| metabolic effects of cortisol, acth, adrenalin and insulin in the marsupial sugar glider, petaurus breviceps. | the effects of cortisol, acth, adrenalin and insulin on indices of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism were investigated in the conscious marsupial sugar glider petaurus breviceps. short-term i.v. infusion of cortisol at dose rates of 0.02, 0.2 and 1.0 mg/kg per h caused the plasma glucose concentration to rise sharply from the normal range of 3.3-4.4 to 8.1-8.7 mmol/l at the end of the infusion period without significant alteration in plasma free fatty acid (ffa), amino acid or urea concen ... | 1990 | 2174452 |
| vascular and avascular retinae in mammals. a funduscopic and fluorescein angiographic study. | intraretinal blood vessels are present in some and absent in other vertebrate species, including the mammals. among the marsupials, both vascular and avascular retinae are seen. we determined the funduscopic appearance of the eye, investigated the functional aspects of ocular blood flow in both types of retina in marsupials and compared our results with known patterns in placental mammals. the australian polyprotodont marsupials, the tasmanian devil, sarcophilus harrisii, and the quoll, dasyurus ... | 1990 | 2375974 |
| traumatic injuries occurring in possums and gliders in the blue mountains, new south wales. | twenty common brushtail possums (trichosurus vulpecula), 23 ringtail possums (pseudocheirus peregrinus) and five sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps) from the blue mountains, new south wales, australia were evaluated for traumatic injuries between 1989 and 1990. ten brushtail possums and five ringtail possums were hit by motor vehicles with injuries primarily to the anterior of the body. fifteen ringtail possums and all sugar gliders were attacked by cats. four brushtail possums were attacked by d ... | 1993 | 8258866 |
| human salmonellosis associated with exotic pets. | during the period from 1994 to 1996, an increase in the number of laboratory-confirmed cases of human salmonellosis associated with exposure to exotic pets including iguanas, pet turtles, sugar gliders, and hedgehogs was observed in canada. pet turtle-associated salmonellosis was recognized as a serious public health problem in the 1960s and 1970s, and in february 1975 legislation banning the importation of turtles into canada was enacted by agriculture canada. reptile-associated salmonellosis i ... | 1997 | 9350734 |
| clinical pathology and sample collection of exotic small mammals. | the clinical pathology of some of the less common and newly emerging small mammal species is detailed in this article. the species covered here include the chinchilla, prairie dog, african hedgehog, and sugar glider. venipuncture sites and sampling techniques are discussed in general and for each species. detailed information on the hematology and serum biochemistry values of these animals is presented in numerous tables. specific information is also provided for urinalysis, fecal analysis, derm ... | 1999 | 11229045 |
| rileyella petauri gen. nov., sp. nov. (pentastomida: cephalobaenida) from the lungs and nasal sinus of petaurus breviceps (marsupialia: petauridae) in australia. | a new cephalobaenid pentastome, rileyella petauri gen: nov., sp. nov. from the lungs and nasal sinus of the petaurid marsupial, petaurus breviceps, is described. it is the smallest adult pentastome known to date, represents the first record of a mammal as the definitive host of a cephalobaenid and may represent the only pentastome known to inhabit the lungs of a mammal through all its instars, with the exception of patent females. adult males, non-gravid females and nymphs moulting to adults occ ... | 2003 | 14535163 |
| principles of wound management of small mammals: hedgehogs, prairie dogs, and sugar gliders. | the management of wounds is a common scenario for the exotic animal practitioner. when presented with such cases, the practitioner must first adhere to the firmly established principles of wound healing, and then modify available treatment modalities to fit the needs of the species at hand. practicing wound management on exotic patients can be challenging due to their small size, unusual anatomy, difficult behaviors, and tendency for developing secondary stress-related health problems. a review ... | 2004 | 14768377 |
| spontaneous tumors of small mammals. | the most common tumor of guinea pigs is bronchogenic papillary adenoma; of hedgehogs is mammary gland adenocarcinoma; of hamsters is adrenal cortical adenoma; of gerbils is ovarian granulosa cell and theca cell tumors; of mice is pulmonary carcinoma; and of rats is mammary fibroadenoma. a relatively low incidence of tumors is described for chinchillas and hamsters, whereas the incidence of tumors is high for gerbils, hedgehogs, mice, and rats. limited literature regarding neoplasia exists for pr ... | 2004 | 15296867 |
| small mammal virology. | most viral infections in small mammals are transient and rarely produce clinical signs. when clinical signs do appear, they are often of a multifactorial etiology such as respiratory infection with sendai virus and the bacteria m. pulmonis in rodents. diagnosis is generally made based on clinical signs, while therapy involves treatment for concurrent bacterial infections and supportive care. small mammals may carry zoonotic viruses such as lcmv, but natural infections are uncommon. viral disease ... | 2005 | 15585191 |
| cytologic diagnosis of diseases of rabbits, guinea pigs, and rodents. | this article reviews the diseases most amenable to cytologic diagnosis in clinical small mammal practice. diseases of pet rabbits, guinea pigs, rodents, chinchillas, sugar gliders, and hedgehogs are addressed. the small size of these patients, risk of anesthesia and invasive surgery, and cost factors make small mammals ideal patients for cytologic evaluation when applicable; however, surprisingly few reports exist in the literature, and no other reviews of cytology in these species exist. much o ... | 2007 | 17198958 |
| the sugar glider (petaurus breviceps): a laboratory host for the nematode parastrongyloides trichosuri. | parastrongyloides trichosuri is a nematode parasite of the australian brush-tailed possums that can be propagated through many generations in vitro. this makes p. trichosuri uniquely suited for genetic investigations, including those involving transgenesis. however, an obstacle to its use as an experimental model has been the fact that its host is limited to australia and new zealand and that it cannot be exported because of its status as a protected species or agricultural pest, respectively. i ... | 2007 | 18163342 |
