Avian and Exotic Animal Care

07/03/2025

06/14/2025

This Friday the 13th was filled with Pastrami and Porkchop! Not scary, but definitely some suspicious looking creatures! 🤣

06/13/2025

06/12/2025

🚨 Attention Aquatic Turtle Owners 🚨

🚨 RECALL ALERT FOR REPTILE KEEPERS 🚨

Spectrum Brands Pet LLC is voluntarily recalling its Tetra ReptoMin 3-in-1 Select-A-Food (1.56 oz container, green label). The affected lot code is 951790 (UPC 0 46798 78626 9). The recall was issued after routine testing found a potential Salmonella contamination risk.

If you have this product:

1. Stop using it immediately and remove it from your reptile’s diet.

2. Check the lot code on the bottom of the container—only code 951790 is affected.

3. Dispose of the food safely and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.

4. Monitor both your reptile and anyone who handled the food for signs of illness.

🔗 Full details and next steps:
https://www.avma.org/news/recalls-alerts/tetra-reptomin-3-1-select-food-reptile-food

Help us spread the word to keep reptiles—and their humans—safe! 🐢✨

06/06/2025

We hope you all have an EGG-ceptional Friday! Marie, one of our technicians, played multiple roles today as she acted as a “dual-a” for both of these birds today! Can you guess the species?

06/05/2025

Klaus came in for a wellness exam with Dr.Sokolik and Jess today! He was the best patient! No cap! 😂 🎩🦎

06/03/2025

Proven benefits of enrichment: Social

Social enrichment is one of the most effective forms of enrichment for flock animals like birds. Rearing social species with companions has been showed to reduce fearfulness and stereotypic behaviors. Social enrichment also increases activity levels!

1. Hughes BO. Selection of group size by individual laying hens.Br Poult Sci. 1977;18:9-18.
2. Meehan CL, Garner JP, Mench JA. Isosexual pair housing improves the welfare of young Amazon parrots. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2003;81:73-88.
3. Polverino G, Manciocco A, Vitale A, Alleva E. Stereotypic behaviours in Melopsittacus undulatus: behavioural consequences of social and spatial limitations. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2015;165:1430155.

Pictured: budgies Bucket and Peggy

05/31/2025

This little parrotlet has A LOT to say! Happy World Parrot Day!

Parrotlets are one of the world’s smallest species of parrot, weighing on average only 20-30 grams! This small package has a ton of personality but is still over twice the size of the world’s smallest parrot species, the buff-faced pygmy parrot (Micropsitta pusio) which weighs on average only around 11 grams! Aren’t birds cool?! 🦜 ❤️

05/31/2025

Some helpful info from our friends at AAV!

Shelters across the country are seeing more surrendered and found birds—and now there’s a trusted resource to help ensure they receive the care they deserve. The AAV’s Avian Welfare Committee has created a “Guide for Shelters Caring for Surrendered/Found Birds” to support shelter staff and volunteers every step of the way.

📘 This comprehensive guide covers essential best practices, including:

✅ Safe capture, transport, and housing
✅ Stress reduction and enrichment techniques
✅ Avian-specific medical assessments and veterinary care
✅ Staff training and record keeping protocols
✅ Emergency planning and disease prevention

From intake to adoption, this guide helps shelters provide the highest standard of care for our feathered friends.

📥 Download the guide today:
🔗 https://www.aav.org/avianwelfarecomm

05/29/2025

Here’s a little “Throw back Thursday”… Dr. Locke and Dr. Coulter (Animal Emergency and Urgent Care) have shared a love for all things bird and known each other for over 20 years. They have done vet check-ins for the RDCBS bird fair for ages; this year their flock grew a little larger with the addition of Dr. Gallentine and soon to be Dr. Jaira (NCSU c/o 2029)! Here’s to many more years of feathers and friendship.

05/28/2025

The NC turtle rescue team needs your help! They nearly have enough applications for their license plate which will help support the work they do annually. It’s also a super cute way to show you’re helping make a difference! They need to meet the minimum number to make this a reality. If you’d like an application send a brief email to [email protected] today! Read more below:

05/27/2025