Summary
–First hydrate, then re-nourish progressively
–Green iguana, some chameleons are herbivores
–Varanus spp, Chameleo spp, Gecko spp are carnivores
–Tejus, skinks, pogona are omnivores
–Heavy bowl, small cup, bottle water
–How much water?
–Reptiles & birds: water= bath…
–
–Know if this species carnivore, omnivore or herbivore
–How long the patient has been anorectic
–What was the previous feeding habits? Enquire the owner.
If force-feeding is needed
–CRITICAL CARE: longer fiber, to prefer. Aniseed taste.
–CRITICAL CARE FINE GRIND: can be used through a nasogastric tube. Apricot taste.
–Supreme Recovery© & Recovery Plus©
For herbivores species
Recovery Plus is intended to Guineapig and debilitated herbivore (more richer in vitamins, phytotherapy, and probiotics)
–Cunipic Herbal Convalescence©
–For herbivores species
–Adds Phytotherapy & probiotics
If force-feeding is needed, and the patient is intensive care (very debilitated)
Emeraid: Intensive Care food, intended to critical patients (First 48h of hospitalization)
»Emeraid herbivore IC©: Rabbits, guineapig, chinchilla, degu, prairie dog, green iguana, tortoises
»Emeraid herbivore SUSTAIN© can be used for long-term feeding.
»Emeraid omnivore IC©: Myomorph rodents (rats, mice, hamster, gerbil), psittacines and passerines
»Emeraid Carnivore IC©: ferrets, birds of prey, snakes and carnivore lizards, young carnivore turtles
»Can be used through nasogastric tube
»Good appetence
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Ferrets
Give a heavy bowl of water + bottle water if used to
If healthy: keep the usual kibble or whole-prey or BARF diet. Ferrets are very sensitive to diarrhea following brutal change of food
If unhealthy, prefer liquid and hot food that is much appreciated and easier to give
Oxbow Carnivore care or Emeraid Carnivore can be used
–Prefer teaspoon or finger licking, to syringe feeding (ptyalism, nausea) every two hours
–Pharyngostomy tube can be used (usually not needed)
–Nasogastric tube is not possible (very small nares)
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Rabbits
Water
Even if the rabbit is used to drink with water bottle, always give a heavy water bowl in addition
Check that the water bottle doesn’t move when the rabbit is drinking
Food
Good quality hay
Give small quantity of hay. Renew it frequently.
Extruded diet only in healthy rabbit if they are used to, and not more than 15g/kg/day
If the rabbit has diarrhea: give only hay and syringe feeding following the vet prescription
Greens and veggies (hazel tree, chicory, carrot’s foliage, parsley)
Only in healthy rabbit and if they are used to. Introduce it on a gradual basis, carefully.
Veggies and greens improve the rabbit’s well-being during hospitalisation
Spontaneous feeding
Even if you can observe spontaneous feeding, the sick rabbit won’t eat enough. It is very important to add caloric supply with syringe feeding
Syringe feeding
It’s not always forced feeding, but it can be long
Rabbits can appreciate it. It gives supplementary calories
Always handle your rabbit with a towel
Some rabbits will eat spontaneously the convalescence food in a bowl
It is possible to make a puree or pellet consistency to adapt to rabbit’s preferences
Dysorexia following anxiety due to hospitalization
Slowdown gastrointestinal time (herbivores +++)
–Anorexia, dehydration, pain
- Absolute: gastric dilation
-Relative: pain of the head/mouth –> prefer nasogastric tube
Syringe feeding every 2 to 4h, divided into several meals
Around 60ml/kg/day
Do not exceed 20ml/kg/meal
Very important to feed every patient several times a day
Bigger, aggressive or areactive rabbits => nasogastric or pharyngostomy tubes are required
Short-term use (3 to 7 days)
Rhinitis is often observed. Don’t forget that rabbits are nasal breather species.
No Elizabethan collar (prevent caecotrophy)
Contraindications
Unconsciousness
Disease or dysfunction of the larynx and nares
Rodents
–Water bottle: firmly attached to the cage
–Heavy bowl of water should be added for bigger rodents (guineapigs, chinchillas)
–Always ensure that water is reachable
–Usual food can be proposed, even if unbalanced
Familiar element of the environment
Myomorphs
Rats, mice & hamsters
Extruded suitable for the species
Daily natural treats: greens, veggies, eggs
If force-feeding is needed: Emeraid Omnivore©, Convalescence Support©. Avoid, human baby food when possible (onions, too sweet).
