Session 12: Avian and Snake Nutrition

Feeding Pet Birds

Types of Birds
Psittacine Breeds Passerine Breeds

Natural seed eaters

Parakeets Budgies Cockatoo Macaw Parrots Lovebirds

Seasonal migratory birds Canaries Wrens Swallows Warblers Blackbirds Crows

Digestive Physiology of Birds

Differences in beak shape and size reflect adaptations to dietary sources of food

Digestive Physiology of Birds

Mouth Esophagus

Crop
Proventriculus Gizzard Intestine Ceca Cloaca

Stomach divided into distinct sections to compensate for lack of teeth and smaller amounts of saliva

Crop used for wetting food and temporary storage

Cloacal aperture

Digestive Physiology of Birds

Mouth Esophagus

Crop
Proventriculus Gizzard Intestine Ceca Cloaca

Proventriculus (aka true stomach) where gastric acids and enzymes begin chemical digestion Gizzard (aka ventriculus) strong muscular organ used to grind feed into smaller particles

Cloacal aperture

Digestive Physiology of Birds

Mouth Esophagus

Crop
Proventriculus Gizzard Intestine Ceca Cloaca

Intestine & Ceca sites of nutrient absorption. Cecum is very small (or nonexistent in some) so high fiber diets are out! Cloaca where urinary and digestive tract reunite. Urinary and fecal matter are mixed & excreted together

Cloacal aperture

Digestive Transit Time

Definition: Time from the ingestion of food to the time when the undigested food is excreted.
Birds must have a constant supply of food. Some birds can be in a state of starvation within three days!
Digestive Transit Times by Species
Dairy Cattle: Humans: Dogs and Cats: Caged Birds: Budgies & Finches: 24-72 hours 18-24 hours 12-18 hours <12 hours 3-6 hours

Of Special Note in Avian Digestion

Faster metabolism

Must have animal vitamin D3, cholcalciferol

Require Proline and Glysine Need increased amounts of sulfur amino acids

Extremely low urine volume; concentrated urine

Most do not utilize fiber

Avian Nutrition
Feed them based on their digestive tract Example Owls - Cant drink based on the shape of their beak - Cant handle glucose Lorikeets - cant handle protein

Faunivores

Carnivores and Piscivores Adaptated to eating high protein diet with a certain amount of fat Cold water fish contain about 30% fat Carnivores dont utilize all of the prey, they eat the mouse, digest as much as possible and then regurgitate the bones and hair ( owl pellets)

Insectivores

Cant digest the entire insect Some utilize the exoskeleton and some penetrate the exoskeleton and digest the inside of the insect only When they eat the entire insect, they get all nutrients except Ca, which must be supplemented High protein requirement 50-75% Insects high in protein and fat, low in Ca

Composition of Insects

Depends on species and stage of life cycle Adult insects high in protein ( 50-75%) and lipid ( 5-35%) with low level of carbohydrates Good source of vitamins, trace minerals and phosphorus, low in Calcium Chitinous exoskeleton has a negative effect on digestibility

Florivores, Omnivores, Herbivores

Florivores - nectovores, frugivores, garnivores Omnivores - Most of our pet birds Herbivores - Ratites - Combination of enzymes and microbes - Can be fore gut or hind gut fermenters

Precocial vs altricial birds

Precocial Eat on own when hatched Chickens, geese, ducks Large yolk in egg with lots of nutients Altricial pigeon- crop milk Hatchling dependent on parent for food Eagles, owls, most of our pet birds

Seeding of the GI tract with microbes in young chicks

Precocial chicks ingest the feces of adult birds and feeds Altricial receive the bacteria when fed by the adult ( regurgitated feed) Cloacal drinking vent sucks bacteria in from the environment Retrograde urine, especially in ratites

Precocial chicks

Neonates have down, actively forage for their own food Their digestive tract is immature when they hatch and takes up to 3 weeks to mature

