In Australia we’ve entered into Autumn and you can truly feel the shift in weather! As the weather cools down, there are certain cases that start to pop up more for exotic vets and many pet parents are unaware of some of these seasonal trends so I thought we could chat about it. Some of the most common seasonal presentations we see in Autumn/Winter are: 🦎 Reptiles entering brumation and getting sick during or after brumation- as the temperatures start to drop reptiles (in the wild) naturally enter a hibernation period called brumation. While this is essential for breeding reptiles I do not recommend a strict brumation for most pet reptiles because it’s very hard to replicate the micro-climates created by nooks and crannies in the wild environment eg under rocks, shrubbery etc and often we tend to overshoot creating an environment that’s too cold. This leads to immune suppression and increased risk of infections like respiratory infections. Lowering the temperatures gradually by 1-2 degrees is usually okay but often the lower ambient temperature will naturally bring it down any way. 🐇 Rabbits entering moult/shedding —> increased fur ingestion and this can increase susceptibility to gastrointestinal stasis or bloat/obstructions. Rabbits are normally ingesting fur every day but when they are moulting they are ingesting even more fur. It’s normal to have fur in their digestive tract but if they have an excessive amount this can increase their risk of stasis or bloat, especially with a trigger like dehydration or low hay intake. That’s why it’s important to brush and/or manually remove loose fur daily when they are shedding. 🐀 Rodents and respiratory disease - small rodents, especially ratties are notorious for respiratory disease. Respiratory disease in rats and mice can be caused by a number of bacteria and viruses bite environmental factors play a role. Dry, cold air can be harsh on their sensitive airways and we can see breakouts of respiratory disease in the cooler months, although it is something that can wax and wane all year. Keeping their environment dry and clean, using low dust substrate, feeding a nutrient dense, mostly plant-based diet and keeping rats lean can help reduce risk and severity. Air purifiers and humidifiers can help too!