| an overview of restraint and blood collection techniques in exotic pet practice. | as more data about blood test results become available, blood sampling becomes increasingly important as a diagnostic tool. the increased availability of biochemistry analyzers that sample small volumes of blood has made it possible to get diagnostic profiles and hematology results from pets that have only small volumes of blood to contribute. this article describes techniques for restraint, phlebotomy, and sample preparation of several of the more popular exotic animals in the pet trade. the sp ... | 2008 | 18675727 |
| cardiovascular anatomy, physiology, and disease of rodents and small exotic mammals. | cardiovascular disease in small exotic mammals is anecdotally common, but clinical reports of diagnosis and treatment of disease are rare. this article focuses on known causes of cardiovascular disease in the small exotic mammal. normal anatomy and physiology, as it differs from the dog and cat, is also highlighted. cardiomyopathy, dirofilariasis, atrial thrombosis, and other acquired and congenital cardiac and vascular diseases of rodents, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, raccoons, opossums, and skunk ... | 2009 | 19131033 |
| cloning, expression and bioactivity of baff from petaurus breviceps. | b-cell activating factor (baff), belonging to the tnf (tumor necrosis factor) family, is crucial for b-cell survival and maturation. in the present study, pbbaff cdna was amplified from the sugar glider petaurus breviceps by rt-pcr and race (rapid amplification of cdna ends) strategies. the open reading frame (orf) of pbbaff cdna encodes a protein consisting of 287-amino acid. the deduced amino acid sequence contains a predicted transmembrane domain, a putative furin protease cleavage site, a po ... | 2010 | 20591501 |
| advanced diagnostic approaches and current management of internal disorders of select species (rodents, sugar gliders, hedgehogs). | african pygmy and european hedgehogs, sugar gliders, and rodents such as rats, mice, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, and chinchillas are becoming increasingly popular as pets in the united states, and more practitioners are being asked to examine, diagnose, and treat these animals for a bevy of disorders and diseases. many procedures and techniques used in traditional small and large animal medicine are used for these species, with minor adaptations or considerations. this article examines avail ... | 2010 | 20682430 |
| uniformity of rotavirus strain nomenclature proposed by the rotavirus classification working group (rcwg). | in april 2008, a nucleotide-sequence-based, complete genome classification system was developed for group a rotaviruses (rvs). this system assigns a specific genotype to each of the 11 genome segments of a particular rv strain according to established nucleotide percent cutoff values. using this approach, the genome of individual rv strains are given the complete descriptor of gx-p[x]-ix-rx-cx-mx-ax-nx-tx-ex-hx. the rotavirus classification working group (rcwg) was formed by scientists in the fi ... | 2011 | 21597953 |
| odors from proximal species reverse the stress-decreased neurogenesis via main olfactory processing. | unconditioned foot shock followed by restraint in water was used as a stress regimen to induce decreases in neurogenesis in mouse dentate gyrus (dg). presence of conspecific odors has been known to reverse the stress-induced decrease in dg neurogenesis. in this study, we found that the conspecific odors did not produce these protective effects in mice whose moe was impaired by nasal zinc sulfate lavage. moreover, we observed that the presence of odors from rats, hamsters, and guinea pigs through ... | 2011 | 22200498 |
| epidemiological investigation of salmonella tilene by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and polymerase chain reaction. | pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (pfge) and dna fingerprinting by the polymerase chain reaction (pcr) were performed on 11 isolates of salmonella tilene. five strains were from a cluster of human patients, six from sugar gliders and pygmy hedgehogs kept as family pets or from local pet retailers, and one isolate from the first north american case of s tilene described in washington state in 1994. the pfge restriction patterns showed all isolates to be similar. however, pcr using primers to the 1 ... | 1997 | 22346526 |
| listeria monocytogenes infection in a sugar glider (petaurus breviceps) - new mexico, 2011. | listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive, facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium that can infect and cause disease in many species. in this case report, we describe a case of l. monocytogenes infection causing sepsis in a sugar glider (petaurus breviceps). the sugar glider consumed a varied diet consisting of human food items, including cantaloupe. a nationwide outbreak of l. monocytogenes foodborne illness associated with cantaloupes occurred simultaneously with this incident case. in thi ... | 2015 | 24815369 |
| detection of pathogenic yersinia enterocolitica in pet djungarian hamsters in japan. | the prevalence of yersinia enterocolitica (y. enterocolitica) and yersinia pseudotuberculosis was examined in 151 pet animals including 108 rodents, 39 rabbits and four sugar gliders from 13 pet stores in the yamaguchi prefecture, japan. y. enterocolitica serogroup o:3 biotype 3 negative for the voges-proskauer reaction (o:3/3 variant vp-) was isolated from five djungarian hamsters (phodopus sungorus) raised at the same pet store. these pathogenic y. enterocolitica isolates carried the virulence ... | 2016 | 27396397 |
| small mammals: common surgical procedures of rodents, ferrets, hedgehogs, and sugar gliders. | small mammal surgical procedures are a part of clinical veterinary practice and are performed with regularity. anesthetic and analgesic techniques are important components of any successful small mammal surgical procedure. many basic surgical principles used in dogs and cats can be directly applied to small mammals, but tissues tend to be smaller and thinner, and hemostasis is critical with small patients due to risk of death with minimal blood loss. common surgical procedures in small mammals i ... | 2016 | 26611930 |
