BBEVS offer an exclusive veterinary service for birds & exotic pets! We are committed to providing this care for your pet.
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Here at Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Service, we believe that avian and exotic animals require exactly the same level of care that you would expect for more traditional pets. We aim to provide the highest quality of professional service to our clients and patients, and pride ourselves on client education, superior communication and state-of-the-art equipment for all levels of diagnosis and
treatment. Birds, reptiles, fish, guinea pigs, rats and mice have specific requirements that differ to those of more traditional domestic pets, and Brisbane Bird and Exotics is proud to cater to the special needs of our patients. We have the experience, enthusiasm and information to work together with you, the owner, to maximise the health and longevity of your pet.
It’s dinner time for our little furry friends and we’re curious: What type of hay is on the menu tonight? 🌾
Is it Timothy hay, Orchard grass, or maybe something a little more exotic? Share your guinea pig’s dinner and let’s see who has the most gourmet guinea pig!
🥗
ATTENTION: Guinea Pig lovers out there! The Cavy Owners & Breeders Society of QLD are holding an event on Sunday. Go along and enter your fur baby for your chance to win one of many prizes including some sponsored by BBEVS!
See below for more info 🐾
🚫🎣 Let's talk about the hidden dangers of fishing hooks left behind! Recently, the team at Pelican and Seabird Rescue brought in a Curlew found with hooks embedded in its wing, leg, and mouth. Thanks to the swift action of the BBEVS team, the hooks were safely removed, and the bird was placed into care.
Leaving fishing hooks behind doesn't just harm wildlife—it can be fatal. Let's all take a moment to ensure we clean up after ourselves when fishing. It's a simple act that can make a huge difference in protecting our precious wildlife. 🌊🐦
In an effort to increase the appointments available for the ever-popular Dr Deb we are about to commence a trial of Teams Based Consulting!
She will work with a Senior Nurse, who will start off the consultation, and then Dr Deb will join later. Limited spots are available on Thursday morning 27/6.
Please call out friendly team to find out more ☎️ (07) 3217 3533
UPDATE on our technological issues:
If you are unable to hear us or get through to our phone system, please leave a voice message. We are monitoring them closely and will call you back on a working phone line.
Thank you for your continued patience!
Please be advised we are experiencing technical difficulties with our phone and internet system today.
If we are unable to hear you over the phone, we may hang up and send you a text to optimize communication.
Alternatively, you can contact us via email at [email protected].
And of course, in case of emergency we will troubleshoot the best way to stay in contact to ensure we can still provide gold standard care for our clients and patients!
Thank you for your patience during this time.
🌿 A Gentle Reminder: Responsible Rubbish Disposal Matters! 🌿
Meet the luckiest eastern water skink- A tiny lizard with a big lesson to teach us about waste. 🦎
Recently, this little creature was bought to our team in a precarious situation, trapped inside a piece of corrugated piping. Not only was it lucky enough to be found by caring members of the public; It turns out, it was discovered because a bird had dropped the little lizard right in front of them! What a journey 😱
Thankfully, our incredible team acted swiftly, carefully removing the pipe. Miraculously, the lizard emerged unscathed—no broken bones or internal damage. It was released back into its natural habitat the following day.
🌍 Why Does This Matter?
Responsible disposal is crucial. By cutting the loops on items like bottle tops, pipes and masks before discarding them, we can prevent our wildlife from becoming entangled or harmed 🌿♻️
Remember, even the smallest actions count towards protecting our native ecosystem! 🌎♻️
We've spoken about des*xing female guinea pigs this month, but what about their male counterparts?
Male guinea pigs are castrated by removing each testicle individually through a separate incisions in each sc***um.
There are some important differences compared to dog/cat castrations. For example it is important that the inguinal canal and skin is closed to prevent intestines herniating out from the abdomen!
These patients also lose body heat very quickly due to their small size. Here you can see a temperature probe that remains in place throughout surgery to ensure the patient stays warm; and a heated blanket underneath the patient that is inflated with warm air throughout the procedure.
If you have a male guinea pig and wanted to discuss the benefits of castration for your piggy, give our friendly team a call on (07) 3217 3533.
To continue our monthly theme of prophylactic des*xing of exotic pets today we’re talking about reptiles!
Many people don’t realise that reptiles can get reproductive problems, particularly the females. Snakes, lizards and turtles can all lay eggs (though not fertile) without the presence of a male, just like chickens! However, this does not always go so smoothly. Some reptiles that we see, such as dragons, are particularly prone to developing reproductive disease. The most common conditions that we see are pre-ovulatory follicular stasis and post-ovulatory follicular stasis or ‘egg binding’.
