Frequently Asked Questions

Our doctors care for many species. Not sure whether your companion falls on our list? Give us a call and we'll tell you.

Plan on a yearly exam as the minimum. Prey species and small animals are wired to mask weakness, which means a rabbit, bird, or lizard can be quite ill before an owner notices anything. Twice-yearly visits make sense for older animals, recently adopted pets whose history is unknown, and any pet managing a chronic condition. Because lifespans and disease risks differ so much between species, your doctor will tailor the schedule to your animal.

Only for a few species. Ferrets need protection against canine distemper and rabies. Rabbits should be vaccinated against RHDV2 (rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus type 2), which is established in the United States and nearly always fatal. Birds, reptiles, guinea pigs, chinchillas, and most other pocket pets have no routine vaccines, so preventive care for them centers on nutrition, husbandry, and screening for parasites.

Husbandry is at the heart of exotic animal medicine, so the more you can show us, the better. Helpful items include:

• A sturdy carrier with good airflow; on cold days, cover it with a towel to hold in warmth
• Records from any previous veterinarian
• The actual packaging or a photo of the food you use, plus notes on how much your pet really eats
• Pictures of the cage or terrarium, and the make or type of heat source, bulbs, substrate, and bedding
• A fresh stool sample in a sealed bag, if you can collect one
• Your questions, written down so nothing gets forgotten

Ask any practice you're considering whether they routinely see your species — the answer should be specific, not vague. The professional associations for avian (aav.org), exotic mammal (aemv.org), and reptile and amphibian (arav.org) veterinarians each maintain searchable member directories. Veterinarians who have earned board certification from the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in an exotic specialty have completed additional credentialing beyond veterinary school.

Think of it as a plate: the largest portion, around two-thirds or more, is a species-appropriate formulated pellet. Next come vegetables, with leafy greens and orange or red vegetables offering the most value, and a smaller share of fruit. Seeds and nuts belong in the treat category — they're calorie-dense and nutritionally thin. Keep avocado, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, and salty foods out of reach entirely; each can be toxic. Transition diets gradually and under veterinary guidance, because a bird that rejects an unfamiliar food can lose weight fast.

Because a sick bird tries to look normal, you're often watching for small shifts rather than dramatic ones. Take note if your bird is puffed up for long stretches, spends time on the floor of the cage, eats or vocalizes less, produces fewer droppings or droppings that look different, bobs its tail while breathing, breathes with an open beak, shows discharge around the eyes or nares, or seems unusually drowsy. Any of these warrants a same-day call. Birds that look obviously sick are usually quite advanced in their illness.

Plucking is a symptom, not a diagnosis, and the list of possible drivers is long. On the medical side: bacterial or fungal skin infections, mites, allergies, poor nutrition, liver problems, and pain from an internal condition. On the behavioral side: boredom, too little sleep, a stressful household change, or a lack of bathing opportunities in a dry home. Medical causes have to be investigated first, so the first step is always an exam and, often, bloodwork — not a behavior plan.

Nails, yes — periodically, particularly for birds on smooth dowel perches that don't wear them down. Beaks, generally no. Normal chewing and eating keeps a healthy beak in shape. If a beak looks too long, flaky, or crooked, that's a clue to an underlying issue (liver disease, poor diet, and mites are common culprits) and the bird should be examined rather than simply trimmed. Any beak work should be left to a veterinarian.

Once a year at minimum. A routine avian visit typically covers a hands-on exam and weight check, and your doctor may recommend bloodwork and a fecal test. Senior birds and birds with known conditions do better with visits every six months.

There's no single answer — it depends on where the species evolved — but every reptile needs a range of temperatures within its enclosure so it can move between warm and cool zones as needed. Incorrect heat or humidity is behind a large share of the reptile illness we treat. Some common examples:

• Bearded dragons: basking surface 95–105°F with a cool zone of 75–85°F; relatively dry, 30–40% humidity
• Leopard geckos: warm end 88–92°F, cool end 75–80°F; low humidity with a moist hide box for shedding
• Ball pythons: warm end 88–92°F, cool end 76–80°F; moderate humidity of 50–60%
• Red-eared sliders: basking dock 85–90°F above water kept at 75–80°F Measure with digital gauges at both ends of the habitat instead of relying on the bulb's wattage. Day-active lizards and most turtles also require UVB lighting. Your veterinarian can provide targets for your specific species.

Look for eyes that appear sunken, skin that stays wrinkled or "tented" after a gentle pinch, dry gums, patches of old skin that won't shed, sluggishness, and urates (the chalky white part of the waste) that come out thick and dry rather than soft. Enclosures kept too dry are a frequent cause, and long-term dehydration puts strain on the kidneys. Mild cases may respond to warm soaks, but a reptile that's lethargic or not eating usually needs veterinary fluids, so call us rather than waiting.