Altricial chicks

Usually naked and helpless Parents must bring food to the chick and actively feed it Digestive tract is well developed at hatch Milk production ( pigeons fed crop milk for 2 weeks) Crop milk nutritionally balanced, protein and fat Prolactin stimulates crop milk production

Nutritional Problems
Obesity- many pet birds and birds confined in zoos and sanctuaries Leg abnormalities - confinement, improper diet, high growth rates, vitamin D, Ca, P, Mn, Zn, niacin or biotin deficiencies Pendulous crop - Due to yeast overgrowth

Avian Feeding Management

Birds tend to pick out certain seeds in mixes; therefore dont eat balanced diet Should leave entire amount of food there until bird has eaten it all Grass seeds (corn, oats, barley, etc) are too low in calcium; Sunflower, safflower seeds are too high in fat. Best to feed a complete commercial feeding mix or pellets

Essential Nutrients & Ingredients in Avian Diets

Grit:
made from ground minerals and sand; key in helping bird grind up foodstuffs; stays in the gizzard
Who needs grit? Birds that ingest whole seeds helps with shells Birds that remove seeds dont really need grit

How to feed grit: 1/8 to teaspoon every 2 years. Over ingestion of grit causes intestinal impaction

Essential Nutrients & Ingredients in Avian Diets

Vitamin A:

Promotes skin and mucous membrane health Feed high Vit A foods: carrot tops, broccoli, sweet potatoes

Vitamin D (Cholcalciferol)

Important in bone development Feed high calcium foods almonds, cereals, cheese, yogurt, oyster shells

What Budgies Eat

Prone to renal disease if fed 100% pelleted diet long term Feed percentage of pellets, millet, sprouted seeds Safe human foods: cooked pasta, brown rice, legumes, veggies, fruit, bread
Source: Oklahoma State University

What Cockatiels Eat

Pellets Cereal & grain sources:

Cheerios, Chex, Total Dry or cooked pasta, corn, oatmeal Popcorn, crackers

Meaty, dark green, orange & yellow veggies

High Vit A content: beets, broccoli, carrots. NO lettuce, green peppers, zucchini, spinach!

Protein sources:

legumes, tofu, small pieces of cooked lean meat

What Macaws Eat (Blue & Gold)

cup pellets with cup fresh fruits and veggies (wash well!) Seeds can be offered as treats (sunflower)

Protein sources: cooked sweet potato, yogurt

Fresh water at all times

What Parrots Eat

Commercial pellets for 60-80% of diet; Seeds less than 12% of diet Table food: Mostly leafy green veggies, tomato, beets, peas, carrots Unsweetened cereal; bread Small amounts of protein: cooked eggs, boiled chicken, well done chicken bones

Limit seeds; leave shells on for parrots activity

What Canaries Eat

Black and White seed mix: 70% canary seed & 30% seeds from the rape seed plant; can use canary pellets Very delicate, will dehydrate in short time; fresh water always! Mineral grit and cuttlebone should be added Sunflower seeds as a treat. Soak them overnight to help bird break them down

Source: University of Maryland

Chickens- layers that produce eggs, primarily Leghorn

Starter feed- nutritional deficiencies and imbalances may impair growth and future egg laying, contain antibiotics and coccidiostats Grower- 6 weeks to sexual maturity approximately 21 weeks Developer- can be inserted between grower and layer diet to increase production Layer diet is fed free choice with large amounts of calcium for egg shell

Phase Feeding for Laying Chickens

Layer phase 1 - Birds are still growing and increasing in production, feed formulation is at maximum density - Onset of egg production until past the time of maximum egg mass output

Phase 2
Layer phase 2 - High but declining egg production and increasing egg weight - Egg production declines to about 65 percent of maximum

Phase 3
Layer phase 3 - Egg production continues to decline below 65 percent of maximum while egg weight decreases only slightly There is no evidence that nutrient requirements of layers change during the period of lay