Due to the high incidence of these diseases we now recommend that female bearded dragons, that aren’t to be used for breeding, are de-s*xed to prevent these issues.
🐭 Are you a proud Rat or Mouse owner? Perhaps you have a couple Guinea Pigs? 🐹 Let’s explore some ways to keep their lives enriched:
For our Rats and Mice try:
Chew Toys
🌰 Raw nuts in the shell (almonds, walnuts and pistachios are best!).
🌰 Hard, low-fat dog biscuits
🌰 Rawhide treats, liver treats, or pig ears
🌰 Wooden toys or rodent chew blocks
Climbing Toys
🧗♂Thick ropes with knots (hang them from the cage roof or tie between levels)
🧗♂Natural tree branches and rocks
🧗♂Hammocks
Foraging Toys
🌿Frozen peas/corn kernels in shallow water
🌿Collect pine cones, freeze them overnight (to kill off bugs and diseases), fill with honey and treats
🌿Bon-bons made from twisted paper with their favorite treats inside
Hidey Holes
🏡Toilet paper rolls (perfect for hiding and chewing)
🏡Empty/ almost empty tissue boxes with the plastic removed (they’ll shred tissues to make a cozy bed)
🏡Rodent hammocks and tunnels also work a treat!
🐹 Can't forget the Guinea Pigs!
Foraging Toys
🍎 Fill objects (such as cardboard tubes, paper bags, or egg cartons) with desirable treats for piggy to open, chew, and destroy
🍎Fill a tray or cupcake dish with an assortment of treats. Increase the difficulty level by hiding treats among non-toxic paper cat litter pellets, shredded paper, and scrunched-up newspaper sheets.
Creative Veggie and Fruit Offerings
🥕 Hang fruits and veggies on stainless steel skewers or pegs
🥕 Let your piggy work for their snack by chewing through the skin and seeds
🥕 Wrap treats in corn husks for an extra challenge
Supervised Outdoor Time
☀️Let your guinea pigs enjoy natural sunlight and forage on pesticide-free grass
☀️Outdoor time provides both nutritional and environmental enrichment
Remember, a happy rodent is an active and fulfilled rodent! 🌟 If you've made it this far, share your enrichment ideas in the comments below 🐾
Happy Monday Everyone!
To follow on with our monthly theme of des*xing, this week we will be discussing guinea pigs! Many people are often unaware that it is possible to des*x guinea pigs, and that there are a number of health benefits to doing this at a younger age.
Did you know that female guinea pigs can become pregnant even as young as 4 weeks old?! This makes it very important to be sure what gender guinea pigs you are acquiring, to avoid unexpected pregnancies! Apart from preventing unplanned pregnancies, des*xing your guinea pig can have other health benefits too! Having the procedure performed at a dedicated exotics vet minimises the risks of any complications, and ensures your family member gets the best possible care
Spot the difference 👀🐀
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Can you find some subtle differences between these two rats?
(Hint: Look at the ear size, eye position, fur length, whiskers, paws, and colouring!)
That's because we are looking at two different species of rat!
On the left, we have "Thimble" - he is a Rattus rattus. These guys are known as black rats, roof rats, or ship rats. This species is introduced to Australia, and due to their incredible climbing ability, are often found in roof cavities causing all sorts of mischief. Despite the common name of black rat, they are often a light brown in colour, with a cream belly. They have long, spiky guard hairs, and enormous eyes and ears. Generally, they do not make good pets due to their skittish and cautious nature. However, when raised from a pup, some individuals can become very attached to their human. Thimble here is a great example!
On the right, we have "Stink Bug" - this handsome chap is a Rattus norvegicus domestica. In the pet world, they are simply known as the fancy rat. They are the domesticated version of the brown rat (also known as a Norway / Norwegian rat, street rat, or sewer rat - also introduced to Australia). These rats are much more chunky and robust than the black rat, and are generally ground-dwellers.
While both brown rats and fancy rats belong to the same species (Rattus norvegicus), the primary difference lies in their breeding history and purpose. Brown rats are wild rodents that are considered pests, while fancy rats are domesticated variants selectively bred for specific traits and kept as pets.
We hope you learned something new about ratties today! If you got this far, post a picture of your pet rats below! 💙
**contains graphic surgical images**
As we all know, birds love to chew, especially on things they aren't supposed to! Unfortunately, if they consume synthetic fibers from toys (such as ropes and fabric toys) it cannot be digested. This fiber can become lodged in the digestive tract and require emergency surgery to remove.
