Senegal bushbaby (lesser galago) case method: 50 questions

10 p.m. on a January night. A 3-year-old male bushbaby, who normally starts bounding around as soon as it gets dark, has not come out of his nest box. Peeking in, you see him curled up and motionless; touching him gently, his body is cold. Half of last night's evening meal was left uneaten. Checking the thermometer, you find the panel heater has been unplugged and the room has dropped to 17°C. When you speak to him, he weakly opens his eyes but cannot move on his own.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Blow a hair dryer's hot air directly on him to warm him up fast, and wait for him to start moving
2. Wrap him in a towel, warm him gradually with a cloth-wrapped hand warmer, dab a little sugar water on the corner of his mouth and call the hospital right now
3. Plug the heater back in, leave him quietly in the nest box until the room warms up, and see the vet first thing in the morning
4. Force crickets into his mouth to get some energy into him and see if he recovers

AnswerB. Wrap him in a towel, warm him gradually with a cloth-wrapped hand warmer, dab a little sugar water on the corner of his mouth and call the hospital right now

ExplanationAt 100–300 g, a bushbaby loses body heat easily, and below 20°C is the hypothermia danger zone. Curled up, motionless and cold means hypothermia combined with hypoglycemia, an emergency; the manual lists 'seizures, unconsciousness, cold body' as a call-now sign. Wrap him in a towel, warm gradually with a cloth-wrapped hand warmer, dab sugar water on the corner of the mouth if he is conscious to supply sugar, and transport while on the phone. Direct hot air warms only the surface, dilating blood vessels and causing shock. Waiting until morning lets hypoglycemia progress to seizures. Putting solid insects into a semi-conscious animal's mouth causes aspiration.

IssuesThe unplugged heater went unnoticed until nighttime. There was no habit of checking the thermometer, and keeping the winter night temperature above 24°C depended on a single plug. The warning sign of leftover food the night before was also missed.

ImprovementPlace a thermo-hygrometer at eye level on the cage and check it at every evening feeding. Secure the heater in an outlet that cannot be pulled loose, and keep cloth-wrapped hand warmers on hand for power failures or breakdowns. Watch especially closely the day after any food is left uneaten.

A 2-year-old female. Her diet has been mostly mealworms and banana, which she loves, so that is all she has been given. Over the past week she has jumped from branch to branch less often, and twice you saw her stumble on landing and fall to the floor. Tonight she is dragging her right hind leg and is hesitant even climbing down from the nest box. She has an appetite, and cries in protest when touched, but there is no bleeding.

What is the most appropriate response tonight?

1. Remove the branches, move her to a low, small cage to rest, and see the vet the same day for X-rays
2. Sprinkle plenty of calcium supplement on her food and watch for several weeks to see if she improves
3. Assume lack of exercise, increase her free-roam time and observe how she uses the leg
4. Crush a human calcium supplement into fruit and give it daily

AnswerA. Remove the branches, move her to a low, small cage to rest, and see the vet the same day for X-rays

ExplanationA diet of only mealworms and fruit causes calcium deficiency, the classic cause of metabolic bone disease. 'Cannot jump, stumbles on landing, drags hind legs' are the manual's signs of metabolic bone disease; the bones may be brittle and already have microfractures. First remove the branches, rest her in a low, small cage where she cannot jump to prevent further fractures, and see the vet the same day for X-rays to assess bone condition and check for fractures. Adding calcium alone will not heal a fracture and delays diagnosis. More exercise will break the weakened bones. Human supplements are the wrong dose and should never be given without a vet's diagnosis.

IssuesThe owner kept feeding only favorite foods and did not understand the importance of nutritional balance. The reduced jumping a week earlier was the warning sign, yet a vet visit was not considered until two falls had been seen.

ImprovementSwitch the staple diet to crickets, a species-specific food and acacia gum, and dust insects with calcium. Reduce fruit and mealworms to side dishes. Discuss installing a UVB lamp with the vet and get X-rays once a year. Log changes in jumping frequency in a diary.