| klossiella dulcis n. sp. (apicomplexa: klossiellidae) in the kidneys of petaurus breviceps (marsupialia: petauridae). | two cases of renal klossiellosis were diagnosed by histopathology in pet sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps). in both cases, parasites were associated with tubular dilation and mild interstitial nephritis. rare schizonts were seen in the proximal convoluted renal tubular epithelium, whereas all other life cycle stages were found within distal convoluted tubule cells or the urinary space of the structures distal to the loop of henle. conventional optical and transmission electron microscopies were ... | 2016 | 27468038 |
| therapeutics of companion exotic marsupials. | exotic marsupials are becoming popular companion pets, yet little pharmacologic information is available to the practitioner. species include sugar gliders (petarus breviceps), south american (brazilian) short-tailed opossums (monodelphis domestica), brushtail possum or "phalanger" (trichosurus vulpecula), and wallabies: bennett's (macropus rufogriseus rufogriseus) and tammar or dama (macropus eugenii). guidelines for logical choices of medications based on allometric scaling, gastrointestinal t ... | 2000 | 11228826 |
| reproductive disorders of marsupials. | marsupial reproduction differs significantly in anatomy and physiology from that of placental mammals. the gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts empty into a cloaca. reproductive parameters include gestation and pouch time, as the fetus develops outside of the uterus. captive marsupials discussed include sugar gliders), short-tailed opossums, virginia opossums, and tammar and bennett's wallabies. common disease conditions include joey eviction, pouch infections, mastitis, metritis, prostatitis, ... | 2017 | 28169182 |
| craniomandibular variation in phalangeriform marsupials: functional comparisons with primates. | phalangeriform marsupials have often been compared with primates because of similarity in the range of external morphology, ecological niches, and body size between the two radiations. we explore morphological convergence in the masticatory anatomy of strepsirrhine primates and phalangeriforms, through osteological measurements of the mandible and facial skeleton, and through dissection of the masticatory musculature, presenting new data on the arrangement and proportions of jaw adductors in pha ... | 2018 | 29330956 |
| lactococcus petauri sp. nov., isolated from an abscess of a sugar glider. | a strain of lactic acid bacteria, designated 159469t, isolated from a facial abscess in a sugar glider, was characterized genetically and phenotypically. cells of the strain were gram-stain-positive, coccoid and catalase-negative. morphological, physiological and phylogenetic data indicated that the isolate belongs to the genus lactococcus. strain 159469t was closely related to lactococcus garvieae atcc 43921t, showing 95.86 and 98.08 % sequence similarity in 16s rrna gene and rpob gene sequence ... | 2017 | 28945531 |
| common emergencies in small rodents, hedgehogs, and sugar gliders. | small exotic mammal pets such as rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, degus, hedgehogs, and sugar gliders are becoming more popular. because these animals are prone to a variety of health problems, and require specialized husbandry care to remain healthy, they may present to emergency hospitals in critical condition. this article provides a basic overview of common emergency presentations of these species. | 2016 | 27131160 |
| variability and constraint of vertebral formulae and proportions in colugos, tree shrews, and rodents, with special reference to vertebral modification by aerodynamic adaptation. | the aim of the present study is to provide the first large data set on vertebral formulae and proportions, and examine their relationship with different locomotive modes in colugos (dermoptera), tree shrews (scandentia), and rodents (rodentia), which have been considered less variable because they were thought to have a plesiomorphic number of 19 thoracolumbar vertebrae. the data included 33 colugos and 112 tree shrews, which are phylogenetically sister taxa, and 288 additional skeletons from 29 ... | 2017 | 28703847 |
| evaluation of three popular diets fed to pet sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps): intake, digestion and nutrient balance. | three diets fed to 12 pair-housed sugar gliders, petaurus breviceps, were evaluated through 5-day intake and digestion trials following 10-day transitions. diets 1 and 2 comprised liquid formula mixes with added vegetables and fruit, and diet 3 comprised extruded pellets and a liquid formula. diets eaten contained 16 -19% crude protein, 3%-15% crude fat, 10%-11% neutral detergent fibre, 4%-20% starch and 8%-49% sugar (dry basis). calculated individual dry matter intakes (dmi) ranged from 3.9 to ... | 0 | 28464410 |
| zoonoses of ferrets, hedgehogs, and sugar gliders. | with urbanization, people live in close proximity to their pets. people often share their living quarters and furniture, and this proximity carries a new potential for pathogen transmission. in addition to the change in lifestyle with our pets, new exotic pets are being introduced to the pet industry regularly. often, we are unfamiliar with specific clinical signs of diseases in these new exotic pets or the routes of transmission of pathogens for the particular species. this article reviews zoon ... | 2011 | 21872787 |
| hedgehogs and sugar gliders: respiratory anatomy, physiology, and disease. | this article discusses the respiratory anatomy, physiology, and disease of african pygmy hedgehogs (atelerix albiventris) and sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps), two species commonly seen in exotic animal practice. where appropriate, information from closely related species is mentioned because cross-susceptibility is likely and because these additional species may also be encountered in practice. other body systems and processes are discussed insofar as they relate to or affect respiratory func ... | 2011 | 21601815 |
| exploiting the richest patch has a fitness pay-off for the migratory swift parrot. | 1. unlike philopatric migrants, the ecology of nomadic migrants is less well understood. this life-history strategy reflects responses to spatiotemporal variation in resource availability and the need to find resource rich patches to initiate breeding. the fitness consequences of movements between regions of patchily distributed resources can provide insight into ecology of all migrants and their responses to global change. 2. we link broad-scale data on spatiotemporal fluctuation in food availa ... | 2015 | 25973857 |