Gerbils
Extruded suitable for the species
Add hay, small quantities of seeds or nuts
If force-feeding is needed: Emeraid Omnivore©, Convalescence Support©.
Hystrichomorphs
Same as rabbits
Good quality hay
Give small quantity of hay. Renew it frequently.
Extruded diet only in healthy herbivores if they are used to, and not more than 15g/kg/day
Only for guineapigs: Greens and veggies (hazel tree, chicory, carrot’s foliage, parsley)
Only if healthy and no diarrhea observed. Introduce it on a gradual basis, carefully.
Veggies and greens improve the GP’s well-being during hospitalization
Systematic vitamin C supplementation at 60mg/kg/day in GP
Birds
Use Emeraid Omnivore for force-feeding
Weigh daily at the same time and before feeding
Give 3 to 4 meals during the day :
Species |
Volume/feeding (ml) |
Budgerigar |
1 |
Agapornis spp |
2 |
Cockatiel |
3 |
Conure |
4 |
African Grey Parrot |
15 |
Amazon |
15 |
Cockattoo |
20 |
Macaw |
35 |
Bird |
2 to 3ml/100g |
Chick |
5ml/100g |
Orogastric administration of med or food in Birds
Birds - Galliformes
Reptiles
The meal is proposed at the end of the morning, when the body is warmed and the reptile is active.
Non consumed veggies are daily removed. Be careful with substrate: be sure that the reptile will not swallow it!
Living preys (insects) are necessarily given outside the terrarium. Don’t feed in the living place. If the Reptile don’t eat all the preys, they will eat him as soon as he will sleep
Snakes
Make available water in a flat dish, not too deep
So the snake can have a bath, but without drowning
Feed a snake is never an emergency
Handling = stress = regurgitations
Prey rejection => aversion risk
First, restore hydration
Lizards
Put water in a small dish, not too deep
Water drip for chameleon
It is important to feed the lizard as soon as it is rehydrated
Give usual prey items and veggies
Force-feeding only if anorexia
Handling= stress= regurgitations
When you buy insects, their nutritional value is 0
Ca/P unbalanced (excess P)
Protein can be ok
Too fat
---> Dust loaded and gut loaded
–Remove the vegetables from the previous day
–Offer daily dandelions, endive, carrots, dusted with mineral and vitamin supplements.
–Offer occasional melon, apricot… rich in carotenes and cat kibbles rich in proteins and fat
–Renew water daily (impregnated tissue or water jelly)
–Offer hidden places
–Dust the insects before offering them to Reptiles, one by one, outside the terrarium
---> Dust loaded and gut loaded
–Small rodents
Other
Chick
1d old chick
Fishes
Herring
Smelt
Anchovy
Sardine
Offal are inadvisable
Whole prey diets
Prefer dead whole prey, coming from serious suppliers to ensure decent living conditions and sacrifice to rodents.
Snakes must be separated and fed in plastic boxes without substrate
Frozen dead prey are placed 24h before feeding in the fridge so they can warm slowly without harmful microbial growth.
Dead prey are soaked in hot water before feeding.
The prey is given with a clamp.
A snake can swallow a prey of equal diameter to the middle of his body.
Lizards or turtle will swallow a prey depending on the size of the jaw.
Don’t handle snake 72h after feeding. A molting snake should not be fed.
Orogastric administration of med or food in Reptiles
-Never give a med or food directly into the mouth with a syringe
-Use an orogastric tube: plastic (snake) or metal (more rigid and can not be be broken into the Reptiles’stomach – to prefer in chelonians and lizards)
-Measure it so you are sure it goes into the stomach, not only esophagus
-Chelonians: btw the middle and the end of the cranial part of the plastron
-Lizards: median distance btw limbs
-Snakes: the cranial portion of the second third of the total length
-Lubricate your tube
-Hold the Reptiles firmly
-Extend the neck
–Hold the head firmly
–Open the mouth with the tube or metal speculum
–Visualize trachea
–Follow dorsal part of the mouth and enter in the esophagus on the right side of the neck
–Inject slowly through the tube and check for regurgitation
–Do not handle the patient after force feeding
–When nasogastric tube is not feasible
Small nares (ferrets, lizards, tortoises)
Head traumatism
–General anesthesia needed
–Cutaneous disinfection
–Check permeability of the tube with water before use
–Inject slowly, check for regurgitations
–Flush after each use
TO CONCLUDE