A 5-year-old male. For the past few days you have noticed bad breath when approaching the cage, and the fur around his mouth is wet with drool. Tonight he picks up a cricket but drops it right away, eating only soft mealworms. His face is not swollen and he is jumping energetically. His usual diet is mostly mealworms and commercial jelly, with few hard insects.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Force his mouth wide open to check the teeth and scrape off any visible tartar with a toothpick
2. Apply a human mouth-ulcer medicine or toothpaste to his gums with a finger
3. Give more hard insects so the teeth clean naturally, and wait a month to see if the bad breath goes away
4. Switch to soft food, do not force the mouth open, and see the vet within a few days for an oral exam

AnswerD. Switch to soft food, do not force the mouth open, and see the vet within a few days for an oral exam

ExplanationBad breath, drooling and refusing hard insects are the three classic signs of periodontal disease and tartar listed in the manual. A soft-food diet does not clean the teeth, tartar builds up, and if left alone it progresses to tooth root abscesses and facial swelling. Without facial swelling or loss of appetite it is not an emergency, but see the vet within a few days for an oral exam. Until then, keep him eating with soft food. An amateur opening the mouth to scrape tartar damages the gums, and the struggling risks fractures. Human medicines have unknown ingredients and cause poisoning when licked. Adding hard insects now will not remove existing tartar, and the pain will stop him eating.

IssuesA soft-food diet gave no opportunity for the teeth to be cleaned naturally, and no oral exams had been done. There was no habit of observing the mouth until the bad breath was noticed near the cage.

ImprovementMake hard-shelled crickets and acacia gum the staple diet, creating daily chewing opportunities. Have a vet oral exam once a year. At each feeding, watch for drool around the mouth and how he eats, and record any insect-dropping behavior.

A 4-year-old male. He weighed 180 g six months ago, but today he weighs 245 g. He gets 30 mealworms as treats every night, plus as many grapes and apples as he wants. Lately he spends long periods sitting still on a branch and no longer makes the high jumps he used to. The skin of his belly sags and he moves sluggishly. His appetite is hearty and his stool is normal.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Fast him for 2–3 days to drop the weight quickly
2. Wake him during the day for free-roam time to increase exercise
3. Cut back mealworms and fruit, switch to crickets and a species-specific food, record weight weekly and have the vet check his liver
4. He has an appetite and normal stool, so keep things as they are and watch

AnswerC. Cut back mealworms and fruit, switch to crickets and a species-specific food, record weight weekly and have the vet check his liver

ExplanationA weight gain of over 30% in six months, less jumping and a sagging belly are signs of obesity, which progresses to fatty liver if ignored. Mealworms are high in fat and fruit is high in sugar. Return the staple diet to crickets and a species-specific food, and reduce mealworms and fruit to side dishes. Record weight once a week and have the vet check the liver with blood tests and other exams. The visit can be within a few days. Fasting is strictly forbidden: in a small primate it causes hypoglycemia and worsens fatty liver. Waking a nocturnal animal by day is severely stressful and counterproductive. Ignoring it because he still eats can end in sudden death from fatty liver.

IssuesTreats were given on demand with no set amount, and he had not been weighed for six months. The reduced jumping was not connected to obesity, and the good appetite was taken as reassurance.

ImprovementSet a daily food amount and limit mealworms to occasional rewards. Ensure exercise with foraging play, letting him chase live crickets. Weigh him on a kitchen scale at the same time every week, graph it, and review the diet at a 5% change.

A 1-year-old female acquired two weeks ago. She has had soft stool since arrival, and three days ago it became watery diarrhea. Tonight she will not touch her food, and when you touch her body the spine is prominent; she is thin. The fur around her anus is soiled with feces, and you think you saw something white and thread-like in the bedding. You do not know whether the pet shop ever did a fecal exam.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Give a small dose of human anti-diarrhea medicine and see if the stool firms up
2. Bag a stool sample and photograph it, keep her warm with water available, and see the vet the same day
3. Throw out all the bedding, disinfect, and withhold water and fruit until the diarrhea stops
4. Look it up online and try switching her to fresh wild-caught insects

AnswerB. Bag a stool sample and photograph it, keep her warm with water available, and see the vet the same day

ExplanationDiarrhea right after acquisition, weight loss, a soiled anal area and apparent worms in the stool are the classic picture of parasitic disease in the manual. Watery stool with loss of appetite meets the same-day criteria. Bagging the stool and bringing a photo allows immediate diagnosis by fecal exam. A tiny body quickly becomes dehydrated and hypothermic from diarrhea, so keep her warm with water available until the visit. Human anti-diarrhea medicine is the wrong dose and masks symptoms while leaving the parasites. Throwing out the bedding loses the sample; withholding water worsens dehydration. Wild-caught insects bring in pesticides and other parasites, making things worse.

