Pet Care

Just like people, ferrets are capable of making a range of different noises. These range from normal sounds such as ‘dooks’ of excitement when playing through to abnormal noises such as excessive sneezing, coughing or wheezing.

Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus), commonly known as budgies, can make wonderful pets. They are generally inquisitive, social birds that are relatively easy to keep. There are many colour varieties available, with the green colouration being the most common in wild birds. Mature males generally have a blue cere (the cere is the skin structure around the nose and above the upper beak), and females usually have a brown cere.

Behavioural training can be a great way to build and maintain a healthy, trusting relationship with your bird. This article summarises some of the key concepts involved in behavioural training, as well as some ideas for starting training at home with your bird.

In Australia, the main species of turtle that are found in captivity are the long neck species (Chelonia Longicolis) and the shorter necked species (Emydura and Elseya spp). Each one of these species has different requirements and the information provided can be used to keep them happy and healthy in their indoor enclosures.

Feather destructive behaviour in birds may be a symptom of many different diseases and has no one single cause. Unfortunately, it is also a very common condition encountered in a huge range of species at The Unusual Pet Vets.

Lumps and bumps on or under the skin are relatively common in rats and mice. Sometimes these masses can occur suddenly and grow quite quickly and other times they grow slowly over time. In any case, it is recommended to book in for a vet check as soon as you notice a lump on your pet.

With all the talk about infectious disease and the practice of self-isolation that is happening across the globe, we thought that it would be a good time to discuss the importance of reptile quarantine and the importance of it. What is it, why do it and how is it achieved?

In an effort to give Wei Wei some flight again, Dr Cat performed a procedure known as imping, which involves placing new feathers into the wing. Here, you’ll learn more about this procedure and see how Wei Wei made a full recovery.

As precautionary measures increase, and social distancing becomes imperative, we are putting the health and safety of our staff and clients first. We will continue to provide optimal veterinary care to your pets, with minimal human contact, as a method to try to keep everyone safe.

In order for us to stay open and available to help your pet, we need to keep our veterinary team safe and healthy. Being a veterinary clinic, we already have strict procedures and protocols in place to ensure our environment is as sterile as possible at all times. Still, we have implemented additional precautionary measures to protect our staff and clients. Learn about these here.

How do I tell the gender of my pet bird? Why is it important to know the sex of a pet bird? Many of our clients come to us with these questions and concerns, so we decided to dedicate a blog to this topic to help you learn about the best methods for identifying your pet bird’s gender and why this can be helpful knowledge to have.

Dr James Haberfield from the Unusual Pet Vets Peninsula writes honestly about the cost of exotic veterinary care and the impact that some client actions can have on the people who work in the veterinary profession.