Animal Science I
“Fuzzy Exotics”
Objectives
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Compare and contrast the types of
exotic animals and describe
management practices involved in
their care.
Describe management practices
involved in the care of small
companion animals, such as rabbits,
chinchillas, guinea pigs, ferrets,
hedgehogs, and other small rodents.
Rabbits
Terms
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Buck – male rabbit
Doe – female rabbit
Kit – baby rabbit
Kindle – giving birth
Litter – group of young kindled by the
same doe
Terms
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Junior – rabbit under 6 months
Senior – rabbit over 6 months
Variety – subdivision of a breed,
usually by distinguished by color
Gestation – the length of time a female
is pregnant
Snuffles – respiratory ailment in rabbits
Ataxia- lack of coordination of muscles
resulting in a tilt of the head
Neck
Ear
Shoulder
Rump
Tail
Cheek
Dewlap
Hock
Flank
Belly
Rabbits
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Rabbits come in many
sizes and color patterns.
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There are 45 different
breeds, based on their
weight, and 80 varieties.
They reproduce quickly,
so keep males and
females apart if you
don’t want baby rabbits.
Feeding
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Pelleted food designed especially for
rabbits is best, but you may also feed
rabbits fruits, vegetables, and greenfood
in small amounts.
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3.8 to 4% of their body weight per day
Increases based on growth & production
Always keep fresh water available and
make sure cages are clean and dry.
Feeding
Limit Feed vs Full Feed (free choice)
1. Full Feed = rabbits eat more =
cost more
2. overweight rabbits – lazy/poor
breeders
3. less attention given to rabbits
Housing Requirements
A.
B.
C.
D.
Free of Drafts
Protect from rain, snow, wind,
sun & heat
Pens – wire floor
Size – 1 square foot floor
space per one pound live
rabbit (4# needs 2 ft x 2 ft)
Reproduction
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Breeding can begin anywhere from 5-8
months depending on size of breed
Gestation: Average: 31 days
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Range: 28 – 35 days
When mating, take the doe to the buck’s
cage
The doe is more defensive of her territory
than the buck
Don’t leave them alone
Reproduction
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Provide nesting material (hay,
straw, wood shavings)
Doe will pluck hair from belly
to line nest
Parturition
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Also known as kindling
Keep area quiet, but monitor the doe
and count her babies
Make sure they are all healthy and that
there are no complications in labor
If you notice any problems, contact a
vet immediately
Weaning
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Start to offer the kits pelleted food after
a week or two
They will take time to adjust, but this
eases the weaning process
Separate at about 7-8 weeks
Proper Handling
A.
B.
Best Method
1. Grasp the nap of the neck and the
rump
2. Always support the hind quarters
Alternate Methods
1. Grasp in front of hip
2.
C.
Underarm, clutched against body
NEVER BY THE EARS!!!!!
Medical Care
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Rabbits should be seen by a vet every
six months to evaluate their health.
Typically rabbits do not receive regular
vaccines, but if you keep your rabbit
outdoors, you should rabies vaccinate
it.
A common medical issue is the
Snuffles
Medical Care
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The Snuffles (or Pasteurellosis) is a
respiratory condition that causes
wheezing and discharge of substances
from the eyes and nose.
This infection is typically caused by a
bacteria and can affect the eyes, ears,
and other organs if left untreated.
Medical Care
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Another common problem can be
ataxia caused by an inner ear
infection.
Ataxia is characterized by a constant
tilt of the head.
Rabbits will also loose balance and
may appear to seizure.
Chinchillas
Soft, fuzzy, and fun.
Terms
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Chinchillidae- the family name for
chinchillas
Herd- group of chinchillas
Kit- baby chinchilla
Rear-gut fermenter- digestive tract with
an elongated cecum that aids in
digestion of grasses
Crepuscular- meaning primarily active
during twilight hours
Terms
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Malocclusion- abnormal growth of
either the front teeth (incisors) or back
teeth (molars).
Cecum- part of the large intestine that
aids in digestion.
Anatomy
Background
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Chinchillas come from the Andes
mountains in South America
They were brought here from the fur
trade
Their family name is Chinchillidae
There are two species, lanigera and
bravicaudata
Feeding
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Chinchillas naturally eat grasses and
grains in the wild
As pets their diet is composed of
pellets and hay
Rabbit food makes best substitute, but
chinchilla food should always be used
High protein, high fiber
Alfalfa is a must for young chinchillas
Digestive Anatomy
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Chinchillas are known as rear-gut
fermenters
This means they can digest grasses
like ruminants without a rumen
A chinchilla should never vomit or
have diarrhea
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If signs of either are present, you should
seek a vet IMMEDIATELY!!
Digestive Anatomy
Housing
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A chinchilla cage should have multiple
levels as they love to hop from one to
the other
They should have a house that they
can hide in to sleep, especially during
the day as they are crepuscular
Either recycled newspaper bedding or
pine bedding should be used.
Grooming
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Chinchillas fur is very thick (80 to 120
strands of fur grow from one follicle)
Water should be avoided so it doesn’t
fall out (natural defense mechanism)
Dust is used to clean the chinchilla by
removing grease and dirt
Avoid brushing with an actual brush
Reproduction
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Chinchillas are different from most
rodents with a gestation of 111 days
Their estrus cycle occurs about every
28 days, but they can be selective
about when they mate
They only have 1-2 kits per litter, and
any more is considered to be
unhealthy and trouble
Weaning
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A mother chinchilla will start to
naturally wean her kits by 8 weeks
Around 4 or 5 you should start to
socialize a kit to humans and offer it
regular pelleted food
A kit should be completely weaned
and able to live independently by 12
weeks
Medical Care
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Like rabbits, a chinchilla should be
evaluated every 6 months for good
health.