IssuesThe owner did not confirm a fecal exam at intake and did not see a vet during the two weeks of soft stool. There was insufficient understanding of the importance of fecal exams and of how dangerous diarrhea is for a 100–300 g animal.

ImprovementHave a fecal exam within a few days of acquiring a new animal, then 1–2 times a year. Buy live insects from a reliable supplier. Check stool daily and set a rule to see the vet after 2 days of soft stool. Make a habit of photographing stool.

Returning in the morning from an overnight trip, you find your 6-year-old female lying on the floor outside the nest box, limbs rigid and twitching in a seizure. You now realize you forgot to set out the evening meal before leaving. The room is 24°C, but her body feels cold. Her eyes are open but she does not respond to your voice, and there is foam around her mouth.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Pour plenty of sugar water into her mouth to raise her blood sugar
2. Hold her body down with your hands to stop the seizure and calm her
3. Record a video and wait for the seizure to subside on its own
4. Put nothing in her mouth; wrap her in a towel with a cloth-wrapped hand warmer and transport right now while calling the hospital

AnswerD. Put nothing in her mouth; wrap her in a towel with a cloth-wrapped hand warmer and transport right now while calling the hospital

ExplanationA small primate that misses its evening feeding becomes hypoglycemic overnight, its body cools, and seizures follow. The manual lists 'seizures, unconsciousness, cold body' as a call-now sign. An animal cannot swallow during a seizure, so pouring in sugar water causes aspiration, leading to pneumonia or choking. Dabbing sugar water on the corner of the mouth is only for an animal that is conscious and able to swallow. First wrap her in a towel, keep her warm with a cloth-wrapped hand warmer, call the hospital, and transport without jolting while following their instructions. Holding her down causes fractures and bites. A video can help describe the situation, but filming at the expense of transport lets brain damage progress.

IssuesThe pre-trip feeding was forgotten and there was no checking system. Preventing hypothermia and hypoglycemia requires both 'above 24°C at night' and 'never skip the evening feeding', but the owner was reassured by temperature alone. There was no arrangement for monitoring during absence.

ImprovementBefore any overnight absence, use a departure checklist covering food, water, temperature and heater. If possible, ask family or a friend to do the evening feeding, and check nighttime activity with a monitoring camera. Write the conditions for using and not using sugar water on paper and post it on the cage.

A 3-year-old male kept by the living-room window. The TV is on during the day and family members come and go constantly. Two weeks ago the fur at the base of his tail and on both arms began to thin, and tonight he is repeatedly biting the skin of his arm. At night he paces back and forth over the same spot in the cage again and again, and there is only one branch to jump to. The bald patches have no redness or scabs, and no clear circular border.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. See the vet to rule out ringworm and similar conditions, then make the daytime dark and quiet and add hideouts and branches to jump to
2. Apply a human anti-itch or skin medicine to the bald patches and see if it heals
3. Make a homemade cardboard collar for his neck so he cannot bite
4. Move the cage to a bright spot and observe him during the day as well to watch the behavior closely

AnswerA. See the vet to rule out ringworm and similar conditions, then make the daytime dark and quiet and add hideouts and branches to jump to

ExplanationThin fur on the tail or arms, skin biting and repetitive movements are the three classic signs of stress-related hair loss in the manual. The light and noise of the window and TV plus a single-branch environment are the likely causes. However, hair loss also occurs with diseases transmissible to humans such as ringworm, so see the vet within a few days to rule these out while improving the environment at the same time. Keep him in a dark, quiet room by day, provide several hideouts and branches spaced for jumping, and create foraging behavior by hunting live crickets. Human medicines cause poisoning when licked and delay diagnosis. A homemade collar prevents jumping and grooming, causing fractures and new stress. Moving him to a bright place is the worst possible response for a nocturnal animal.

