ANSWERS

1. Rabbits are herbivores with a high dietary requirement for fibre. What foodstuffs are high in fibre and suitable for feeding to rabbits?
   • Hay.
   • Green vegetables.
   • Carrots.
   • Salad crops.
   • Grass (not lawn mowings).
2. Rabbits require careful regulation of dietary calcium. What may arise from an excess?
   Urolithiasis.
3. What may arise as a result of a diet deficient in calcium in rabbits?
   Skeletal and dental problems.
4. Why are pellet food such as "Burgess Supa Rabbit" preferential to rabbit mixes?
   Rabbits are selective feeders and may only eat the parts of the mix. The pellets containing vitamin and mineral supplements may be rejected, thus resulting in a deficiency of calcium, vitamin D and other essential nutrients.
5. What are caecal pellets?
   Dark, mucous covered faecal pellets passed by the rabbit at night, which are eaten directly from the anus. This behaviour is normal in rabbits and is described as coprophagia. Dry pellets are passed during the daytime which are not eaten.
6. List some plants suitable for feeding to rabbits.
   • Brambles.
   • Dandelions.
   • Comfrey.
   • Groundsel.
   • Nettles.
   • Shepherd's Purse.
7. List some plants poisonous to rabbits.
   • Daffodils.
   • Hyacinths.
   • Laburnum.
   • Lilies.
   • Poppies.
   • Snap dragons.
8. Clover is enjoyed by rabbits, but must only be fed in moderation. Why?
   Large amounts of clover can cause bloat since the gas produced upon digestion can build up in the intestine. The subsequent pressure on the heart may prove fatal.
9. State approximate quantities of dry food and water/kg/day required by rabbits.
   • Dry food = 30-60g/kg/day.
   • Water = 5-10mls/kg/day.
10. Why are proprietary rabbit mixes unsuitable for cavies?
    They do not provide sufficient levels of vitamin C. In addition, they may contain coccidiostats which may result in liver or kidney damage.
11. Describe how a fibre deficient diet may result in the formation of hairballs in rabbits and cavies.
    A shortage of fibre may cause caecal compaction. This may result in fur chewing around the perineum, leading to hairball formation.
12. What vitamin is particularly important in the diet of a cavy?
    Vitamin C. A diet deficient in vitamin C may result in clinical signs of scurvy within 2 weeks.
13. Rabbits, cavies and other small mammals benefit from a diet that requires gnawing. Why is this?
    Gnawing promotes balanced wear of the teeth. Malocclusion and subsequent anorexia may result in rapid weight loss and prove fatal within a week of the first symptoms. Grass, hay and fruit wood are suitable items to promote gnawing.
14. State the approximate quantities of dry food and water/100g/day required by cavies.
    • Dry food = 5-8g/100g/day.
    • Water = 10mls/100g/day.
15. A hospitalised cavy requires particular care with regard to its water consumption. Why is this?
    A guinea pig used to a water bottle will not drink from a bowl, and vice versa. If the guinea pig's usual drinking habits are not known, then both a bowl and bottle must be provided.
16. Why do proprietary cavy mixes have such a short shelf life?
    They are supplemented with vitamin C, which is inactive after 3 months.
17. Rats are omnivores and will eat almost anything. What is subsequently the most common nutritional problem suffered by these rodents?
    Obesity, especially if too many highly palatable treats are offered. Malocclusion is also seen in rats with inadequate gnawing foods in their diet.
18. State the approximate quantities of dry food/g/day and water in mls/day required by rats.
    • Dry food = 10-20g/day.
    • Water = 25-45mls/day.
19. State the approximate quantities of dry food/g/day and water in mls/day required by mice.
    • Dry food = 5-10g/day.
    • Water = 5-7mls/day.
20. What is the most suitable source of carbohydrate for hamsters?
    Starch.
21. Why should stale food always be removed from the cage of a hamster?
    To prevent hoarding. Hamsters store food in their cheek pouches.
22. State the approximate quantities of dry food/g/day and water in mls/day required by hamsters.
    • Dry food = 5-15g/day.
    • Water = 15-20mls/day.
23. Why should sunflower seeds be fed only in moderation to gerbils and chinchillas?
    Sunflower seeds are high in fat and low in calcium. Chinchillas can only tolerate a very small amount of fat in their diet. Calcium deficiency is associated with skeletal problems in most species. Sunflower seeds may be eaten selectively since they are highly palatable.
