They are how they live and eat: common husbandry and dietary mistakes in exotic animal husbandry and how they can be solved

Species other than cats and dogs are increasingly popular as domestic pets. These include birds of many species, particularly psittacine birds; reptiles; and exotic companion mammals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and ferrets. Despite their popularity, the husbandry and diet of exotic pets are often still inadequate. These nutritional and husbandry inadequacies may not be immediately apparent, as the presenting signs are often non-specific, e.g. lethargy and inappetence, and a full history is an important part of an exotic pet consult to identify the primary cause of any illness. This talk will summarize the common nutritional and husbandry related diseases in exotic pets using case examples and brief literature reviews of each disease.

• Understand common nutritional and husbandry related diseases in exotic pets and how to prevent and manage them.