IssuesA nocturnal bushbaby was kept by the window in the living room, the center of household life, with no daytime darkness or quiet. A single branch satisfies neither jumping nor foraging behavior; the barren environment was the source of stress.

ImprovementMove the cage to a dark, quiet room by day and cover it completely with a cloth cover. Fix a wooden nest box at the top and provide several hideouts. Place branches and shelves at jumping distance, rearrange them occasionally, and release live crickets for foraging play every night. Photograph the extent of hair loss for records.

A 7-year-old female. You weigh her every Sunday; she has dropped from 200 g last week to 188 g this week. Thinking back, she has been eating less for several days and sometimes drops a cricket halfway through. Her jumping and coat are as usual, and her stool is formed. You notice no particular bad breath. Part of you wants to believe it was just bad timing on the scale.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Let her lick her favorite honey from your finger to get the weight back
2. Add more fruit to make up the calories and wait until next week's weigh-in
3. Record food intake, stool and behavior, and see the vet the same day with the weight history
4. She is lively with a good coat, so watch for about a month

AnswerC. Record food intake, stool and behavior, and see the vet the same day with the weight history

ExplanationThe manual lists 'lost 5% or more of body weight in one week' as a clear sign to see the vet. 200 g to 188 g is a 6% loss, accompanied by reduced eating and dropping insects. Causes range from dental or mouth pain to parasites and organ disease, and in a small body this progresses to dangerous hypoglycemia or weakness within days. The safe course is to bring records of food intake, stool and behavior plus the weight history and see the vet the same day. Honey is a human food banned in the manual and solves nothing. More fruit unbalances the diet, and a month of watching can be too late.

IssuesDespite the good habit of weekly weighing, the wish to believe the number was 'just an error' dulled the decision to see the vet. The reduced appetite and insect-dropping of recent days were not connected to the weight loss.

ImprovementWrite down 5% weight loss as a 'same-day vet' threshold and share it with the family. At every evening feeding, record how many insects were eaten and left, and see the vet if a change lasts 2 days. Post the contact details of a hospital that treats primates next to the weight chart.

1 a.m. on an August night. Your 2-year-old male, just returned from free-roam time, sits on a branch with his mouth open and chest heaving rapidly. The air conditioning is working and the room is 27°C, but he was bounding around a lot during free-roam. After 5 minutes his breathing has not settled, and you hear a snorting sound. His eyes are open, but he does not bound over to you as he usually does.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Point a fan directly at him to cool his body and wait for the breathing to settle
2. Put him in a dark, quiet small box to avoid stimulation and call the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital right now
3. Immerse his body in cold water to bring his temperature down fast
4. He is just excited, so watch until morning and see the vet if he has not settled

AnswerB. Put him in a dark, quiet small box to avoid stimulation and call the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital right now

ExplanationThe manual lists 'open-mouth breathing or rapid breathing' as a call-now sign. Bushbabies naturally breathe through the nose; open-mouth breathing indicates a serious condition such as lung or heart disease, heatstroke or chest trauma. Even after exercise, more than 5 minutes is outside the normal range. First put him in a dark, quiet small box to reduce stimulation and oxygen demand, then call the emergency (after-hours) animal hospital, confirm they can handle primates, and transport. A direct fan makes him struggle, increasing oxygen demand. Immersion in cold water causes shock from the rapid temperature drop. If respiratory failure progresses while waiting for morning, it is irreversible.

IssuesThe owner had not checked for collisions or falls during free-roam and lacked the knowledge to tell abnormal breathing from excitement. The emergency (after-hours) hospital's number had not been looked up in advance, so the decision took time.

ImprovementLearn the normal breathing rate (about 40–60 per minute) and routinely observe how breathing looks at rest. Turn off ceiling lights and fans before free-roam to prevent collisions. Post the number of an emergency (after-hours) hospital that treats primates on the cage, and keep a dark transport box ready.