Molting

Layers are sometimes molted to extend the production period Feed and light are restricted during the molt Can also encourage a molt by nutrient excess or deficiency Molt can last 3-6 weeks After molt laying resumes

Broilers

Eggs hatch in 21 days Starter diet is similar to layer diet but more energy dense as broilers grow faster At 3 weeks, broilers are switched to a lower nutrient density for the next 3-6 weeks At 7 weeks the finisher diet begins. This diet is lower in nutrients and fed until market weight is reached

Reptiles

Nutrition of Boas and Pythons

General Nutrition

Snakes consume whole prey, which makes a balanced diet easy

Balanced Diet

Pet snakes usually fed pinkies In the wild, snakes eat mammals birds, other reptiles, fish, worms amphibians and bugs

Nutrition of Boas and Pythons

Graduate from pinkies to mice to rats to some rabbits Try not to feed the snake food that is bigger than its midsection Dont handle snake after its eaten it may regurgitate Careful when snake is shedding it can be aggressive

Nutrition of Boas and Pythons

Never feed live prey can result in bite wounds Teaching a snake to eat dead rodents: 1. Jiggle it by the tail and a hungry snake will eat

2. Dont use your fingers to dangle the prey snakebites hurt

Nutrition of Boas and Pythons

Feeding Frequency:

Juveniles: feed appropriately sized prey every 6-7 days Adults: Feed every 7-14 days
Keep log of eating and defecation to monitor snakes needs and potential illnesses

Nutrition of Boas and Pythons

Ball Pythons

Shy feeders who do best with a hide box for shelter If reluctant to eat, try feeding at night since theyre nocturnal Imported Ball Pythons may not recognize classic white mouse as prey, so use brown mouse, gerbil or hamster

Nutrition of Boas and Pythons

Water

Fresh water available at all times Provide a bowl or tub for them to submerge themselves in for soaking

Temperature is important

80-95F degrees for ball pythons

Iguanas

Cold blooded Increase body temperature for optimum digestion Sunbathe for 4 hours Forage for food after 4 hours of warming/digestion High protein requirement Feeding dog food or cat food can lead to gout due to uric acid accumulation

Iguana ( cont)

High fiber diets prevent many digestive problems Vitamin deficiency can lead to pathologic fractures when iguanas are fed diets deficient in Ca and P Utilize vitamin D3 like birds

Anole Nutrition

Insectivores so diet should consist mostly of insects Feeder insects should be fed a high quality diet prior to being fed to the anole, this is called gut loading of insects ( there are many of these foods on the market) Crickets, meal worms, houseflies, fruit flies, and silkworm

Anole ( cont)

Also benefit from fruit nectar Dietary supplements including vitamins D-3 and mineral calcium will also be a benefit Watering can be difficult as anoles in the wild drink dew and rainwater droplets so they will not utilize a bowl of water It is recommend to mist the terrarium daily to provide the anole with drinking water

Turtles and Tortoises

All in the group of chelonians All posses a shell Tortoise are generally terrestrial ( however we refer to box turtles and wood turtles) Turtle generally refers to water turtles Correctly feeding them begins with identifying what type of chelonian you have

Land Tortoises

African Spur-thighed, Leopard, Star, Redfooted and Yellow-footed are examples Should be placed outside in warm weather to graze, exercise and bask ( they like to dig, so bury an 8 inch barrier to prevent escape) Provide sun and shade in enclosure Remove any toxic plants and foreign material

Sunshine

Vital for turtles and tortoises for synthesis of vitamin D If unable to provide an outdoor enclosure, provide a full spectrum flourescent light 12 inches or less above the turtle or tortoise They are unable to absorb Vit D through a window

Tortoise Diet

95% vegetables Majority of vegetables should be dark, green, leafy like collard, mustard, radish, turnip, kale, cabbage, dandelions, bok choy, broccoli leaves, clover, legumes, cut grass and weeds from yard ( no pesticides) Small amounts of spinach, swiss chard, beet greens, frozen veggies

