Exotic Animal Medicine for the Veterinary Technician

Bonnie Ballard, DVM, has worked in veterinary medicine since 1974. As program director, she developed the Veterinary Technology Program at Gwinnett Technical College in 1997. In 2018, she retired from Gwinnett Technical College and now works with the Escambia County Sea Turtle Patrol.

Ryan Cheek, LVTg, VTS (ECC) has taught veterinary technology at Gwinnett Technical College since 2007, first as an adjunct instructor, then a full-time instructor for eleven years before becoming the program director in 2018. He has 25 years’ experience in exotics and emergency/critical care.

Contributors xxxiii

Preface xxxvii

Acknowledgments xxxix

Disclaimer xli

About the Companion Website xliii

Section I Introduction 1

1 Exotic Animals in Clinical Practice 3
Bonnie Ballard

Section II Analgesia and Anesthesia 9

2 Exotic Anesthesia and Analgesia 11
Jody Nugent-Deal

3 Anesthetic Equipment and Monitoring for Exotic Patients 35
Katrina Lafferty

4 Physical Rehabilitation 49
Jodi Seidel

Section III Avian 61

5 Psittacine and Passerine Birds 63
Cheryl B. Greenacre and Janet L. Pezzi-Jones

6 Psittacine Behavior, Husbandry, and Enrichment 99
April Romagnano, Tarah Hadley, Ashley McGaha, and Jan Hooimeijer

7 Aviary Design and Management 113
April Romagnano

8 Sex Differentiation and Reproduction 119
April Romagnano and Tarah Hadley

Section IV Reptiles 125 

9 Lizards 127
Stacey Leonatti Wilkinson and Brad Wilson

10 Snakes 177
Ryan Cheek

11 Chelonians 231
Sarah Camlic, Ryan Cheek, Pia Bartolini, and Samuel Rivera

12 Herpetoculture and Reproduction 273
David Martinez-Jimenez

13 Infectious Diseases of Reptiles 297
Pia Bartolini

Section V Amphibians and Aquatic Animals 321


14 Amphibians 323
Brad Wilson

15 Fish 369
Sandy Skeba and Bonnie Ballard

Section VI Exotic Companion Mammals 397

16 Ferrets 399
Colleen Roman

17 Rabbits 421
Vanessa K. Lee, Douglas K. Taylor, and Deborah Mook

18 Mice, Rats, Gerbils, and Hamsters 465
April Romagnano

19 Chinchillas 483
Ashley McGaha

20 Guinea Pigs 493
Liz Vetrano

21 Degus 511
Stacey Leonatti Wilkinson

22 Hedgehogs 519
Ashley McGaha

23 Skunks 529
Serina Scott and Samuel Rivera

24 Sugar Gliders 535
Nia Chau and Samuel Rivera

25 Prairie Dogs 547
Stacey Leonatti Wilkinson and Samuel Rivera

26 Critical Care Feeding 555
Micah Kohles

Section VII Hematology 561

27 Avian and Reptile Hematology 563
Denise I. Bounous

Section VIII Zoo, Aquarium Medicine, and Wildlife 569

28 The Role of a Veterinary Technician in a Zoo 571
Sandy Skeba

29 The Role of a Veterinary Technician at a Public Aquarium 587

Rachel Parchem

30 The Role of the Veterinary Technician in Wildlife Rehabilitation 595
Melanie Haire

Section IX Appendices 627

Appendix 1 State/Federal Wildlife Permit Offices 629

Appendix 2 Wildlife Admissions/Exam/Care Forms 633

Appendix 3 Handling and Restraint of Wildlife Species 637
Florina S. Tseng DVM

Appendix 4 Tail Wrapping 643

Appendix 5 Guide to Identification of Hatchling and Nestling Songbirds 645

Appendix 6 Average Body Weights of Selected North American Songbirds 649

Appendix 7 Species Care Sheets 651

Appendix 8 Biological Data of Selected North American Wild Mammals 659

Appendix 9 Glossary of Medical Conditions and Treatments 661

Appendix 10 Wildlife Product Sources 665

Appendix 11 Additional Resources 669

Appendix 12 Supplies Necessary for an Exotic Practice 673

Appendix 13 Animal Training Documentation 675

Appendix 14 Animal Data Transfer Form 677

Appendix 15 Operating Protocols: Animal Training Request Form 683

Appendix 16 Operating Protocols: Enrichment and Evaluation Form 685

Index 687