A 9-year-old male. Brown dirt has built up inside his large ears, and there is an unpleasant smell when you get close. He shakes his head more often and scratches his ears with his forepaws. His grooming seems to have decreased: the fur on his back is unkempt and clumped. He has an appetite, but spends less time bounding around than usual. You recall the vet once telling you 'the ears soil easily'.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Insert a cotton swab deep into the ear and thoroughly remove the dirt
2. Drip a few drops of human ear drops to reduce the inflammation
3. Tidy the fur on his back with a human brush and wait for the ears to heal on their own
4. Do not touch the ears; photograph the dirt and note the smell, and see the vet within a few days

AnswerD. Do not touch the ears; photograph the dirt and note the smell, and see the vet within a few days

ExplanationThe manual says 'the large ears soil easily. Dirt or odor: see a vet.' Smelly dirt, head shaking and ear scratching indicate a condition needing treatment, such as otitis externa or mites. Unkempt fur is a sign of illness; ear discomfort may be reducing his grooming. It is not an emergency, but see the vet within a few days and have the ears examined. A cotton swab pushed deep can injure the eardrum or ear canal, and struggling risks fractures. Human ear drops used without knowing the cause can make things worse. Bushbabies groom themselves with the tooth comb of the lower jaw; a human brush is unnecessary and leaves the cause of the unkempt fur unaddressed.

IssuesDespite having been told 'the ears soil easily', there was no habit of regularly inspecting the inside of the ears. Unkempt fur was not understood as a sign of illness.

ImprovementOnce a week, under a red light, inspect the inside of the ears and the coat and record with photos. If you notice dirt or odor, do not treat it yourself; see the vet. Log grooming frequency and coat changes in a diary as health indicators.

A 6-year-old female. This morning, when she poked her head out of the nest box, you noticed her left cheek was round and swollen. When you try to touch it she turns her face away in protest. Last night she left several crickets uneaten and her mouth was wet with drool. The swelling looks warm. You suspect pus has collected and feel an urge to squeeze it out.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Do not touch the swelling; offer soft food, do not force the mouth open, and see the vet the same day
2. Press the swelling with your fingers to squeeze out the pus, wipe with antiseptic and watch
3. Hold a warm towel against the cheek to improve circulation and wait for the swelling to go down
4. Crush leftover antibiotics from an earlier prescription into her food

AnswerA. Do not touch the swelling; offer soft food, do not force the mouth open, and see the vet the same day

ExplanationFacial swelling in a bushbaby is most often a tooth root abscess. The manual's response to 'swollen face' is 'do not touch; offer soft food and see a vet the same day. Do not force the mouth open.' A root abscess is very painful, and once she stops eating a small body weakens quickly, so see the vet that day for appropriate treatment such as extraction or antibiotics. Squeezing the pus destroys tissue and spreads infection, and her struggling causes bites and fractures. Warmth increases inflammation and pain. Leftover prescription drugs are the wrong dose and duration, breed resistant bacteria and delay diagnosis.

IssuesThe warning signs of leftover food and drooling the night before were overlooked. Periodontal disease is preventable with daily oral care, but she may have lacked opportunities to chew hard insects and acacia gum. The owner did not know the danger of amateur pus-squeezing.

ImprovementMake hard-shelled crickets and acacia gum the staple diet and have an oral exam once a year. Check for drool and how she eats at every feeding. Set a rule that facial swelling, bad breath and dropping insects mean 'same-day vet', and know the hours of a hospital that treats primates.

A 13-year-old male. He did not touch last night's evening or late-night meal, and this evening he has not come to look at the dish on the branch. He drank a little water. He is not curled up, but moves sluggishly and travels along the branches instead of jumping. His body is not cold. You think perhaps he is just eating less because of his age, but it bothers you that he has not eaten for over 24 hours.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. He is old, so treat it as a natural dip in appetite and watch for another 2–3 days
2. See the vet the same day with his weight history and diet details
3. Syringe honey into his mouth to supplement nutrition
4. Put out a large pile of his favorite mealworms and wait for him to eat

AnswerB. See the vet the same day with his weight history and diet details

ExplanationThe manual lists 'has not eaten in 24 hours' as a same-day criterion. A 100–300 g bushbaby has little bodily reserve, and a full day of fasting rapidly leads to hypoglycemia and fatty liver. In elderly animals, dental disease or kidney or liver disease is often behind it, and the cause needs to be found quickly. Bringing the weight history, diet and insect types, and photos of stool speeds diagnosis. Watching for 2–3 days lets him weaken in the meantime, possibly beyond rescue. Honey is a human food banned in the manual, and syringing it in causes aspiration. A pile of mealworms does not address why he is not eating, and if he does eat them it is excess fat.