| dealing with uncertainty in landscape genetic resistance models: a case of three co-occurring marsupials. | landscape genetics lacks explicit methods for dealing with the uncertainty in landscape resistance estimation, which is particularly problematic when sample sizes of individuals are small. unless uncertainty can be quantified, valuable but small data sets may be rendered unusable for conservation purposes. we offer a method to quantify uncertainty in landscape resistance estimates using multimodel inference as an improvement over single model-based inference. we illustrate the approach empirical ... | 2016 | 26588177 |
| first report of parasitism by ophidascaris robertsi (nematoda) in a sugar glider (petaurus breviceps, marsupialia). | third-stage larvae of ophidascarsis robertsi (nematoda: ascaridoidea) were found on necropsy in a female sugar glider, petaurus breviceps (marsupialia: petauridae), two in heart chambers and one free in the peritoneal cavity. the animal was bred in captivity and had previous contact with australian pythons captured in nature, which could be the source of the infection. the histopathologic diagnosis was intraluminal and perivascular pulmonary hemorrhage possibly due to the parasitosis. it is the ... | 2014 | 25632698 |
| the scotopic electroretinogram of the sugar glider related to histological features of its retina. | the flash electroretinogram (erg) was used to characterize the scotopic retinal function in a marsupial. key parameter values of the a- and b-waves of adult male sugar gliders, petaurus breviceps breviceps, elicited with ganzfeld flashes were determined under dark- and light-adapted conditions. using standard histological methods, the thicknesses of the major layers of the retina were assessed to provide insight into the nature of the erg responses. the erg and histological results were compared ... | 2011 | 21744008 |
| emergency and critical care procedures in sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps), african hedgehogs (atelerix albiventris), and prairie dogs (cynomys spp). | less common exotic pet mammals are gaining in popularity. the australian sugar glider, african hedgehog, and prairie dog are seen regularly in exotic animal practices. they are subject to the same types of medical emergencies as more traditional pets, with the unfortunate addition of all too common underlying nutritional and husbandry-related disorders. emergency stabilization and critical care are important first steps before collection of diagnostic test samples and administration of definitiv ... | 2007 | 17577562 |
| common procedures in hedgehogs, prairie dogs, exotic rodents, and companion marsupials. | nondomesticated species are commonly being kept as companion animals. these include the african pygmy hedgehog (atelerix albi-ventris), the north american black-tailed prairie dog (cynomys lu-dovicianus), and exotic rodents such as the degu (octodon degus)and duprasi or fat-tailed gerbil (pachyuromys duprasi). common companion marsupials include the sugar glider (petaurus breviceps),bennett's or tammar (dama) wallabies (macropus rufogriseus rufo-griseus and macropus eugenii, respectively), the b ... | 2006 | 16759954 |
| clinical examination of chinchillas, hedgehogs, prairie dogs, and sugar gliders. | veterinarians in small animal practice are being presented with an ever-increasing number of exotic species. it has become critical that veterinarians expand their professional knowledge to include the basic procedures necessary for the proper diagnosis and therapy of these animals. yet the husbandry, temperaments, physiology, and anatomy of many of these species make extrapolation from our well-developed techniques in dog and cat medicine inadequate. this article discusses some of the major spe ... | 1999 | 11228739 |
| marsupial, insectivore, and chiropteran anesthesia. | this article covers the manual restraint and anesthesia of marsupials, insectivores, and chiroptera. marsupials commonly kept as pets in the u.s. [e.g., eastern gray kangaroos (macropus giganteus), bennett's wallabies (macropus rufogriseus), and sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps)] are covered in detail. marsupial species kept in zoological parks [e.g., tasmanian devils, koalas (phascolarctos cinereus), and common wombats (vombatus ursinus)] are covered in less detail. of the insectivores, only t ... | 2001 | 11217462 |
| evolution of transthyretin in marsupials. | the evolution of the expression and the structure of the gene for transthyretin, a thyroxine-binding plasma protein formerly called prealbumin, was studied in three marsupial species: the south american polyprotodont monodelphis domestica, the australian polyprotodont sminthopsis macroura and the australian diprotodont petaurus breviceps. the transthyretin gene was found to be expressed in the choroid plexus of all three species. in liver it was expressed in p. breviceps and in m. domestica, but ... | 1995 | 7851414 |
| towards a sociobiological model of depression. a marsupial model (petaurus breviceps). | this is a sociobiological approach to depression using hierarchy and its hypothesised relevance to self-esteem in the marsupial sugar glider (petaurus breviceps). | 1995 | 7795919 |
| bilateral hydronephrosis in a sugar glider (petaurus breviceps). | an adult, intact male sugar glider ( petaurus breviceps ) presented for acute caudal abdominal swelling. treatment by the referring veterinarian included aspiration of urine from the swelling. on physical examination, mild depression, pale mucus membranes, and caudal abdominal swelling were noted. focused ultrasonographic assessment revealed a fluid-filled caudal abdominal structure and subjective bladder wall thickening. the following day, the sugar glider was severely depressed. hematology res ... | 2016 | 27691951 |
| the use of the ligasure™ device for scrotal ablation in marsupials. | five sugar gliders ( petaurus breviceps ), ranging in age from 3 mo to 3.5 yr of age, and one opossum ( didelphis virginianus ), age 4.5 mo, presented for elective orchiectomy and scrotal ablation. the ligasure™ device was safely used for orchiectomy and scrotal ablation in both species. surgical time with the ligasure was approximately 4 sec. no grooming of the incision site or self-mutilation was seen in the first 72 hr postoperatively. one sugar glider required postoperative wound care approx ... | 2017 | 28363049 |