If you want to reduce the possibility of fiber obstructions, stick to toys made of natural, digestible materials such as wood, leather and sisal. Also be sure to supervise your bird when they are out of their cage to avoid them chewing on clothing and carpets.
Below are some images from crop foreign body removals and an example of what a fiber obstruction can look like! This particular case was caused by our patient chewing on cotton rope perches
Hi everyone! Welcome to May! This month we are going to talk to you all about the importance of de-s*xing various exotic pets!
Many people think that de-s*xing procedures are only for dogs and cats but that isn’t true. We advise de-s*xing for many of the creatures that we see. First up this month we are going to talk to you about the various benefits of de-s*xing rats.
Both male and female rats can be de-s*xed as part of their routine health care. Male rats can undergo a castration procedure, where each of their testicles are removed. This reduces the production of s*x hormones and can reduce some hormonal behaviours such as aggression. It also removes the risk of reproductive cancers, and will prevent unwanted pregnancies if you want your male rat to be housed with females!
Many people under-estimate the importance of de-s*xing female rats. Female rats that aren’t de-s*xed are at a higher risk of developing pituitary neoplasia (brain tumours) that can affect their hormones and increase the risk of developing mammary cancer. De-s*xing or using other methods of hormone control (e.g. hormone implants) are ideal.
As the chilly season sets in, let’s celebrate our unique and extraordinary companions who know how to stay toasty! 🦎🐍🦜
📸 Drop a comment below with a snapshot of your pet keeping cosy and warm! Let’s spread some warmth and smiles! ❤️ We love to see it!
April is almost over!
So to wrap up our monthly theme of keeping warm we thought we’d discuss health checks for your pets over the cooler months.
In some of our previous posts we have talked about how the winter months are often harder for the body to cope with, as more energy is required to keep the body warm! This can mean that your pet is more prone to becoming unwell, or that any underlying issue that they were hiding comes to the surface.
Given how hard winter can be on the body if you are ever worried your pet is unwell please call the clinic on 3217 3533 to discuss with one of our friendly nurses!
We hope everyone is keeping cosy!
Since our monthly focus is keeping warm over the cooler months we thought it was time we talked about our feathered friends, as they can also feel the cool weather! Birds are lucky in that they (usually) have layers of feathers specifically designed to insulate their bodies to help them manage their body temperature. Did you know that there are actually seven different types of bird feathers?! These include fluffy down feathers (normally not seen in adult birds), contour feathers which gives the sleek external appearance to birds, and different types feathers used for flight and steering. They are pretty amazing!
Some birds adapted to living outdoors can survive in outdoor aviaries over winter, but shelter from wind and rain must always be provided and the birds must be monitored closely. Any illness can compromise a bird’s ability to warm itself and the cool weather can stress their bodies quite quickly! Birds that are not native to the area and/or that aren’t adapted to living outdoors should ideally be kept indoors (at least overnight) in winter. This will dramatically increase the ambient temperature around them and means that their bodies don’t have to work as hard to keep warm! As a bird’s natural body temperature is over 40 degrees, it takes a LOT of energy to sustain that when it’s cold outside.
Our educational topic in April is heating and today we will be talking about our small mammals.
Thankfully, guinea pigs, rats, mice and other small mammals much prefer our cooler temperatures. In fact, summer is much more problematic! However, sudden changes and temperature extremes can still be an issue, particularly when we have a very warm winter’s day, followed by a chilly night!
Have a look at some of these options for providing warm hides/beds for winter, and feel free to share photos of your little one’s hides/beds at home! We LOVE seeing our patients all nice and cosy
It sure has been chilly recently! ❄️🌧What a great time to talk about keeping our reptiles warm. Ceramic heat bulbs are a great way to keep your scaly companions warm without disrupting their sleep, and we stock them here at BBEVS!
Happy April Everyone!
Finally we are starting to see some cooler weather on the horizon! Our education focus this month is on heating for our scaled, furred and feathered pets! Keeping our little critters warm over winter can help prevent many health issues and our goal is to keep your pet family as happy and healthy as possible.
We will start the month with the creatures that suffer the most without appropriate heating – reptiles! Reptiles are ectothermic or ‘cold blooded’. This means that they source their body heat from their environment – they are unable to create their own like mammals and birds. This makes it extremely important that we provide adequate environmental heating to our reptile friends, especially over winter when the ambient temperature drops! Some reptile owners may have noticed that keeping their pets at the same temperature over winter as they did in summer results in a bit of a spike in the electricity bill! This is because the ambient temperature is lower, so our heating devices have to work harder to get our hot spots up to an appropriate temperature. Sometimes our heating devices aren’t strong enough to get up to an appropriate temperature and we need to add in additional devices (e.g another globe). There are some things we can do to help increase the effectiveness of our heating elements (and hopefully reduce some of that rise in electricity costs).
