ANVC's Exotic Pets Library

Feeding & Nutrition

Nutritional diseases are the number one reason exotic pets are presented to a Veterinarian for examination.  All species of animals have their own specific nutritional requirements and generalizations about nutritional needs cannot be made based on assumed lifestyles and needs.  For example, a guinea pig and a rat are both rodents but their nutritional requirements are quite different.  

Whenever you are thinking of acquiring an exotic pet, the onus and responsibility is yours to acquire the necessary information to properly feed and care for your new pet.  Pet stores are often not a good source of information about the proper care of your new pet, as many of them are misinformed themselves.  Remember, there is a good reason many of the more exotic pets have not been domesticated - they are simply not good pets or are extremely difficult to care for.  Spend some time in the library or on the internet finding information on the animal you are thinking of acquiring BEFORE you purchase one. 

Click the links below to get more information about the feeding and nutrition needs specific to your pet.  Also check out our Links page for other good sources of information on the internet. 

• Common Green Iguana
• Rabbits 
• Guinea Pigs
• Birds