Tigerhomes.org - Bottle Feeding Exotics
By: Jason Abels – Assistant Director www.tigerhomes.org Animal Sanctuary
The decision to Bottle
Feed an Exotic Animal is
one that should be carefully analyzed as each species has
very specific individual Neonatal
Requirements.
In an effort to keep this section short and simple I will
avoid
discussing each and every reason for choosing “Bottle
Feeding”, as there
are many pros and cons. I will say that of all the Bottle
Fed Tigers, Lions, Leopards
and Primates I have raised, the decision to take over as
a Surrogate Mom was due to necessity. In each case Infant
Mortality was a high risk with out Human Intervention.
For example, it is not uncommon for young 1st time Feline
Mothers as well as Primate
Mothers to totally abandon their 1st born offspring or
litter.
It is also not uncommon for
older Geriatric Animals, both in primates and felines not
to Produce Milk, or enough milk for Multiple Infants. In
either case, in many instances it is necessary for Exotic
Baby Animals to be “Bottle Fed”.
Jason Bottle feeding "Tundra"
baby white tiger cub.
-------------------
See Tundra and Loki on
the Sanctuary's
Web Cams.
|
 |
As
I sit here writing this piece a Baby
Black Leopard Cub the Tiger Homes Sanctuary adopted is fast asleep
next to me after her 2:30 AM feeding. I am getting ready
to sleep until I have to wake again at 5:30 AM. I am
mentioning this because this is one of the main factors
in Hand Rearing Infant Exotics. You
are up all day and all night. It seems regardless of
the species; the 1st
week of life they almost all need a feeding every 2-3
hours (sometimes more, sometimes less) 24/7. As they
get older assuming they meet their species specific Developmental
Targets this frequency can be adjusted. Currently, Midnight,
the Sanctuary’s Baby Leopard Cub is being fed every
2-4 hours as needed. This varies not only with each species
but with each baby as well, just like with Human Babies.
Continue with
Bottle Feeding Exotics >>
<< More Behind the Scenes
Discuss this Topic in the Forum - Ask Questions
Adopt a Sanctuary Animal
|