| pulmonary hyalinosis in captive sugar gliders ( petaurus breviceps). | pulmonary hyalinosis is an idiopathic, typically incidental lesion of old dogs, characterized by multifocal aggregates of epithelioid and multinucleate macrophages that surround periodic acid-schiff (pas)-positive hyaline material in airways. lung lesions resembling pulmonary hyalinosis were observed in 6 captive adult sugar gliders ( petaurus breviceps; 5 females and 1 male) in a retrospective review of 18 autopsied animals. clinical signs for 3 of the sugar gliders included lethargy, tachypnea ... | 2017 | 28657890 |
| physiological and behavioral responses of an arboreal mammal to smoke and charcoal-ash substrate. | the recent observation that torpor plays a key role in post-fire survival has been mainly attributed to the reduced food resources after fires. however, some of these adjustments can be facilitated or amplified by environmental changes associated with fires, such as the presence of a charcoal-ash substrate. in a previous experiment on a small terrestrial mammal the presence of charcoal and ash linked to food restriction intensified torpor use. however, whether fire cues also act as a trigger of ... | 2018 | 29158126 |
| forelimb preferences in quadrupedal marsupials and their implications for laterality evolution in mammals. | acquisition of upright posture in evolution has been argued to facilitate manual laterality in primates. owing to the high variety of postural habits marsupials can serve as a suitable model to test whether the species-typical body posture shapes forelimb preferences in non-primates or this phenomenon emerged only in the course of primate evolution. in the present study we aimed to explore manual laterality in marsupial quadrupeds and compare them with the results in the previously studied biped ... | 2013 | 23497116 |
| body size and the small branch niche: using marsupial ontogeny to model primate locomotor evolution. | recently proposed ancestral locomotor and morphological 'stages' leading to the evolution of primates have emphasized small body size, and a transition from a clawed non-grasping stage, to a clawed, grasping stage with clawless opposable hallux, to a fully-nailed primate with grasping extremities. this evolutionary transition was presumably associated with frequent use of the small branch niche. to model elements of these evolutionary transitions, we investigate how body size, substrate size, su ... | 2014 | 24508352 |
| anatomy and disorders of the oral cavity of miscellaneous exotic companion mammals. | unusual mammalian species such as the hedgehog, sugar glider, and miniature pig are encountered with increasing frequency in exotic companion medicine. disease of the oral cavity can occur in any species; although occasionally encountered in exotic mammalian species, it is rarely described in the literature. anatomy and dentition vary significantly; diagnosis and treatment are often extrapolated from that known in other species. the best-documented disease of the oral cavity in this group of spe ... | 2016 | 27497212 |
| isolation and characterization of a novel type of rotavirus species a in sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps). | to estimate the risk of interspecies transmission of rotavirus species a (rva) from exotic pets to other mammalian species, the prevalence of rva in sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps) was investigated. rvas were detected in 10 of 44 sugar gliders by reverse transcription (rt)-semi-nested pcr. these viruses were classified as g27p[3] and g27p[36] genotypes, with g27 and p[36] being new genotypes as assigned by the rotavirus classification working group. to characterize sugar glider rva in detail, ... | 2016 | 26902884 |
| friends with benefits: the role of huddling in mixed groups of torpid and normothermic animals. | huddling and torpor are widely used for minimizing heat loss by mammals. despite the questionable energetic benefits from social heterothermy of mixed groups of warm normothermic and cold torpid individuals, the heterothermic australian sugar glider (petaurus breviceps) rests in such groups during the cold season. to unravel why they might do so, we examined torpor expression of two sugar glider groups of four individuals each in outside enclosures during winter. we observed 79 torpor bouts duri ... | 2016 | 26685170 |
| effects of landscape matrix on population connectivity of an arboreal mammal, petaurus breviceps. | ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation is considered a threat to biodiversity as it can create small, isolated populations that are at increased risk of extinction. tree-dependent species are predicted to be highly sensitive to forest and woodland loss and fragmentation, but few studies have tested the influence of different types of landscape matrix on gene flow and population structure of arboreal species. here, we examine the effects of landscape matrix on population structure of the sugar gl ... | 2015 | 26442617 |
| snoozing through the storm: torpor use during a natural disaster. | although storms provide an extreme environmental challenge to organisms and are predicted to increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change, there are no quantitative observations on the behaviour and physiology of animals during natural disasters. we provide the first data on activity and thermal biology of a free-ranging, arboreal mammal during a storm with heavy rain and category 1 cyclone wind speeds. we studied a population of sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps), a species vulnera ... | 2015 | 26073747 |
| captive marsupial nutrition. | marsupials comprise an interesting group of mammals, which are increasingly being kept as pets. few actual feeding trials have been published, although many anecdotal diets have years of usage with good success. marsupials have dental and digestive tract adaptations that allow them to use specific niches in their environments. knowing the diet in the wild is instrumental in designing diets used in captivity. | 2014 | 25155664 |
