If you have or are considering bringing a new exotic pet into your home, please read the following information about your new pet. Exotic animals take a lot more care and have specific diet and housing requirements that need to be followed. We do not recommend to rely on the internet or other sources of husbandry information as these can sometimes give very wrong information that can cause harm to your pet.
Reptiles
Snakes, turtles, tortoises, bearded dragons, geckos, and iguanas are some of the more common reptiles we see, and with any exotic pet, the setup of their environment, diet and overall care is extremely important in maintaining a healthy animal. Reptiles have very specific requirements for ultraviolet lighting, heating and humidity, diet and housing that, if not properly managed, can lead to serious diseases. And these requirements are species-specific and change depending on what type of reptile you would like to own.
It is important to set up your reptile's cage properly before ever acquiring the pet itself. Appropriate bedding or substrate, heat sources, shed boxes, water availability, temperature and humidity gauges, and cleaning supplies are important for your pet's overall health. We commonly see thermal burns, shedding problems, metabolic bone disease, bacterial skin infections, and eye problems that all stem from inappropriate housing and diet.
In addition to a complete husbandry talk if you have a new reptile, we will check your pet for intestinal parasites. Almost all of our new reptiles are diagnosed with some sort of parasite, regardless of where they came from, and this can lead to a variety of problems if not treated. Please come visit us today with your new reptile or even if you are just thinking of getting one so we can give you all the information you need!
It is important to set up your reptile's cage properly before ever acquiring the pet itself. Appropriate bedding or substrate, heat sources, shed boxes, water availability, temperature and humidity gauges, and cleaning supplies are important for your pet's overall health. We commonly see thermal burns, shedding problems, metabolic bone disease, bacterial skin infections, and eye problems that all stem from inappropriate housing and diet.
In addition to a complete husbandry talk if you have a new reptile, we will check your pet for intestinal parasites. Almost all of our new reptiles are diagnosed with some sort of parasite, regardless of where they came from, and this can lead to a variety of problems if not treated. Please come visit us today with your new reptile or even if you are just thinking of getting one so we can give you all the information you need!
Birds
We see many different types of pet birds, from parrots to canaries, ducks, chickens, peacocks and more. The single most important aspect of bird husbandry is diet. The diet is linked to overall immune health, and many problems arise from malnutrition in birds, including easily broken bones from low bone density, liver disease, eye problems, recurrent upper respiratory infections, obesity and thus heart and arterial disease, and reproductive issues. The dietary requirements are specific to what type of bird you own.
Most of the pet birds we see are parrots. In addition to diet and housing, behavioral husbandry is a key part of taking care of your parrot. These birds need a lot of mental stimulation, toys, foraging opportunities and training in order to be well balanced, social birds.
In addition to a complete husbandry talk if you have a new bird, we will check your pet for intestinal parasites. We also recommend yearly bloodwork for all parrots in order to assess their overall health. Birds hide their disease symptoms so well that a full organ chemistry panel and complete blood count give us a good idea of what your pet's body is doing and how healthy they are. There have been many times that we have caught early stages of a disease process on routine bloodwork when a pet bird has acted completely normal at home. Please come visit us today with your new bird so we can give you all the information you need!
Most of the pet birds we see are parrots. In addition to diet and housing, behavioral husbandry is a key part of taking care of your parrot. These birds need a lot of mental stimulation, toys, foraging opportunities and training in order to be well balanced, social birds.
In addition to a complete husbandry talk if you have a new bird, we will check your pet for intestinal parasites. We also recommend yearly bloodwork for all parrots in order to assess their overall health. Birds hide their disease symptoms so well that a full organ chemistry panel and complete blood count give us a good idea of what your pet's body is doing and how healthy they are. There have been many times that we have caught early stages of a disease process on routine bloodwork when a pet bird has acted completely normal at home. Please come visit us today with your new bird so we can give you all the information you need!
Small Mammals
Small mammals are very common exotic pets that we see. These include rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, gerbils, hamsters, chinchillas, and mice. Rabbits and rodents have very specific dietary requirements that, if not met, can cause many chronic and potentially life-threatening conditions such as dental disease, bladder stones, intestinal problems, and scurvy.
Along with diet, caging and housing can affect your pet's health and well-being. Bedding substrate is important. There are many different options available for rodent and rabbit owners, but some can lead to problems with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections and are therefore not recommended. Some small mammals will readily drink out of a water bowl, while others need a bottle. Depending on the species, some may do better housed alone or with multiple animals.
In addition to a complete husbandry talk if you have a new rodent or rabbit, we will check your pet for intestinal parasites. These can lead to serious intestinal issues if not treated and some have the possibility of being passed along to other members of the family, human and pet alike. Please come visit us today with your new pet so we can give you all the information you need!
Along with diet, caging and housing can affect your pet's health and well-being. Bedding substrate is important. There are many different options available for rodent and rabbit owners, but some can lead to problems with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections and are therefore not recommended. Some small mammals will readily drink out of a water bowl, while others need a bottle. Depending on the species, some may do better housed alone or with multiple animals.
In addition to a complete husbandry talk if you have a new rodent or rabbit, we will check your pet for intestinal parasites. These can lead to serious intestinal issues if not treated and some have the possibility of being passed along to other members of the family, human and pet alike. Please come visit us today with your new pet so we can give you all the information you need!