT be filtered by glass or plastic. Light bulbs need to be changed every 4-5 months, regardless of whether they're "burnt out" or not. After about 6 months most of the beneficial UV-B waves are gone, in spite of the fact that you can still see light.

Exposure to natural sunlight is also important, but sunlight through a window is of NO value. On warm days (over 20oC) take your iguana outside to bask in the sun. Outside is safest for your iguana if he is in a screened in area or on a harness to prevent any escapes. A little sunshine can turn a slow iguana into a very fast escape artist, so be careful!

Disease

We cannot possibly cover every iguana disease here. Suffice it to say that most of the diseases we see in iguanas are related to improper feeding, housing and lighting. Certainly the most common problem we see is METABOLIC BONE DISEASE (MBD).

Briefly, MBD is a disease that is related to improper calcium levels (or more specifically, improper calcium to phosphorus ratio). Usually the calcium levels are low. This is why it is important to feed calcium rich foods and use proper lighting. The symptoms of MBD include a soft jaw, broken bones, weight loss, poor appetite and weakness. We can, and do, see MBD in iguanas that seem to be well cared for, so there is likely many factors involved. There are treatments available - calcium injections, fluids and special diets to force feed. But we often don't see these iguanas at the clinic until the disease is in it later stages, so prognosis is usually poor. The best prevention is to provide your iguana with as natural an environment as possible. If you suspect a problem take your iguana to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

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Questions Related to Rabbit:

Rabbits can make wonderful pets. They are intelligent, very social and can be extremely affectionate. They do require some time from you for proper grooming and handling. These little creatures are often put away in a cage and forgotten, but with the appropriate attention and handling your bunny can be truly a member of your family.

Feeding

Rabbits are herbivores, which means they eat only plant material. Your rabbit's diet should consist primarily of a good quality rabbit pellet and free choice good quality grass (timothy) hay. Both of these are very important. The pellets give all the nutrients that a rabbit requires and the hay give the fiber. Rabbits are very prone to intestinal disease if they don't get enough fiber.

Treats can be given in small amounts to adult rabbits. Good treats include: fresh grass, dandelions & their greens, romaine lettuce, kale, carrot tops and parsley. NEVER give your bunny junk food (potato chips, french fries, etc...). Also avoid sugary foods like fruit, cereal, donuts and honey sticks. Seeds and nuts are high in fat and should be avoided.

Housing

Rabbits can be housed indoors or outdoors. Indoor bunnies tend to become more of a member of the family and often receive more attention. An indoor rabbit should have a roomy cage as a home base but can also roam loose in the house with supervision. Before letting your rabbit loose in the house you must remove any furniture, rugs, plants, drapes or electrical cords that your bunny could chew. Offer cardboard, hay or wood as acceptable things to chew on, because bunnies do need to chew to keep their teeth healthy.

Rabbits can be litter box trained with a little patience. Start with placing a litter box with regular clay litter (avoid clumping litter) in the corner of the cage that your bunny likes to use for a bathroom. Once the bunny is using the litter box consistently you can gradually let her have more freedom in the house. Set up multiple large litter boxes around the house. Once she is using the litter boxes consistently then you can start removing them slowly (one at a time) until there is only one left. This takes a lot of time, go slow and make sure the behavior is consistent before moving to the next step.

Outdoor rabbits need shade in the summer and protection from the elements in the winter. Moving the cage inside to the basement or garage for the winter is a good idea, but rabbits will also do OK with an insulated box with lots of bedding inside. Make sure they have access to plenty of water, in the winter this means changing frequently as it freezes.

Spaying and Neutering

Spaying or neutering is very important for your rabbit. There are both medical and behavioral reasons to have this surgery done. Both male and female rabbits tend to be less aggressive if spayed or neutered. It is much easier to litter box train them if they are "fixed" because both males and females will mark their territory with urine and feces.

Medically speaking, unspayed females are prone to cancer of the ovaries and a severe uterus infection called pyometra. Both of these conditions are difficult to treat and potentially deadly. It is far better to have your female bunny spayed before these things can develop. We can spay or neuter rabbits anytime after 5 months of age.

Disease

You can expect your rabbit to live for 4 to 5 years or more, depending on the breed. The oldest bunnies we see are usually 7-8 years old. The biggest problem with rabbits is that they are very fragile - once a rabbit becomes sick, it very quickly becomes very sick. So if your bunny shows any signs of illness, call your veterinarian right away.

There are no vaccines required for rabbits. The best method of preventative health care is to have your rabbit checked by a veterinarian once a year. This will allow potential problems to be found early.