It's possible. Salmonella lives normally in the gut of most reptiles, healthy or not, and can be present on their skin, in their droppings, and on anything in their habitat. The practical safeguards are simple: wash your hands with soap after every handling session, keep the reptile and its equipment out of the kitchen, and never rinse tanks or bowls in a sink used for food. Public health guidance from the CDC advises against reptiles in homes with children under five, adults over 65, pregnant women, or anyone with a weakened immune system.

Daily: pull out waste, leftover food, and shed skin; refill the water. Monthly, or more often for big or messy animals: empty the enclosure completely, scrub every surface and decoration, disinfect with a product labeled safe for reptiles, and rinse thoroughly before putting anything back. Turtle owners should run a filter rated above the tank's volume and change part of the water every week.

Diet is species-specific, and the wrong one causes serious problems like metabolic bone disease. Snakes are carnivores fed whole prey, usually frozen-thawed rodents matched to the snake's girth. Among lizards, leopard geckos and crested geckos are largely insect-eaters, bearded dragons need a mix of insects and vegetables, and iguanas and uromastyx are plant-eaters. Aquatic turtles take a mix of turtle pellets, leafy greens, and some animal protein, while tortoises thrive on grasses, weeds, and greens with little to no fruit. Insect- and plant-eaters generally need calcium and vitamin D3 dusting on their food. Ask your doctor to write out a feeding plan for your animal.

Hay, mostly. Grass hay — timothy, orchard, meadow — should be available at all times and should account for roughly 80% of what they eat. It drives gut motility and grinds down their ever-growing teeth. Round out the diet with a daily serving of fresh leafy greens and a small, measured scoop of plain pellets (no colorful bits, seeds, or dried fruit). Guinea pigs have one extra requirement: they can't synthesize vitamin C, so they need a stabilized-vitamin-C guinea pig pellet or vitamin C-rich produce such as bell peppers every day. Skip alfalfa hay for adult rabbits; it's too high in calcium and calories.

No — and please don't attempt it at home. A rabbit on a hay-based diet wears its continuously growing teeth naturally. Teeth that become overgrown or crooked indicate dental disease, which calls for a veterinary exam, usually under sedation, so the molars in the back of the mouth can be checked and corrected properly. Drooling, a wet chin, food dropping from the mouth, eating less, weight loss, and runny eyes are all signs to watch for.

Yes, within reason. Healthy ferrets sleep somewhere between 14 and 18 hours daily, and they sleep so soundly that a limp, hard-to-wake ferret can alarm new owners. The concern is a change from your ferret's own baseline, especially if it comes with hind-end weakness, staggering, a glazed stare, pawing at the mouth, hair loss, or weight loss. Those combinations can point to insulinoma (a low-blood-sugar condition caused by pancreatic tumors) or adrenal disease, both of which are common as ferrets age.

Very. In rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas, every tooth grows for life, and a diet short on fiber lets them overgrow, form sharp edges, shift out of alignment, or develop root abscesses. Genetics and jaw injuries play a role as well. Ferrets have a different problem set — tartar buildup and gum disease, similar to a dog or cat. Reduced appetite, drooling, dropped food, weight loss, swelling along the jaw, and tooth grinding are the usual red flags, and routine exams are the best way to catch trouble before it becomes painful.

Yes. RHDV2 is a highly contagious virus that kills most rabbits it infects, it has spread across parts of the U.S., and a vaccine is available. Indoor-only rabbits are not exempt: the virus can hitch a ride on shoes, clothing, hay, and produce. Talk with your veterinarian about scheduling the vaccine.

Come in right away — or call the nearest emergency hospital after hours — for any of the following: a rabbit or guinea pig that hasn't eaten or produced droppings in 12 hours; difficulty breathing or breathing through an open mouth; uncontrolled bleeding; collapse, seizures, or an inability to stand; straining without producing urine or an egg; tissue protruding from the vent or rectum; a bird huddled on the cage floor; a distended belly; a suspected poisoning or injury; or a ferret that is limp, drooling, or unresponsive. With animals that instinctively hide illness, a sudden change in behavior is reason enough to call.

Don't wait. Rabbits and guinea pigs can slide into gastrointestinal stasis within a day of stopping eating, and that condition can be fatal. Birds and small mammals burn energy quickly and have little reserve. Call us as soon as you notice the change, keep your pet warm and calm in the meantime, and be ready to tell us when it last ate and last passed stool.