Feeding Other Companion and Wild Animals

rabbits are a separate order called

lagomorphs

includes pika, ares, & rabbits

rabbits - fiber

they require fiber, however

• too good quality → problems

• too little → problems

rabbits - circadian rhythm in digestion

during night, cecum & colon make cecotropes

cecotrops: specialized, high-protein fecal pellets they consume

→ rabbits capture much more N through coprophagy of cecotropes

also why they need high-fiber, low energy diets

rabbits - teeth

• 2 incisors

• lots of power

• challenge as they need constant work (vet dentistry) to maintain ideal size

• proper diet for teeth

rabbits - cecum

• well developed cecum like horses

• anaerobic, cellulytic bacteria → ferment carbs to VFAs

rabbits - old age

• loss of teeth affect chewing forage

  • feed high quality rabbit pellets, wetted

• tract impaction

  • too little forage, changed physiology

  • grooming can result in trichobezoars (hairballs)

    • cannot vomit

    • blockage in the gut can be a big problem

    • chronic soft stools → nutritional needs unmet

llamas & alpacas are small __ __

ruminant companions

llamas & alpacas are members of the __ family

camelid

llamas & alpacas are companion animals meaning

we don’t expect them to grow very fast (we don’t push for rapid growth)

llamas & alpacas - diet

high fiber diets, forage base, relatively low protein content

ornamental birds have a much faster __ rate than mammals

metabolic

birds - problems - cage & diet

• low activity

• diet too high in fat & energy, low in Ca

• poor selection of seeds (unlike in the wild)

birds - nutritional differences

• faster metabolic rate → food must be present all the time

• rapid digestive passage rate

• must have “animal” D₃ (not D₂ found in plants)

• require proline & glycine

• more sulfur amino acids

• excrete N as uric acid, combined tg with feces when excrete → low urine volume

• require more essential fatty acids

• most do not utilize fiber (some exceptions)

aquarium fish

• lots of variation

• fish are ectotherms meaning their metabolic rate & nutrient requirement will vary with temperature

• can be carnivorous, omnivorous, or herbivorous

• excrete excess N from amino acids as ammonia → ammonia build up can become toxic

• some small fish have no stomach (tetras), food passes directly to intestines

feeding:

• best to feed small, frequent meals (maintains tank health)

• offer only what’s eaten in 5 minutes

• minerals & vitamins: often over-supplemented b/c they become diluted in the tank

nutrition:

• pigmentation requires certain compounds

  • carotenoids & other molecules

  • astaxanthin & canthaxanthin are fed to help maintain the colors

• require essential fatty acids → linolenic acid

  • another reason to keep feed fresh: those can break down in the tank

• some require vitamin C