Head over to our website for more information:
Our education focus this month is on heating for our scaled, furred and feathered pets! Keeping our little critters warm over the cooler months can help prevent many health issues and our goal is to keep your pet family as happy and healthy as possible.
Ssssso we’ve reached the end of the month and today we’re going to talk about reptile nutrition!
Nutrition is a VERY important part of maintaining the health of our reptilian family members. There are unfortunately a number of common health issues that arise from a poor diet. Each of the reptile groups has different nutritional requirements, for example snakes usually ingest whole prey items, which meets all of their nutritional needs. Unfortunately we can still run into nutritional issues such as obesity, given reptiles in captivity don’t do anywhere near as much exercise as their wild counterparts!
Lizards and turtles are more prone to nutritional issues, as their dietary requirements are a bit more complex. The key to maintaining their health in captivity is trying to mimic what they would access in the wild as closely as possible.
Head over to our website here https://bbevs.com.au/reptile-nutrition/ for more information on what to feed your reptile!
Have you tried a topper mix for your lizard?
Lizard topper mix is a great way to provide your pet with sensory enrichment opportunities! Simply soak in warm water and serve.
Happy World Frog Day!
Did you know the 20th of March celebrates International Day of the Frog? Here are some ways to promote a frog friendly world!
-Collect rubbish from local waterways
-plant a frog-friendly garden complete with native plants
-Avoid the use of pesticides in your garden
-Share the news of world frog day with your friends and family to encourage awareness
To celebrate, please share your favourite cute frog photos in the comments below!
Calling all rat and mouse owners! This week our educational topic is rat and mouse nutrition!
These little creatures are much less fussy than many of our other patients and, being omnivores, they can eat a large variety of different food items. However, this doesn’t mean everything they eat is good for them (much like us!). If given the choice they often choose to eat the foods higher in sugars and fats. Keeping your rats and mice lean and healthy can reduce the risks and severity of some common diseases such as respiratory disease and tumours.
Follow this link https://bbevs.com.au/rat-nutrition/ to read more about rodent nutrition
HAY everyone! Today we are going to talk about GUINEA PIG NUTRITION!
Like all of the creatures that we see, diet is very closely associated with health in our guinea pig friends. Almost every day we see health problems in pigs that could have largely been prevented with the correct diet. Which is why it is so important that every piggy owner is educated appropriately on the diet of their pet.
Unfortunately, there is a vast amount of misinformation on the internet, and provided by some well-meaning pet stores and breeders, so deciphering the correct diet can be tricky! But never fear! We have you covered - here is a link to our website that has all the information you need to know about guinea pig diets! Happy reading
📣 ZuPreem is back in stock. Come in and get yours today! 📣
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We’re often asked why we recommend Zupreem pellets for our birds, here’s why!
Much like us humans, birds also need a delicate balance of carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. Zupreem pellets are nutritionally complete and designed to be used as the foundation of your birds’ diet. For most parrots, we recommend that pellets be 80% of the total diet, with the remainder being vegetables, fruits and a small amount of nuts and seeds. Cockatiels and budgies should be fed no more than 50% pelleted diet.
Zupreem is an easy way to ensure your bird is getting balanced nutrition and limiting the risk of overconsumption.
Blood Transfusions are a life saving medical procedure made possible by the donation of blood from healthy patients. Here is a look behind the scenes on our process.
When a patient’s red blood cell volume is low, we may need to administer blood to keep them stable while they are treated. Commonly, this condition is onset by losing blood, either from internal or external bleeding. It could also be the result of a chronic condition.
When we receive the result our first step is to contact someone on our list of donors. These animals are healthy adults that receive regular exams. Once we find the ideal donor, they are brought down to the clinic to donate.
The staff will first test the animal’s blood using a PCV test to measure the red blood cell percentage. This test can also help confirm the health of our donor to ensure they can safely give blood. Then the vet will begin drawing blood, using the donor’s weight to calculate a small portion of their blood volume that is safe to take. Then, after our donor has had some time to relax (and be given lots of snacks for their bravery!) we are done.
The blood can then be given to our patient, typically through an existing IV catheter. It’s important to carefully observe the patient while administering for any signs of adverse reactions. Once the blood has been given, we often see an immediate difference in our patients, as their colour and demeanour improves.