Tortoise diet ( cont)

Hibiscus flowers and leaves, grape leaves, carnations, roses, and squash flowers are favorites Alfalfa pellets can be soaked and offered Fruits are well accepted but mineral poor and incorrect Ca/P ratio Fruits can form 5% of diet melons, grapes, apples, oranges, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, bananas with peel etc

Tortoise diet ( cont)

Red and yellow footed can eat more fruit, up to 20 % Commercial tortoise diets can be soaked an used as a small portion of the diet Chop entire daily diet of veggies, fruits and commercial diet together to avoid picking and choosing If you dont use turtle chow, add Ca supplement daily, vit. Supplement weekly

Offering food/water

Hatchling turtles and tortoises should be fed daily Adults can be fed every other day or three times a week Fresh clean water to drink in and soak in First year of life is very important since they are growing rapidly, it is vital they receive a balanced diet to prevent bone and shell problems

Box Turtles

Fed a diet very different from tortoises Young box turtles will eat primarily animal material such as earthworms, slugs, snails, beetles, millipedes, spiders, crayfish and grasshoppers Chopped up pinky mice can also be used for juveniles Commercial turtle chow can be offered in limited amounts

Box Turtle adults

Will eat plant material including mushrooms, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, and other fruits Should eat about 50% animal protein and 50% plants ( 75% veggies and 25% fruit) Utilized the fruits and veggies list for tortoises

Finicky Box Turtles

Build the diet around a commercially prepared box turtle chow and add animal and plant material They need lots of beta carotene ( a precursor of Vit A) in the diet to prevent medical problems

Aquatic Turtles

Red eared sliders, painted turtles, mud and musk turtles, soft shell turtles, snapping turtles All require clean warm water for swimming Eat most of their meals in the water ( try to have a separate water dish for eating to prevent fouling of swimming water) Allow an area where turtle can exit the water to bask

Aquatic Turtle diets

Feed a variety of foods Commercial floating food sticks as a portion of the diet Small turtles should be offered chopped earthworms, snails, slugs, shrimp in the shells, chopped up whole fish ( from frozen to kill parasites), chopped mice and gutloaded insects Raw chicken, lean beef, liver and gizzards limited

Aquatic turtles ( cont)

As water turtles get older, they will usually consume dark green leafy vegetables, ( see tortoise list) Older turtles may also consume duckweed, anarchis, algae and some fruits, also offer floating food sticks

Diets too high in protein and other nutrients

Shell abnormalities will result Fed exclusively primate chow, dog food or cat food will usually develop grossly deformed shells, especially the top shell ( the carapace) Shell may also become domed and misshapen Obese animals have fat bulging from armpits and groin impeding locomotion

Temperature requirements for turtles and tortoises

Correct temperature range for efficient digestion In addition to poor digestion, they are prone to many diseases Hibernation is recommended for turtles and tortoises that hibernate in the wild who are in good physical condition ( consult a vet familiar with hibernating these species)

Iguana Nutrition

Vegetarians specifically foliovores Foliovores consume primarily leaves in their natural environment Hindgut fermenters which require microbes to assist in their digestion ( like cows) Requires a high body temperature which is why iguanas will bask for about 4 hours in the morning before foraging for food

Iguanas in the wild

Eat leaves, fruit, flowers of selected herbs, shrubs, trees and vines Dietary diversity does not occur on a daily basis They tend to consume less common plants and seasonally available foods

Iguanas ( cont)

Young iguanas are foliovores just like the adults All iguanas can develop a taste for inappropriate food items: popcorn, cheese, dog food Monkey biscuits contain too much D3 which can cause mineralization of internal organs which will cause death Dog food can lead to gout in iguanas