| molecular identification of cryptosporidium isolates from ill exotic pet animals in japan including a new subtype in cryptosporidium fayeri. | cryptosporidium is an obligate intracellular parasite which can cause fatal diarrheal disease in exotic animals. sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps), hedgehogs (atelerix albiventris), chinchillas (chinchilla lanigera), and common leopard geckos (eublepharis macularius) are popular exotic animals commonly sold in pet shops in japan. we herein investigated the species and subtypes of cryptosporidium in these animals. cryptosporidium fayeri was detected in a sugar glider in a japanese animal hospita ... | 2020 | 32862916 |
| pathology of the exotic companion mammal gastrointestinal system. | a variety of disease agents can affect the gastrointestinal tract of the exotic companion mammal, some of which can pose zoonotic health concerns. many conditions present with nonspecific clinical signs (lethargy, variable degrees of diarrhea, and for most sick rodents, presenting hunched with spiky fur), necessitating additional laboratory testing to reach a diagnosis. primary tumors of the digestive tract are also presented as well as miscellaneous conditions ranging from toxins to trauma. | 2014 | 24767738 |
| aerodynamic force generation, performance and control of body orientation during gliding in sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps). | gliding has often been discussed in the literature as a possible precursor to powered flight in vertebrates, but few studies exist on the mechanics of gliding in living animals. in this study i analyzed the 3d kinematics of sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps) during short glides in an enclosed space. short segments of the glide were captured on video, and the positions of marked anatomical landmarks were used to compute linear distances and angles, as well as whole body velocities and acceleratio ... | 2007 | 17644674 |
| iron storage disorders in captive wild mammals: the comparative evidence. | excessive burden of iron, or iron storage disease (isd), has been reported in a large variety of captive mammal species, including browsing rhinoceroses; tapirs; fruit bats; lemurs; marmosets and some other primates; sugar gliders; hyraxes; some rodents and lagomorphs; dolphins; and some carnivores; including procyonids and pinnipeds. this report collates the comparative evidence for species' susceptibility, recognizing that the data for mammal species are limited. differences reported in the oc ... | 2012 | 23156701 |
| kinematics of quadrupedal locomotion in sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps): effects of age and substrate size. | arboreal mammals face unique challenges to locomotor stability. this is particularly true with respect to juveniles, who must navigate substrates similar to those traversed by adults, despite a reduced body size and neuromuscular immaturity. kinematic differences exhibited by juveniles and adults on a given arboreal substrate could therefore be due to differences in body size relative to substrate size, to differences in neuromuscular development, or to both. we tested the effects of relative bo ... | 2012 | 22246257 |
| disease overview of the urinary tract in exotic companion mammals and tips on clinical management. | diseases of the urinary tract are reviewed, covering infectious (bacterial, viral, parasitic), degenerative, congenital, metabolic, nutritional, neoplastic, obstructive, and toxic causes. some clinical presentations and diagnostic procedures are described for ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, rats, chinchillas, hedgehogs, and sugar gliders, as well as therapies. | 2020 | 31759446 |
| prevalence and zoonotic risk of tropical rat mite (ornithonyssus bacoti) in exotic companion mammals in southern italy. | exotic companion mammals are popular pets worldwide. they are a potential source of zoonotic infections transmissible to their owners. | 2018 | 30191614 |
| is primate-like quadrupedalism necessary for fine-branch locomotion? a test using sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps). | locomotor features shared by arboreal marsupials and primates are frequently cited as a functional complex that evolved in the context of a "fine branch niche." adaptation to a fine branch niche cannot be understood without considering that small and large arboreal mammals may differ in their biomechanical response to a given branch size. we tested the effects of substrate diameter and orientation on quadrupedal kinematics in a small arboreal marsupial (the sugar glider, petaurus breviceps). p. ... | 2010 | 20153016 |
| seasonally constant field metabolic rates in free-ranging sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps). | sugar gliders, petaurus breviceps (average body mass: 120 g) like other small wild mammals must cope with seasonal changes in food availability and weather and therefore thermoregulatory and energetic challenges. to determine whether free-ranging sugar gliders, an arboreal marsupial, seasonally adjust their energy expenditure and water use, we quantified field metabolic rates (fmr) and water flux at a seasonal cool-temperate site in eastern australia. thirty six male and female sugar gliders wer ... | 2010 | 19931634 |
| a novel technique for orchiectomy and scrotal ablation in the sugar glider (petaurus breviceps). | in this report, we describe a simple, safe, and efficacious technique for orchiectomy and scrotal ablation with the use of a carbon dioxide light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (laser) in sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps). the study population included nine sugar gliders, ages 2-24 mo, presented for orchiectomy. after induction of general anesthesia, orchiectomy and scrotal ablation were performed by severing the scrotal stalk with the laser. all sugar gliders were discharged ... | 2009 | 19368264 |
| feeding behavior and nutrition of the sugar glider (petaurus breviceps). | despite the sugar glider's popularity as a pet and a long-term history of captive management in zoologic institutions, little is known concerning their specific nutritional requirements, apart from low basal energy and protein needs. sugar gliders feed on plant and insect exudates-saps, gums, nectar, manna, honeydew, and lerp-as energy sources and rely on pollen and arthropods for dietary protein. captive diets based on nutritionally balanced, commercially available products developed for other ... | 2009 | 19341949 |