The following are a few medical problems that are common in rabbits:

Diarrhea
Diarrhea can be caused by many things - too little fiber in the diet, alterations in the bacteria in the intestine, and sudden changes in diet are the most common causes. Diarrhea is actually an emergency in young rabbits. A baby rabbit can die within 12 hours after diarrhea begins, and often by the time a veterinarian sees them there is little they can do. The best way to prevent diarrhea in your new bunny is to stick to just the pellet and hay diet. Diarrhea in an older rabbit can often be treated by increasing they hay (fiber) in their diet, but any rabbit with diarrhea should be seen by a veterinarian.

Teeth
Rabbit are prone to overgrown teeth. Providing them with wood to chew on helps, but some have narrow lower jaw which means the teeth cannot wear properly. These rabbits will require frequent teeth trimming. The front teeth (incisors) and the back teeth (molars) are often both affected. Sedation is required to trim the back teeth. The incisors can be removed if they are a constant problem.

Snuffles and Head Tilt
Both of these conditions are usually caused by a bacteria called Pasteurella. This bacteria can also cause other problems such as pneumonia and abscesses. It is a difficult bacteria to get rid of and even antibiotics will only relieve the symptoms temporarily. A rabbit with this bacteria has it for life. Snuffles (nasal discharge) usually responds better to antibiotics than the other problems. Inner ear infections (head tilt) and pneumonia have a very poor prognosis.

Hairballs
Hairballs will form in the stomach when a rabbit swallows a lot of hair from grooming. They can cause reduced appetite and weight loss and can become quite serious. Treatment often involves laxatives and medication to dissolve the hair. This is difficult, so surgery may be required to remove the hairball. Prevent this serious situation by frequent brushing to remove loose hair and you can give a cat hairball remedy to help the hair move through the stomach.

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Questions Related to Rodent Care:

Rodents that we commonly see in veterinary practice include rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils and chinchillas. Each of these species are unique , with their own advantages and disadvantages. On this page we will give a summary on basic care of rodents and then point out unique requirements of the individual species.

Rodents as Pets

These little creatures can make great pets. They are especially popular with children. As a parent, saying "OK" to a pet can be a big commitment. Dogs require a lot of time and can be expensive. A cat can live 20 years. Pets are not disposable and this kind of commitment is a big deal since often it is mom or dad looking after the pet once the novelty has worn off. Rodents can be inexpensive and don't require a huge time commitment. Also, most don't have a life span of more than 2-3 years.

Be warned that small children usually cannot be expected to take on full responsibility of cage cleaning. As a parent you also need to supervise feeding and water changes and teach your child proper handling of his new furry friend. Squeezing, dropping or throwing one of these pets is unacceptable behavior from any child or adult. Whether done "on purpose " or not, this is called animal cruelty. Hamsters or gerbils in exercise balls need to be kept off counters and away from stairs. Use the opportunity of owning a pet to teach your child to respect all living creatures.

If asked by a parent which rodent we recommend, we often suggest a rat. Once you get past the not-so-attractive tail, rats are the least nippy of rodents and are fairly tough when it comes to handling. Rats also tend to have a bit more of a personality, with some even being trained to come when called. Mice and gerbils are cute, but small and quick and therefore often difficult for a child to handle. Hamsters can be a little nippy but make good little pets if they get used to being handled. Guinea pigs are popular, a little larger in size and their life span can be a little longer. Chinchillas are more expensive and don't necessarily like being handled a lot.

Feeding

Most pet stores sell a variety of foods for rodents. The best type of food is a pelleted food. Seed based diets tend to be high in fat and allow the animal to pick out their favorite seeds - this results in dietary imbalances. Pelleted foods allow your pet to have a better balance diet.

Guinea pigs and chinchilla are both complete herbivores (eat plants only). Chinchillas need higher fiber than provided in the standard rabbit or chinchilla pellet so their diet could consist of free choice grass (timothy) hay supplemented with small amounts of rabbit or chinchilla pellets and fresh vegetables.

Guinea pigs should be fed a guinea pig pellet along with a good quality hay and fresh vegetables. Guinea pigs require vitamin C in their diet. Vitamin C in pellets only has a shelf life of 90 days, and since you never really know how long the pellets have sat around in the warehouse and then the store, it is best to make sure your guinea pig gets vitamin C in other ways. Foods that contain lots of vitamin C include: parsley, beet greens, oranges, kiwi, broccoli and red and green pepper. Vitamin C tablets can be crushed and added to the water (1 gram per liter). This should be made fresh every day.

The most common foods for rats, mice, hamsters and gerbils are seed based. A better option is a pelleted food. These are less common. Pelleted foods for these rodents may be large blocks like the "rat chow" or "rodent chow" used in laboratories. The pieces seem huge for these little guys, but most will nibble at them readily. Fresh fruits and vegetables make good treats.

