Exotic pets like reptiles, birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, rats, and mice have become increasingly popular among pet owners. These unique animals require special veterinary care and wellness considerations that are different from caring for your dog or cat.
For example, lizards, iguanas and other reptiles have very specific environmental habitat needs. The temperature and humidity of their living conditions are very important for their health and well-being. Meeting nutritional needs are also takes special consideration to ensure that their diet is complete as they are prone to nutrient deficiencies such as metabolic bone disease (MBD). Reptiles also need care for possible infections and parasites.
Rabbits, guinea pigs and other rodents are particularly prone to dental and gastrointestinal issues. They need a proper diet and lots of appropriate toys to chew on. In some cases, a small mammal may have what’s called malocclusion, which means their teeth are not set correctly and can grow out of control. The treatments for malocclusion can be as simple as regular trimmings of the teeth themselves or more complicated surgical removal of the teeth by a veterinary specialist.
Birds need regular care to trim their nails and beaks as they continuously grow throughout their lifetime. Birds also have very sensitive respiratory systems and may easily react to stress and to chemicals in the air which is why it is important to avoid their exposure to smoke, fumes, and aerosols.
Many other exotic pets often hide signs of illness until they are far along in the disease process. For this reason, we recommend that all exotic pets have regular wellness check-ups so that your veterinarian can monitor their health.
If you have any questions about caring for your exotic pet and keeping him or her healthy, please reach out to us at (973) 606-1101 so that we can help guide you to keep your pet well and active.