| thermal biology, torpor and behaviour in sugar gliders: a laboratory-field comparison. | most studies on animal physiology and behaviour are conducted in captivity without verification that data are representative of free-ranging animals. we provide the first quantitative comparison of daily torpor, thermal biology and activity patterns, conducted on two groups of sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps, marsupialia) exposed to similar thermal conditions, one in captivity and the other in the field. our study shows that activity in captive gliders in an outdoor aviary is restricted to the ... | 2007 | 17549496 |
| to use or not to use torpor? activity and body temperature as predictors. | when food is limited and/or environmental conditions are unfavourable, many mammals reduce activity and use torpor to save energy. nevertheless, reliable predictors for torpor occurrence, especially in the wild, are currently not available. interrelations between torpor use and other energy conserving strategies are also poorly understood. we tested the hypothesis that reductions in normothermic body temperature (t(b)) and the period of activity before torpor events could be used as predictors f ... | 2007 | 17252241 |
| toxoplasmosis in a colony of sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps). | eleven of a group of 16 sugar gliders died acutely over a period of 2 to 3 weeks. histopathologic examination revealed a protozoal infection with tachyzoites present in multiple organs, including the intestine, heart, brain, spleen, pancreas, adrenal gland, and kidney. immunostaining confirmed disseminated toxoplasmosis. marsupials are susceptible to toxoplasmosis. it was thought that the sugar gliders acquired the infection through foraging in wood chips used as a substrate that were contaminat ... | 2006 | 16931382 |
| sugar glider allergy: identification of serum specific ige. | | 2004 | 15446294 |
| seasonal changes in the thermoenergetics of the marsupial sugar glider, petaurus breviceps. | little information is available on seasonal changes in thermal physiology and energy expenditure in marsupials. to provide new information on the subject, we quantified how body mass, body composition, metabolic rate, maximum heat production, body temperature and thermal conductance change with season in sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps) held in outdoor aviaries. sugar gliders increased body mass in autumn to a peak in may/june, which was caused to a large extent by an increase in body fat cont ... | 2001 | 11765973 |
| maintenance nitrogen requirement of an obligate nectarivore, the honey possum, tarsipes rostratus. | a nitrogen balance feeding trial was carried out with the marsupial honey possum, tarsipes rostratus, using four pollen-honey diets varying in nitrogen content from 9.4 mg.g(-1) to 2.3 mg.g(-1) dry matter. the dietary maintenance nitrogen requirement (mnr) was determined by regression analysis as 89 +/- 21 mg n.kg(-0.75).day(-1) and the truly digestible mnr was 79 mg n.kg(-0.75).day(-1). regressing nitrogen balance on daily nitrogen intake separately for ten males and seven females revealed that ... | 2001 | 11263727 |
| effects of helium/oxygen and temperature on aerobic metabolism in the marsupial sugar glider, petaurus breviceps. | helox (79% helium and 21% oxygen) has often been used for thermobiological studies, primarily because helium is thought to be metabolically inert and to produce no adverse effects other than increasing heat loss. however, these assumptions have been questioned. as basal metabolic rate (bmr) represents maintenance energy requirements for vital body functions, potential physiological effects of helox should be reflected in changes of bmr. in this study, sugar gliders were subjected to both air and ... | 2013 | 11247741 |
| torpor and activity patterns in free-ranging sugar gliders petaurus breviceps (marsupialia). | almost all studies on daily torpor in mammals have been conducted in the laboratory under constant environmental conditions. we investigated torpor and activity patterns in free-ranging sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps, 100 g) using temperature telemetry and compared field data with published information obtained in the laboratory. body and/or skin temperature and activity patterns of 12 sugar gliders were monitored from autumn to spring. healthy sugar gliders were active between sunset and sun ... | 2000 | 28308589 |
| functional anatomy of gliding membrane muscles in the sugar glider (petaurus breviceps). | in order to clarify the morphological adaptation for gliding behavior in the marsupial mammals, the gliding membrane muscles in the sugar glider (petaurus breviceps) were observed. unlike the styliform cartilage in flying squirrels, the sugar glider has a well-developed tibiocarpalis muscle in the most lateral area of the gliding membrane. the gliding membrane substantially consists of the humerodorsalis and tibioabdominalis muscle complex. we believe that the thick tibiocarpalis bundle and the ... | 1998 | 9488912 |
| behavioral and endocrinological correlates of social status in the male sugar glider (petaurus breviceps marsupialia: petauridae). | socially dominant male sugar gliders are heavier than socially subordinate males, have higher plasma testosterone and lower cortisol concentrations, win more social encounters, scan the arena more, scent-mark more, and are more active and move more quickly, even though they spend more time in the colony nesting box. when they are transferred into a foreign stable colony there is an impressive reversal of behavioral measures and a concomitant decrease in concentration of plasma testosterone and r ... | 1994 | 8047580 |
| cutaneous lymphosarcoma in a sugar glider. | | 1992 | 1605794 |
| seasonal changes in plasma androgens, glucocorticoids and glucocorticoid-binding proteins in the marsupial sugar glider petaurus breviceps. | an investigation spanning two breeding seasons was carried out to examine endocrine changes associated with reproduction in a wild population of the marsupial sugar glider petaurus breviceps, a small arboreal gliding possum. using techniques of equilibrium dialysis and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at steady-state conditions, a high-affinity, low-capacity glucocorticoid-binding protein was demonstrated in the plasma of petaurus breviceps. equilibrium dialysis at 36 degrees c using cortisol ... | 1992 | 1737956 |