24. Describe a suitable diet for a ferret.
    Ferrets are carnivores and require a meat based diet low in fibre. They have high protein and fat requirements. A proprietary dry kitten feed or ferret pellet diet would be suitable. Eggs may be given in moderation; they are high in protein and much enjoyed.
25. What is the main difference in the dietary requirements of tortoises and terrapins?
    Tortoises are herbivores or omnivores while terrapins are mainly carnivores.
26. What is the most common nutritional disease suffered by captive tortoises?
    Hypovitaminosis A.
27. Why must a captive tortoise in the United Kingdom be fasted several weeks prior to hibernation?
    Food may ferment within the digestive tract. It is recommended that tortoises be kept in a heated vivarium during late autumn in order to decrease the hibernation period, since our climate is really not suited to this species. In their natural habitat, tortoises hibernate for a markedly shorter time than they would do here since our ambient temperature is too low and the daylight hours too short.
28. Describe a diet suitable for a captive tortoise.
    Proprietary tortoise pellets are ideal since these contain a suitable balance of vitamins and minerals. However, these are often not palatable to tortoises unfamiliar with them. A variety of fruits, vegetables and sources of animal protein are necessary. Specialist advice should be sought in cases of doubt, since many tortoises do not reach longevity due to an inadequate diet.
29. What calculation may be performed in order to assess whether a tortoise is a suitable weight for its carapace?
    The Jackson ratio. The weight of the tortoise in grams is recorded along with the length of the carapace. These measurements are then applied to a graph (see The BSAVA Manual of Exotic Pets) in order to assess whether the tortoise is underweight for its size.
30. Describe a suitable diet for a terrapin.
    Fish (such as whitebait, herring and sardines), snails, tinned cat or dog food, hardboiled eggs, earthworms and fresh liver or kidney.
31. State two rules applicable to the feeding of terrapins.
    • Always feed in a separate container from the living area.
    • The quantity of food offered should not exceed that which can be consumed within 20 minutes.
32. Snakes may be prone to thiamine deficiency. Explain why.
    Snakes are often fed fresh or frozen fish, which has a high thiaminase activity. Prolonged feeding without thiamine supplementation may result in thiamine deficiency.
33. Describe how calcium deficiency in lizards may be prevented.
    The insects frequently fed to lizards (such as crickets, locusts and wingless fruit flies) are low in calcium. Prior to feeding to the lizard, these insects should themselves be fed a calcium supplement.
34. Chameleons require regular mistings of their tank several times a day. Why?
    Chameleons only drink from water droplets on plants; and it is therefore essential to ensure that the plants within the tank are kept suitably moist.
35. How frequently should captive amphibians be fed?
    Twice weekly.
36. Describe a suitable diet for captive adult frogs and toads.
    Fruit flies, crickets and meal worms. Aquatic species may be offered fish, while salamanders eat earthworms and slugs.
37. What is the main difficulty in the feeding of ornamental fish?
    Fish are rarely kept in a single species environment. A mixed fish community may include carnivores, herbivores and omnivores; therefore a single diet may not prove suitable for all.
38. Why is the overfeeding of fish detrimental?
    Uneaten food may pollute the water. Undigested food and excretia may also contribute to poor water quality.
39. Why are captive psittacine birds predisposed to obesity and other nutritional disorders?
    Seed-only feed mixes are commonly fed which are not nutritionally complete. They contain a high proportion of sunflower seeds, which are low in calcium and vitamin A and high in fat.
40. Why is grit offered to captive birds as a dietary supplement?
    Insoluble grit assists in the mechanical digestion of food, while soluble grit provides a source of minerals including calcium and phosphorous.
41. Give 2 examples of soluble and insoluble grit.
    • Soluble = oyster shell, cuttle fish.
    • Insoluble = quartz, silica.
42. Why might oversupplementation with insoluble grit prove hazardous?
    Insoluble grit remains in the gizzard. Too much may cause impaction which in severe cases could prove fatal.
43. What is meant by the ventriculus (or gizzard)? Which order of birds has no ventriculus?
    This is the thick walled chamber where food is ground up. Birds that have a predominantly fluid diet such as nectar eating sun-birds and humming birds have no gizzard.