Lecture 2

Question 1

What are possible consequences of incorrect avian husbandry?

Answer 1

-obesity
-nutritional deficiencies
-repro. disease
-atherosclerosis
-behavioral disorders

Question 2

Which species are Psittacines?

Answer 2

-cockatiel
-budgerigar
-conure
-macaw
-african grey parrot
-amazon parrot
-eclectus parrot

Question 3

Which Psittacines are sexually dimorphic?

Answer 3

budgies and eclectus parrots

Question 4

How are male and female budgies told apart?

Answer 4

males have a blue cere; females have tan, white or brown ceres

Question 5

How are male and female eclectus parrots told apart?

Answer 5

males are green; females are red

Question 6

Which species are Passerines?

Answer 6

-finches
-canaries

Question 7

Which species are Columbiformes?

Answer 7

-pigeons
-doves

Question 8

What are the characteristics of seed diets for Psittacines?

Answer 8

-all seed diets are inappropriate
-too high in fat; predisposes to obesity and atherosclerosis
-too low in essential vitamins and nutrients

Question 9

What is an appropriate diet for Psittacines?

Answer 9

-75% pelleted diet
-20% vegetables
-5% treats and enrichment (fruit, nuts, seeds, pastas, grains)

Question 10

Why should avocado never be given to birds?

Answer 10

it is cardiotoxic

Question 11

What is an appropriate diet for Passerines?

Answer 11

50% seeds, 50% pellets

Question 12

What are the considerations to be taken when switching a bird to a pelleted diet?

Answer 12

-do not switch cold turkey; switch gradually
-do not change a sick bird’s diet
-track weight and appetite during transition

Question 13

What are tips for switching a bird to a pelleted diet?

Answer 13

-use familiar food dish
-provide pellets as only food at dawn when birds forage most
-mix old and new diets; slowly wean
-make pellets available at all times

Question 14

What are the characteristics of appropriate bird housing?

Answer 14

-cages should be large enough for unobstructed motion and full wing extension
-ensure no lead or zinc
-provide around 12 hours of darkness for healthy sleep patterns

Question 15

What are the characteristics of appropriate perches?

Answer 15

-bird’s feet should encircle around 3/4 of the perch
-vary texture and location
-food and water bowls should NOT be under perches; risks fecal contamination

Question 16

What are the recommendations for proper enrichment for birds?

Answer 16

-simulate natural foraging behaviors
-avoid toys with strings/parts that could be ingested
-avoid mirrors; stimulate repro. behaviors
-cycle out enrichment items

Question 17

What are the inappropriate repro. behaviors that can be stimulated by poor husbandry?

Answer 17

-dystocia/other repro. disease
-feather picking
-regurgitation
-aggression
-cloacal prolapse

Question 18

What should be avoided to prevent repro. behaviors?

Answer 18

-mirrors
-nesting boxes and nesting materials
-high fat foods
-light cycles greater than 12h
-hand feeding
-petting anywhere but the head

Question 19

What are tips for safely handing a bird?

Answer 19

-cover with a towel
-grab around neck and below lower jaw with dominant hand
-control body, including wings, with other hand; do not compress keel
-hold larger birds against body with non-dominant hand holding legs
-do NOT handle unstable birds

Question 20

What are the initial signs seen in sick birds?

Answer 20

-lethargy
-changes in eating/drinking/urination/defecation
-fluffed feathers
-wing droop
-sitting at bottom of cage
-tail bob

Question 21

What are the characteristics of raptor nutrition?

Answer 21

-obligate carnivores
-typically eat mice and rats in managed care settings
-should fast for 12 hours prior to anesthesia

Question 22

What are the characteristics of supplemental nutrition in raptors?

Answer 22

-rehydrate emaciated birds before feeding
-can gavage feed a liquid diet or force feed pieces of prey

Question 23

What are the recommendations for raptor housing?

Answer 23

-provide perches for animals that are strong enough with no neurologic signs
-provide water bowl; however most water comes from diet
-astro turf mats and other varied textures to prevent pododermatitis
-cover cages with towels to reduce stress in hospital

Question 24

What are the characteristics of bumblefoot/pododermatitis in raptors?

Answer 24

-multifactorial infection of the footpads
-predisposed by obesity, leg injuries, and rough perching surfaces

Question 25

How is BCS determined for a bird?

Answer 25

primarily on palpation of the pectoral muscles

Question 26

What can be assessed with coelomic palpation?

Answer 26

-effusion -masses -presence of an egg

Question 27

How is auscultation performed in birds?

Answer 27

-air sacs run along whole body; listen underneath the wings -listen to the lungs on the dorsum

Question 28

What should be assessed on physical exam regarding the cloaca?

Answer 28

-prolapse -appropriate tone -cleanliness

Question 29

What disease processes can affect the uropygial gland?

Answer 29

-neoplasia -impaction -rupture

Question 30

What are blunted papillae in the choanal slit a sign of?

Answer 30

nutritional deficiency; especially hypovitaminosis A

Question 31

What can cause poor feather and beak quality?

Answer 31

-nutritional deficiency -infectious disease -liver disease -behavioral/feather plucking

Question 32

What are the characteristics of nail trims in birds?

Answer 32

-perch texture variability can reduce frequency of trims -nail should touch the ground when feet are flat -use small clippers or dremel

Question 33

what are the charactersitics of beak trims in birds?

Answer 33

-birds with normal beaks do NOT need trims -dremel is best for safe trim and shaping -be aware of thermal necrosis and bone expsoure; x-rays can provide guidance -cuttle bones and toys can decrease frequency

Question 34

What is the main pro of doing wing trims?

Answer 34

prevents rapid flight and escape

Question 35

What are the cons of doing wing trims?

Answer 35

-cannot escape from predators -can traumatize keel and pectoral girdle when landing

Question 36

What are the keys to a good wing trim?

Answer 36

-trim symmetrically -trim only the primary feathers -avoid any blood feathers

Question 37

What are the tips for gavage feeding?

Answer 37

-start at lower volumes and go slow -hold patient upright throughout feeding -return patient to cage immediately after feeding -if liquid diet comes out of mouth while feeding, stop and allow bird to shake head/clear airway immediately

Question 38

What are the characteristics of injections in birds?

Answer 38

*SQ injections: -given in inguinal area -bevel should be very superficial to avoid penetrating air sacs *IM injections: -administered in pectoral muscles on either side of keel