Appropriate diet size iguanas

Hatchlings up to 14 inches finely chopped food twice a day Older iguanas up to 3 feet in length can be fed medium chopped food once daily Adults over 2 years of age or over 3 ft in length fed coarsely chopped food every other day All foods thoroughly washed, chopped and mixed

Composition of the Iguana

Baby iguanas are growing rapidly, incorrect diets can lead to deformed, ill animals A high percentage of the diet dark-green leafy vegetables 80-90% of the diet should consist of two from this list: collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, bok choy, swiss chard, clover, red or green cabbage, water cress, savoy, dandelions, parsley, alfalfa pellets

Composition ( cont)

Beet greens an spinach contain oxalates that may bind dietary calcium should only be offered occassionally Kale, brussels sprout, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower can bind iodine leading to goiter so they should also be limited The darker outside leaves are more nutritious

Composition ( cont)

10-15 % of diet from frozen mixed veggies, squash, sprouts, carrots, cooked sweet potato, cucumber, okra, parsnips, asparagus, mushrooms, green and red peppers, peas, beans, corn and green beans Backyard weeds and grasses as forage Fruits can make up the rest of the diet, they are mineral poor so they are used for flavor

Acceptable fruits for Iguanas

Papaya, mango, apple, peach, pear, plum, strawberry, banana with the skin, raspberry, melon, tomato, grape, raisins, star fruit, kiwi, blueberry and guava Figs are high in calcium Show grain breads or bran cereals can be offered sparingly or prepared iguana food can be fed Light green lettuce can be offered as a treat

Treats

Hibiscus leaves and flowers, rose petals, geranium flowers, carnations and dandelions Live food is not necessary but some enjoy crickets, meal worms and pinky mice. These should be fed sparingly because they are poor dietary items for this species

Feeding continued

Avoid food preferences by providing 10 different food items in the daily diet and mix them thoroughly to prevent selection of preferred ingredients Food items should have a positive calcium to phosphorus ratio Most water is obtained from the diet so feed juicy, moist food

Feeding cont

Offer a large pan of water for soaking Most iguanas relieve themselves in the water so this will also help keep the enclosure clean Provide a well balanced diet and only supplement if recommended by your veterinarian. Oversupplementation can be detrimental to the iguana.

Bearded dragons

Omnivores, eating a mixture of invertebrates, vertebrates ( insects and small animals) and plant material In captivity: feed a combination of insects ( mostly crickets) greens and vegetables

Insects for Bearded dragons

Bearded dragons are prone to impactions of their digestive tract and the chitinous exoskeletons of insect can cause problems Mealworms can cause impactions so feed them in very limited quantities and avoid them in juveniles Feed insects that have recently molted so the exoskeleton is soft

Insects ( cont)

Crickets should be no larger than the space between the dragons eyes Adult dragons can be fed waxworms, silkworms, butterworms, red worms, earthworms, and newly molted mealworms and superworms as treats. Crickets should provide the bulk of the diet. You can occassionally offer a pinky mouse.

Juvenile Bearded Dragons

Should be fed insects more often than adults Feed at least twice a day, the amount they will eat in 10 minutes Heat is necessary for digestion so make sure it is appropriate Greens and vegetables can be available at all times

Insects for Bearded dragons

All insects should be gut loaded ( fed nutritious food that is then passed to the lizard) and lightly dusted with a calcium and Vit D supplement Dust with a complete multivitamin no more than once a week Do not feed fireflies or boxelder bugs as they are believed to be toxic to bearded dragons

Greens and Vegetables should make up 20-30% of diet

Mixture of green leafy vegetables ex dandelion greens, collard greens, chickory greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, and parsley Other vegetables; squash, carrots, green beans, peas, bell peppers Some fruits: berries, apples, grapes, cantaloupes, papaya, mango, blueberries and bananas

Commercial Diets

Should only be used as a supplement or mixed in with the diet Long term effects of commercial diets have not been determined