| measurement of short-term changes in heart rate and in plasma concentrations of cortisol and catecholamine in a small marsupial. | using a chronically placed jugular catheter and a silver electrode, it was possible to monitor short-term changes in the plasma concentration of cortisol and catecholamine in the marsupial sugar glider (petaurus breviceps) and to monitor both heart and respiration rates. males judged to be low in the social hierarchy of a particular group were exposed to the whole-body odor of a dominant male from the same social group, a foreign dominant male, or a castrate male. while there was no evidence of ... | 1991 | 24257794 |
| laminated lateral geniculate in the nocturnal marsupial petaurus breviceps (sugar glider). | | 1969 | 5807770 |
| the gaits of marsupials and the evolution of diagonal-sequence walking in primates. | documenting the variety of quadrupedal walking gaits in a variety of marsupials (arboreal vs. terrestrial, with and without grasping hind feet), to aid in developing and refining a general theory of gait evolution in primates. | 2020 | 31762016 |
| the external ear morphology and presence of tragi in australian marsupials. | multiple studies have described the anatomy and function of the external ear (pinna) of bats, and other placental mammals, however, studies of marsupial pinna are largely absent. in bats, the tragus appears to be especially important for locating and capturing insect prey. in this study, we aimed to investigate the pinnae of australian marsupials, with a focus on the presence/absence of tragi and how they may relate to diet. we investigated 23 australian marsupial species with varying diets. the ... | 2020 | 33005349 |
| morphology of the lingual papillae of the japanese lesser flying squirrel and four-toed hedgehog. | author examined the dorsal lingual surfaces of the adult japanese lesser flying squirrel (pteromys momonga) and four-toed hedgehog (atelerix albiventris) by scanning electron microscopy. in the japanese lesser flying squirrel, the filiform papilla of the lingual body consisted of a large conical papilla. the filiform papilla of the lingual prominence was spoon in shape. the fungiform papillae were round in shape and scattered among the filiform papillae. many foliate papillae were observed on th ... | 2019 | 31462621 |
| dental signatures for exudativory in living primates, with comparisons to other gouging mammals. | exudativory, the consumption of gums, is an obligate or a facultative dietary niche for some primates and marsupials. exudativory has been cited as a dietary niche that may have been present in early primates, so finding a dental signature for exudativory is highly desirable. the present study combines exudativorous lorisoids (galagos and lorises) into one sample to compare to closely related, non-exudativorous lorisoids to search for a consistent dental signature of exudativory. linear measurem ... | 2020 | 30548805 |
| microbiological survey of sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps) kept as pets in italy. | the sugar glider (petaurus breviceps) is a small, arboreal, nocturnal, gliding mammalian possum belonging to the marsupial infraclass. exotic marsupials, including sugar gliders, are becoming popular companion pets and, consequently, the risk of potential infections that can be transmitted to humans should be investigated. data on the role of the sugar glider as a possible carrier of pathogenic and zoonotic bacteria are scarce and fragmentary. therefore, this study is aimed at evaluating the pre ... | 2019 | 31618795 |
| husbandry and medical care of callitrichids. | callitrichids, marmosets and tamarins are small central and south american nonhuman primates. all are considered threatened in the wild and many are on the endangered species list (convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora: appendix 1). because of their small size and anthropomorphic appeal, people are interested in owning callitrichids as pets. hand-raised bottle-fed babies are quite charming until sexual maturity, at which time they often become aggressive ... | 2014 | 32288682 |
| identification of uncultured bacteria from abscesses of exotic pet animals using broad-range nested 16s rrna polymerase chain reaction and sanger sequencing. | the sanger sequencing technique has been questioned and challenged by advanced high-throughput sequencing approaches. sanger sequencing seems to be an obsolete technology. however, there are still research problems that could be answered using the sanger sequencing technology. fastidious obligate anaerobic bacteria are mostly associated with abscesses in animals. these bacteria are difficult to isolate from abscesses and are frequently excluded due to the bias of conventional bacterial culturing ... | 2019 | 31849415 |
| swift declines predicted following mating system changes driven by an introduced predator. | in focus: heinsohn, r., olah, g., webb, m., peakall, r., & stojanovic, d. (2019). sex ratio bias and shared paternity reduce individual fitness and population viability in a critically endangered parrot. journal of animal ecology, 88, 502-510. while the effects of variation in the sex ratio of offspring have been thoroughly explored over the last century, the sex ratio of adults has received far less attention. a paper by heinsohn and colleagues in this issue shows that changes in the adult sex ... | 2019 | 30957877 |
| the origin of exotic pet sugar gliders (petaurus breviceps) kept in the united states of america. | the demand for exotic non-domesticated animals kept as pets in the united states of america (usa) is increasing the exportation rates of these species from their native ranges. often, illegal harvesting of these species is used to boost captive-bred numbers and meet this demand. one such species, the sugar glider (petaurus breviceps), endemic to australia and new guinea is a popular domestic pet due to its small size and "cute" demeanour. despite a legal avenue for trade existing in indonesia, c ... | 2019 | 30643698 |
| sex ratio bias and shared paternity reduce individual fitness and population viability in a critically endangered parrot. | sex-biased mortality can lead to altered adult sex ratios (asrs), which may in turn lead to harassment and lower fitness of the rarer sex and changes in the mating system. female critically endangered swift parrots (lathamus discolor) suffer high predation while nesting due to an introduced mammalian predator, the sugar glider (petaurus breviceps). high predation on females is causing severe population decline alongside strongly biased adult sex ratios (≥73% male). our 6-year study showed that 5 ... | 2019 | 30511387 |