Pictured below is one of our critically unwell patients receiving a life-saving blood transfusion while being closely monitored, and one of our regular blood donors!
We rely heavily on our small list of donors to save lives and it can be challenging to find the right match for the right patient. If you are interested in your pet becoming a donor, please give us a call on 3217 3533!
Welcome to March everyone! Throughout the year we are going to continue to educate our wonderful followers on the care of avian and exotic pets. The way we care for our beloved animals has a huge impact on their health, with many health conditions easily preventable when we follow veterinary advice. This month we thought we would discuss a very important topic – nutrition! What our pets eat has a dramatic impact on their wellbeing. Providing a healthy, appropriate diet reduces disease risk and subsequently extends the life expectancy of our beloved feathered, scaled and furred family members. We’ll start today with birds! Birds in the wild have evolved to eat a large variety of natural foods, which vary seasonally and regionally. Unfortunately, it is not often possible for us to replicate the natural diet for our parrots in captivity. However providing the best diet we possibly can goes a long way to keeping them well. Follow this link to our website to read more about the nutrition of our feathered family members - https://bbevs.com.au/bird-nutrition/
If there are ever any educational topics you would like to see covered please feel free to suggest them to us in the comments below!
Please be mindful of your rubbish and please do not try this at home.
A red belly black snake is recovering with one of our incredible wildlife carers after finding himself caught in a can. With all this hot weather, a sugary drink probably sounded like a great idea to this snake. Unfortunately, after putting his head in the can, the snake found himself stuck, and in need of urgent assistance on a 44 degree day.
In swoops our very experienced and qualified wildlife carer. This snake was big, and the can opening very small in comparison. After a difficult extraction, the snake is currently recovering with a swollen neck, but no other injuries. We are hopeful for a full recovery and future release of this beauty.
However, there was another surprise for our wildlife carer during this extraction, well two surprises really. As you can see in one of the photos, there were also two small toads in the can! The toads were removed unharmed. We can imagine just how terrified they must have been, sharing such a small space with one of their main predators. What an unusual afternoon for all involved.
Please be mindful to put your rubbish in the bin and please do not handle, remove or in any way engage with a snake if you do see one on your property. There are licensed and qualified snake removal specialists who can come to you to extract problem snakes on your property. Best to remove your children and pets from areas of recent snake activity.
Happy end of Februrary everyone, after a busy start to the year we are a bit behind on our education posts but this month we wanted to teach you a little bit about the ways we assess your pet’s health, and the various diagnostic tests that we use to help work out if your loved one is healthy or not. We’ll start by discussing the most important tool in our belt for assessment – the physical examination. When you come in for a health exam at the clinic we will always do a thorough physical examination on your animal. This involves listening to the chest, palpating (feeling) the abdomen or coelom and looking at some samples under the microscope, as well as many other things. If you’d like to read more about how we examine your pet please follow the link below to our website. At the bottom of the link attached please find links to our other stories regarding how we assess your pet’s health – blood collection and tests and diagnostic imaging!
https://bbevs.com.au/avian-and-exotic-physical-examination/
191 Cornwall Street, Greenslopes
Brisbane, QLD
4120
| Monday | 8:30am - 6pm |
| Tuesday | 8:30am - 6pm |
| Wednesday | 8:30am - 6pm |
| Thursday | 8:30am - 6pm |
| Friday | 8:30am - 6pm |
| Saturday | 8:30am - 12pm |
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What an incredible video sent to us by one of our dedicated wildlife carers. This little guy has just hatched, along with the others in his clutch. He is a Verreaux Skink. You can see his tiny front and rear limbs move as he tries to propel himself forward. At a glance, skinks can easily be mistaken for snakes. These skinks are harmless though and survive on a diet of ground dwelling insects. Widely distributed through Brisbane, visit the link below to find out more about this quirky creature and where you are most likely to encounter these guys around your yard. https://wildlifeqld.com.au/verreauxs-skink/ If you are ever unsure about a snake-like reptile in your yard or believe you have found a snake, the best thing to do is leave it alone. If you are concerned that a snake might be a threat to you or your family, the best person to call is your local snake catcher. We strongly advise against cornering any animal that you believe could be a snake.
Even the scrub turkeys are in the festive spirit this week at Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Services ✨ #FestiveSeason #wildlife #Christmas #turkeys #christmasscrubs #christmasscrubbers
Find yourself a partner that looks at you like this wild blue tongue skink looks at his plate of delicious food.
Nundah Village Veterinary Clinic
Sandgate Road Nundah
