NJVTA: July 2011

Summer Care of Exotic Pets

Margaret Fordham, DVM

With the hot weather coming on strong, it is important to consider proper warm weather care for exotic pets, such as birds, reptiles and small mammals. Summer can be challenging for owners to make sure their exotic pets can adjust to the heat and humidity, and the concerns can be very different whether we’re talking about a rabbit or a parrot or an iguana.

BIRDS: Most pet parrots originate from hot humid areas, such as the Amazon parrot which comes from the jungles of South America. Even the pet bird species that don’t originally come from the jungle such as the budgerigar still seem to tolerate warm weather well. This means that pet birds are likely to do well in those near hundred degree heat waves we sometimes have. One of the concerns with pet birds in summer is actually related to the opposite problem: too cold temperatures due to aggressive use of air conditioners. It is best to keep temperatures of rooms that birds are in the middle to high 70’s, although they can tolerate cooler temperatures if there are not sudden changes in temperature. Air conditioning can also decrease the humidity more than is recommended for parrots and increase the danger of aerosolizing mold and debris. It is important to keep birds away from drafts and not have cool air blowing directly on them and to check AC filters frequently and change them as needed. You can also use room purifiers but be sure there is not an ionizer as they can irritate birds’ sensitive airways. Birds do better with high humidity environments so adjustments may need to be needed (such as using humidifiers in bird rooms and misting birds with water daily) to make sure the humidity levels are adequate.

Sometimes owners of pet birds will place their bird’s cage outside so their birds can enjoy the warm weather directly. While there is the possibility of infectious disease such as West Nile virus, most diseases that can be transmitted by wild birds are not that common in this part of the country. They can still occur, so please consider this before putting your bird outside. Be sure to tell your vet that your bird spends time outside if there are any signs of illness. We recommend having the cage outside only under direct supervision so that you can monitor how your bird is doing and make sure no tragedies occur, such as a bird injuring themselves trying to get away from a squirrel jumping on the cage, or wind blowing a cage over. Be sure the cage is somewhere protected; we recommend having the cage on a sturdy base, although not directly on the ground, with at least one side against a wall, and with at least partial shade available. The cage should not be kept under low overhanging branches to avoid contact with wildlife or debris falling on the cage. Many birds enjoy having their cages outside for a portion of a summer’s day, but watch carefully to be sure your bird isn’t acting startled or afraid. Be sure to bring the cage in if there are loud noises such as garbage trucks or lawn mowers.

Birds that do get too hot often sit with their wings held out from their body and their legs a little wide apart and their feathers fluffed. They can be panting or open mouthed breathing. However, birds that are sick with other diseases can look very similar, so if there are any questions about a bird’s health, the bird should be examined by your vet as soon as possible.

SMALL MAMMALS: Most small mammal species kept as pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, chinchillas, and rats, tolerate cold weather much better than they do warm weather. Therefore, it is important to protect against heat stroke in these pets. Chinchillas are the most sensitive to heat stroke and can collapse even in temperatures in the high 70’s if the humidity is high and the temperature change is sudden. It is important to be sure to have good working air conditioning with chinchillas and to maintain the room temperatures in the low 70’s at the very hottest. It is also important to have good air circulation and a big enough enclosure so the pet can move to different areas of the cage to adjust its own temperature as needed. With all pets, it is critical to have fresh water available at all times. One common practice for chinchilla owners is to buy stone floor tiles and keep them in a freezer and then place them in the animal’s cage on hot days. These can be checked and switched out for cool tiles as they warm up to room temperature. If there are any signs of sudden weakness, disorientation, or lack of responsiveness, it is important to take the animal to a vet right away. While cooling down a pet at home with cool water seems like a good idea when you think it is heat stroke, there are many times that the signs are not caused by heat stroke but by another disease and the animal is made worse by cooling them down; therefore we recommend cooling down before getting to a vet only if you are sure it is heat stroke and after you have spoken to your vet’s office. Although they are not as sensitive as chinchillas, rabbits, ferrets, and guinea pigs can also get heat stroke so again it is important to keep the room temperatures less than 75 degrees and to have good air circulation and plenty of water available. Small rodents such as rats, mice and gerbils can get heat stroke but it is even less common unless the cage is placed directly in a sunny window.

Many owners of small mammals also like to put them outside during the day. It is important that they are outside only under direct supervision, as escape and injury by feral or wild animals (including hawks) can easily occur. In addition, there is the possibility of these animals getting parasites, from fleas and ticks to internal parasites from ingesting the grass. Your vet can recommend flea and tick preventative that is safe for your pet. Some flea treatments are toxic to some exotic species so it is important to check with your vet before using any over the counter flea or tick treatment or preventative. It is also important that the animals are not placed on, or fed grass from, chemically treated lawns.

REPTILES: One of the most important aspects of creating a successful reptile habitat is to mimic the temperature and humidity ranges of the animal’s native environment as closely as possible. Most reptile owners in the North East area are adjusting heating pads and heat lamps down in the summer months so their pet can enjoy the natural heat and humidity. Again, temperature and humidity changes should be gradual and there should be a large enough enclosure with good circulation to allow the pet to move around its habitat to adjust its own temperature. Keeping a water bowl in the cage large enough for the pet to fit will allow animals to soak themselves and cool down. Like the other exotic pets, reptiles should not be close to drafts or air conditioning units in order to avoid drastic cooling and aerosolized debris and mold.

Many reptile owners like to take their animals out on sunny days. While the direct sunlight can be beneficial for the health of many reptile species, there are some things to consider. An outside enclosure should be large enough for an animal to move around in and should never be in direct sunlight without access to shade. There are many instances of animals accidentally getting “cooked” in glass tanks that were set outside in the sunlight or directly in a sunny window.

Some reptiles, especially monitor lizard species and iguanas, can get more active in the sunlight. Some reptiles can become much more aggressive to humans or other pets when placed outside. Therefore, if you have not taken your reptile pet out on a sunny day before, watch it carefully while it is out and bring it back inside if it is starting to posture or threaten or otherwise show aggressive behaviors.

Some reptile owners like to use outside enclosures for their reptiles during the summer months. Enclosures should be carefully built with the habits of that particular species kept in mind to avoid escape or injury. For instance, many tortoises will dig out under a fence so fenced enclosures for tortoises generally have to extend far underground. While reptiles do not get fleas, they can get internal parasites from ingesting things while outdoors.

Reptiles that are overheated can become overexcited and pace or run around a cage with open mouthed breathing or panting. In other cases, a reptile may situate itself as far away from the direct heat as possible and hold itself as upright as possible to try to cool off. This generally occurs if the animal is in direct heat (such as direct sunlight or in a sunny window) with no shady or cool spots.

All exotic pets that are kept outside should be checked on frequently to be sure they are doing well, that food and water are always available, that the enclosure has adequate shade and air circulation. If there are any signs of lethargy (decreased activity), decreased appetite, weakness, panting or trouble breathing, wounds or lameness, the pet should be examined by your vet.

Exotic pets are very special animal companions and can enjoy the summer months with their owners as long as there is attention to their unique needs.

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NJVTA

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Sunday, July 10, 2011

NJVTA attends TriBranch AALAS conference - 2 members presented posters and won !

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Summer Care of Exotic Pets by Margaret Fordham, DVM

Monday, July 4, 2011

Coming Soon- New NJVTA Online Experience