gerbils and birds

What are the uses of gerbils

pets, research most common one is mongolina gerbil

What is unique about the brain anatomy of gerbils

incomplete circle of wills ( blood supply to the brain) so ligating one of carotid arteries creates cerebral infarcts that allows researchers to study strokes

Why are gerbils used for seizure research?-

They have epileptic seizures, seizure-prone strains have been bred for research

What is on the ventrum of gerbils?

It is a marking sebaceous gland that should not be mistaken for a tumor

Gerbil temp HR adn RR

Temp- 98.6-102.2,

HR- 260-600

RR- 70-102

What are some cage requirements for gerbils?-

escape-proof, need access to natural resources like rocks and sand, 36 inches for 1 gerbil at least 6 inches tall, bowl for sand bathing

What should the diet of gerbils consist of?

pellet diets but need supplementation fresh fruits and veggies, seeds, hay.

Do gerbils do coprophagy?

no if they do diet is not complete

What are some techniques for handling gerbils?-

scoop up and hold in palm of the hand with restraint at base of tail to prevent jumping, can scruff

How can you collect blood from a gerbil?-

LAT tail toenail clip, anesthesia for retorobital draws or cardio

How can you give medications to a gerbil?-

IV, SQ- easiest under shoulder blades, PO, IP, vertical positioning, IM- quads and gluteal mm

What are some diseases of gerbils

Tyzzer’s disease, sore nose/ nasal dermatitis, Salmonella, abdominal gland disease, cestodes, pinworms, sarcoptic mange, fungal skin infections, cystic ovaries

What are some hamster breeds

a lot Syrian ( golden ), Chinese ( striped back), and Djungerian( dwarf), most popular

How should hamsters be housed?-

they are aggressive towards each other unless housed together since birth so keep them separate

What can happen if female hamsters are stressed around parturition

They will eat them is stressed for the first 10 days after parturition

What are there teeth prone to

caries

What eye glands do they have like rats mice, and gerbils

Harderian

When are hamsters active?-

at night there nocturnal

Do hamsters undergo hibernation phases

If so, how long?-  it depends on the cold, food storage and light cycles typically last 2-3 days but can be up to 7 days

What are some cage requirements for hamsters

?- large escape-proof house, bedding changed every 1-2 weeks, use wood chips sawdust, paper products don’t use pine or cedar. Need wheels tunnels tubes, and nesting material

What should the diet of hamsters consist of?-

Eat for a few minutes then fast for 2 hours, commercial rat chow with alfalfa cubes. Vitamin E deficiency is common

What are some techniques for restraining hamsters?-

They will bite, can approach form behind and grasp around the head or neck , can scruff

How can you collect blood from a hamster

jugular, cephalic LAT tarsal, cranial vena cava retro-orbital sinus

How can you give medication to a hamster

IV, IM- caudal thighs, epaxial muscles, SQ- prescapular or inguinal, IP, PO- watch for patches

What are some hamster diseases? Which ones are zoonotic

Skin- abscess, ectoparasites- demodex ear mites, nasal mites, tropical rat mite. GI diseases: diarrhea (wet tail) caused by Lawsonia intracellulare, Tyzzer's disease, clostridium, pin and tapeworms; respiratory: LCMV (lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus), zoonotic. Atrial thrombosis

What is carding

the process of using cardboard, plastic sheets, and tape to hold a bird's feathers, wings, or tail in a specific, arranged position while the specimen dries.

Blood feathers

immature feathers, needs blood to grow , painful when cut or plucked, lose pain and sensation once mature

What is the normal body temp for birds?-

102-104

Are birds more sensitive to hot or cold temperatures

hot temps can overheat

What is the normal body temp for birds

102-104

What is molting?

losing all their feathers

How many sinuses do birds have?

One main pair of paranasal sinuses, known as the infraorbital sinus

What is the choanal slit

part of the respiratory tract, connects the nasal passage to the mouth, it has respiratory epithelium that can be damaged when diseased

Do birds have an epiglottis

no they are predisposed to aspiration

What is a syrinx?-

a unique specialized vocal orange  found in birds it’s a t the bifurcation of the trachea

Explain their trachea

they are closed rings, so be careful when inflating the cuff, cause there trachea does not stretch a lot

How many cycles are involved in the respiration cycle of birds?-

2 cycles- trachea- caudal air sacs=lungs- cranial air sacs- out of the body

What are air sacs?-

They have 4 pairs and one unpaired cervical cranial thoracic caudal thoracic and abdominal are paired. Clavicular is not. They are specialized air-filled membrane lines structures that facilitate gas exchange they allow O2 to diffuse into the bloodstream

What is the benefit of the avian respiratory system?-

cause it causes the lungs to be much more sensitive to toxic gases

What is unique about some of the bones of birds?-

they have an extension of air sacs into their bones called pneumatic bones they are lined with air sac epithelium ( humerus, keel ( breast bone) and vertebrae) don’t place IO in these.

Do birds have a diaphragm

no

List, in order, the organs of the avian GI tract.-

Esophagus → Crop (ingluvies) → Proventriculus →

Ventriculus → SI → Rectum → Coprodeum

What is the ventriculus? What is its purpose?- 

AKA gizzard thick walled muscular stomach compartment in birds. Is aided by ingested girt

What is the proventriculus? What is its purpose

First of the 2 stomachs chambers in birds the true stomach where digestion primarily begins

What is uricotelic?-

excrete nitrogenous waste primarily as uric acid rather than urea or ammonia

Function of the gall bladder

stores the bile not all birds have a gall baldder

Do birds have urinary bladders? Urethras? Where does the urine go?-

They have no bladder or urethra cause they have cloaca, urine empties out their ureters into their urodeums

birds repro

male has 2 testes connected to the urodeum by the ductus deferens, male cage birds have a non-protruding phallus, females have no estrous cycle

What happens when avian bone fractures?-

they shatter

Explain Avian eyes-

they have voluntary control of iris, they have sclera ring bone structure and a pectin oculi that stabilizes pressure

What is the difference between passerines and psittacines?-

Perching birds, song birds, small wild birds. Beak shape  Psittacine: Parrots & Parakeets, beak shape-

Intrinsic factors about birds

Extrinsic factors

they fly, they usually live very long lives, have feathers, have a cloaca

cage size matters, perches, light-dark cycles, toys to chew on, diet

What are some cage considerations for avians?-  

cage size, are they solitary or better in groups, better in pairs?, enough nesting room?, is the environment cleanable? Can clean with bleach just be careful of the fumes

What do galvanized cages need to be treated with

Zn. Stainless steel is ideal

What are some lighting considerations for birds

Indoor birds need UVA/UVB exposure daily for vitamin D metabolism at least 1 hour per day, must change light bulb every 6 months

Bird cages should be kept away from what? Why?-

kitchens, because there are a lot of fumes that can be toxic, especially Teflon pans

What calcium supplements can you give them

- cuttlebones, mineral blocks, oyster shell, crushed eggshell

What fruit is TOXIC to birds?-

avocados

What vaccines should birds get?-

Every imported bird is required to have a 30-day quarantine period- Prevention of Newcastle disease. Vaccinate for polyomavirus at 6 and 9 weeks of age. Annual PE includes nail trim, feather trim beak smoothing

Can feathers be trimmed

If so, what ones? – trim only the primaries, can leave first 2 but small birds will still be able to fly