5 Reasons Exotic Animals Experience Diarrhea

5 Reasons Exotic Animals Experience Diarrhea

As diarrhea is common in cats and dogs, so does it occur in exotic pets. Animals like rabbits, turtles, hamsters, and birds are generally susceptible to this condition. You might regularly see your exotic pet interacting normally in their enclosure and munching with their nimble teeth when eating. If you’re a passionate owner of the mentioned animals, you’re fully aware when they show signs of gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea.

So what are the common causes of this condition, and how can you stop it? Keep reading below to find out.

What Causes Diarrhea in Exotic Pets?

A few symptoms can be worrying and even messy for pet owners when their exotic animals have diarrhea. Some notable symptoms to watch out for include excessive drooling, vomiting, bloody and watery stool, and complete loss of appetite. If your pet has been showing signs of the mentioned disease for more than a day, this is when it gets alarming and requires medical attention.

Here are five common culprits of diarrhea and their remedies to help reduce your worries.

1. Dietary Indiscretion

Other reasons for gastrointestinal issues are overeating and feeding spoiled foods. While giving healthy food options to your exotic pet is good, overfeeding them might do more harm than good. Feed them moderate to average amounts of their recommended diet to prevent constipation and upset digestion.

2. Parasitic Infections

Intestinal parasites are usually found in water sources and animal stools. If your pet drinks contaminated water or eats their stool, they might consume parasitic cysts, which frequently cause diarrhea and parasite infections. This usually occurs in pets and can be treated by professionals specializing in internal medicine for dogs Alpharetta, GA.

Worms in rabbits and protozoa in hamsters are common parasites that can cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues.

3. Changes in Diet

Improper diet is the most common cause of diarrhea in exotic pets. If you have rabbits, turtles, or hamsters, you must never feed them processed foods not specifically designed for their digestive system. A bunny’s diet must consist of 80% grass hay, as they are herbivores. Hamsters should eat a compound pellet ration or a mix of seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, wheat, sesame, corn kernels) to meet their nutritional needs.

If you want to try healthy alternatives, ensure that the food you are feeding them is 100% safe for their health. Slowly introduce new foods to their diet to prevent upsetting their stomach. You can also ask the vet for healthier food options and recommended diets for your pet’s optimum health. You may check their website for more information about essential veterinary services.

4. Antibiotics

Vets often prescribe antibiotics to rabbits with respiratory infections and hamsters with skin abscesses, pneumonia, and Tyzzer condition. However, these animals sometimes respond adversely to antibiotic prescriptions, often resulting in diarrhea. So if your pet starts having watery or bloody diarrhea while being treated with antibiotics, take them to an exotic vet in Alpharetta, GA, immediately.

5. Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Although IBD is among common gastrointestinal disorders in humans, this condition is also present and being investigated in many kinds of animals, including exotic pets. The most common symptom of inflammatory bowel disease is diarrhea and weight loss. Although there is no known remedy for the mentioned condition, it can be regulated with several medications and therapy to reduce inflammation.

Key Takeaways

Now that you know the causes of diarrhea in exotic pets, you can make simple adjustments in your home to ease their condition. If your exotic pet has a single bout of diarrhea and is acting normally, there’s nothing to be worried about. However, if they are lethargic, rejecting food, vomiting, or showing signs of weakness in 24-72 hours, veterinary care must be sought immediately to get them back in full health.