Housing

A roomy wire cage is fine for all of these little creatures. Be careful with small mice because they may escape through bars. A cage with glass or plastic sides is not as good. They are not well ventilated and need to be cleaned well daily in order to prevent buildup of ammonia fumes from urine. It is important that the cage be easily cleaned.

The most common bedding is shavings. Cedar shavings are controversial - they have been reported to cause skin and respiratory problems and can cause liver abnormalities. Most people now are sticking to pine shavings or recycled paper products. Even shredded paper towel or tissue is fine.

Chinchillas and gerbils need to have access to a dust bath. Chinchilla dust is available at pet stores. It should be put in a pan big enough for the pet to roll around in and the pet should have access to it every day. With a chinchilla the pan is often removed from the cage when not in use so it does not become soiled with feces. Gerbils only need a small container so it may be left in the cage.

Spaying and Neutering

Veterinarians can spay or neuter any of these little pets. Neutering males is a more common procedure than spaying females. Neutering is usually done to prevent breeding, reduce aggression and improve the smell of the urine. Anesthesia is quite safe if done with an inhaled (gas) anesthetic.

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Questions Related to Bird Care:

There are a many different species of birds. They can be broken into two main groups: Psittacines and Passerines.

Psittacines include Budgies, Lovebirds, Conures, Cockatoos, Cockatiels and all parrots.
Passerines include canaries and finches.

Psittacines are more outgoing, enjoy human companionship and require activity outside of the cage. They generally live longer and some will mimic words. Passerines tend to be better suited to living life entirely in a cage, they are not usually affectionate or easily handled and don't live as long as psittacines.

When choosing a species of bird do some research and try to stick to one that will fit into your lifestyle. The more exotic parrots require a lot of attention and activity and would not be appropriate for someone who is never home. A canary or a finch would not be appropriate for a child who wants to handle the bird or teach it to "talk".

Feeding

One of the biggest mistakes that people make in feeding birds is assuming they need only seeds. Seed based diets are high in fat and low in vitamins and minerals. Sure, most birds can survive on a seed diet for awhile, just like a human could survive on hamburgers and french fries. But in order to live a long, healthy life we need a varied diet that includes fruits, vegetables and grains to meet our vitamin and mineral requirements. Birds have the same requirements.

Commercial formulated foods are available through pet stores, you just need to look around a bit to find one. These are often in the form of a pellet and are designed to give a better balanced diet. Beware of the ones that look like a bunch of seeds stuck together - that's what they are and are no better than loose seed, but are an option in the transition phase - when trying to get them to eat something other than loose seed.

The healthiest birds are the ones who receive a wide variety of food. For psittacines this means giving them vegetables, fruits, bread, legumes, pasta, cheese...basically anything that is healthy for people (skip the pizza and french fries)! Passerines are better able to handle a seed diet but they should also be offered some fruits and vegetables. Birds that have been eating only seeds can be hard to switch over to new foods. Some tips for converting "seed junkies" include:
- put chopped vegetables or pellets on top of the seeds
- take the seeds away and offer the new foods at dawn and dusk (when birds usually eat)
- providing crunchy veggies or fruits stuck between the cage bars as toys
- try strained baby vegetables or V8 juice

Housing

Psittacines are intelligent, active birds that require time outside of the cage. This may be in a separate "play area", riding around on a shoulder or moving around the house at will. Without this activity they will become bored and develop behavioral problems.

Cage: Most birds spend a large amount of time in their cage. This means the cage must be of adequate size for the bird to move around freely and flap its wings. For small finches or budgies a fairly standard cage will do, but for a large parrot you need set up the largest cage that you have room for. We even know of some bird owners who have built special rooms for their birds. If you don't have much room then maybe a small bird would be a better choice as a pet.

Perch: Most cages come with a wooden or plastic dowel as a perch. A better idea is to go out and cut a couple of appropriately sized branches from a tree. Hardwood and fruit tees are nontoxic. These are inexpensive and easily replaced. They vary in diameter from one end to the other and are more natural for your bird's feet. Sandpaper (whether on the perch or on the floor) should never be used in a bird's cage.

Floor: Newspaper or paper towel work well on the floor of the cage. Avoid sandpaper.

Cover: A cover over the cage at night helps the bird feel secure and helps keep body heat in on cool nights

Toys:A variety of toys should be made available and rotated on a regular basis so the bird doesn't get bored. Keep safety in mind and avoid toys with small metal pieces that could get swallowed or anything that a beak or foot could get caught in. Some ideas: rope toys, pine cones, soft pine wood and food such as corn on the cob, whole fruit and nuts.

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