They can live up to 20 years if
probably cared for, but do not show
signs of illness until it’s too late.
They do not receive
vaccinations like
other pets.
Medical Care
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A common problem is weak bone
development.
They are also prone to cancers.
Due to their thick coat, they seldom get
fleas or other skin parasites.
Malocclusion occurs when the teeth
grow out of place.
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This problem can go un-noticed until the
chinchilla is in a lot of pain and refuses to
eat.
Guinea Pigs
Round and ready to roll!
Terms
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Cavy- proper term for a guinea pig
Coprophagy- ingestion of feces
Scurvy- a vitamin C deficiency that
causes lethargy
Lethargy- sluggishness or loss of
energy
Terms
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Postpartum estrus- when an animal is
receptive to breeding shortly after
giving birth
Alopecia- hair loss
Torticollis- wry neck, like ataxia, but
caused from muscular disorders
Misconceptions
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Guinea pigs are not pigs, nor are they
from Guinea
Their scientific name, Cavia porcellus
seems to give them their pig-like name
(porcellus meaning little pig in Latin)
The household pet we have today
does not exist in the wild… a
domesticated ancestor gave way to
the pets we have today.
Feeding
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Guinea pigs are rodents
They consume grasses and have
pelleted food in all pet stores
They also partake in coprophagy
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They produce special soft pellet-like stool
to recycle B-vitamins and bacteria
needed to break down grasses
Guinea pigs cannot synthesize vitamin
C and must have it supplemented in
their diet.
Feeding
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Guinea pigs are sensitive to many
plants and many are considered
poisonous like buttercups, foxglove,
wild celery, rhubarb, and most bulbs
(like tulips)
Because of this, it is important not to
let your guinea pig out of sight when
outside
Interesting Facts
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Guinea pigs make a variety of noises
They can squeal, grunt, grind their
teeth, and even whistle!
Many are actually creating special coat
varieties and breeding them in shows
There are long hair guinea pigs, short
hair…. And even hairless!
Digestion
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Guinea pigs have similar digestive
tracts to that of a chinchilla.
They have the longest large intestine
of all rodents.
Just like chinchillas a guinea pig
should never vomit or have diarrhea.
Housing
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Guinea pig cages need to be large
enough to provide them with enough
room to exercise and play
Ideally, a minimum of 7.5 square feet
(30 inches by 36 inches) is needed for
one pig
They also need a house to hide in and
water bottles
Reproduction
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Estrus- 16 days
Gestation- 63 days
Female guinea pigs can come back
into heat 15 hours after giving birth.
This is called a postpartum estrus,
which means that they can be nursing
a litter and pregnant at the same time!
Medical Conditions
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Guinea pigs can easily get scurvy, a
vitamin C deficiency that leads to
lethargy, or sluggishness
Guinea pigs have weak respiratory
tracts and may get infections easily
They are also prone to alopecia, or
hair loss, due to mites or improper diet
Medical Conditions
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Guinea pigs can also get torticollis,
which occurs when muscles contract
or are disfigured causing an excessive
tilt of the head
Guinea pigs are prey animals and will
not show signs of illness until near
death
Because of this, 6-month checkups
with a vet are highly recommended
Medical Conditions
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Like any rodent, guinea pigs need
things to chew on to keep their teeth
down.
Malocclusion can occur when the teeth
grow too much.
Proper nail trimming and care are also
important so that they don’t hurt their
paws
Hedgehogs
Spikes, quills, and
spines, OH MY!
Terms
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Keratinized- covered in keratin, the
same substance fingernails are made
of.
Quill- spiny projection of hair that is
keratinized
Nocturnal- awake at night
Insectivore- diet composed of insects
Hoglet or pup- baby hedgehogs
Background
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Hedgehogs exist in the wild in Europe,
Asia, New Zealand and Africa
The popular breed for pets is the
African pygmy hedgehog
The European relatives are much
larger in size
Background
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Hedgehog comes from hedge,
because wild hedgehogs like to hide in
hedgerows, and hog for their pig-like
snout
Their natural and effective defense
system includes their sharp quills
Quills
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Hedgehogs are unique as they have
keratinized hairs that form quills.
When threatened, they curl their
bodies into a ball and point their quills
out.
Unlike porcupines, hedgehog’s quills
should not detach from their body.
Hedgehogs
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Hedgehogs have quills covering their
bodies but are not dangerous if they are
properly treated and handled.
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They can weigh up to 3
pounds at maturity
and grow up to 12
inches long.
Hedgehogs
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Hedgehogs are typically nocturnal,
meaning they are awake at night.
In the wild, hedgehogs hibernate
during colder months, but as pets
should not be allowed to hibernate.
Diet
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Hedgehogs are insectivores, meaning
they eat insects.
Although pelleted food exists, one
should feed fresh, live crickets,
mealworms, or waxworms to their
hedgehog.
Housing
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A cage should have 4 square feet.
Hedgehogs love exercise wheels!
Water bottles should be used to
prevent contamination from feces.
A house to hide in should be provided
with a lot of bedding for them to build a
nice nest.
Reproduction
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Estrus- every 2-5 days
Gestation- 35 days
Weaning age- 5-7 weeks
Lifespan- 3-9 years
Litter size 4-9 (known
as hoglets or pups)
Medical Conditions
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Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome (WHS)is a genetic disorder that causes
progressive paralysis.
This condition has no cure.
Cancer- hedgehogs are prone to
cancerous growths as well as uterine,
testicular, mammary, and jaw tumors
Medical Conditions
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Eyes can be damaged easily from
quills poking them.
Eye abrasions should be seen by a
veterinarian IMMEDIATELY.
6 month wellness check-ups are
recommended for all hedgehogs.
Hedgehogs do not receive regular
vaccines.