IssuesThe assumption that 'it's just his age' delayed the decision to see the vet. Traveling along branches instead of jumping was also a warning sign, but was not connected to the appetite. The owner did not know that 24 hours without eating is a same-day criterion.

ImprovementOnce he is elderly, have a health check and blood test every six months. Record how much he eats every night; be alert after one missed meal and see the vet at 24 hours. Weigh him once a week and keep a chart ready to bring to the hospital.

11 p.m. During free-roam, your 4-year-old female leaped from a shelf toward the ceiling, slammed into the cover of the ceiling light and fell to the floor. She landed on hardwood flooring and lies there on her side, not moving. She seems to be breathing, and her fingertips twitch slightly. When you approach, her eyes are open but she does not try to flee as she normally would. Her right hind leg looks to be at an unnatural angle.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Splint the leg with chopsticks and a bandage before heading to the hospital
2. Have her try walking on the floor to work out where she is hurt
3. Without touching her, gently place her in a dark box lined with a towel, keep her warm, and see the vet right now
4. Pick her up, stroke her to calm her, and watch until morning

AnswerC. Without touching her, gently place her in a dark box lined with a towel, keep her warm, and see the vet right now

ExplanationBecause bushbabies jump over 2 m, collisions with ceiling lights or window glass followed by falls are typical accidents, with fractures and head or internal injuries. The manual lists 'cannot move after a fall or collision' as a call-now sign, and the first aid is 'do not handle; keep warm and quiet in a dark box. No splint.' Splinting small, thin bones worsens the fracture, and restraint makes her struggle and injure herself further. Making her walk spreads the fracture. Holding and stroking an animal with head or internal injuries means stimulation and jolting, and internal bleeding progresses while waiting for morning. Describe the fall exactly as it happened and have her examined.

IssuesThe ceiling light was not covered before free-roam; safety measures did not match her jumping ability. The landing spot was hardwood with no cushioning.

ImprovementBefore free-roam, dim the lights and cover ceiling lights, fans, mirrors and window glass. Lay cushions or thick blankets below shelves and other climbing spots. Keep a dark transport box and towel ready, and agree as a family on the procedure: after a fall, do not touch, place in the box.

At the evening feeding, the moment you closed the cage door, your 2-year-old male's tail got caught in it. He let out a shrill scream and fled into the nest box; blood is oozing from a spot about 3 cm from the tip of the tail. Only a few drops have fallen on the bedding and it is not spurting, but it shows no sign of stopping. He is licking the tail inside the nest box.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Press with clean gauze for 5+ minutes without lifting it, stop the bleeding, then check the tail's movement
2. Wipe the blood with a tissue, wiping each time it appears, and wait for it to stop naturally
3. Pour plenty of antiseptic over the wound and leave it to see what happens
4. Pull the tail to straighten any bend and fix it with tape

AnswerA. Press with clean gauze for 5+ minutes without lifting it, stop the bleeding, then check the tail's movement

ExplanationThe manual's basic bleeding control is 'press with clean gauze for 5+ minutes; do not lift it to check', and for the tail or limbs, press lightly on the heart side. In a bushbaby's small body even minor bleeding has a large effect. After the bleeding stops, if the tail hangs limp, will not move or is bent, see the vet the same day; if the bleeding will not stop, see the vet immediately. Repeated wiping with tissue tears off the forming clot and prolongs bleeding. Antiseptic alone does not stop bleeding and stings, making him struggle. Pulling or taping the tail worsens a fracture and cuts off blood flow, causing necrosis.

IssuesThere was no habit of checking the tail's position when opening or closing the door, and no awareness that a bushbaby's tail is over 20 cm long. Gauze for bleeding control was not kept within easy reach.

ImprovementAlways visually check the position of the tail and fingers before closing the door, and close it only after he has moved away. Keep clean gauze and a transport box by the cage. Check that the mesh size cannot trap the tail and seal any gaps around the door.

A December night. The heat bulb mounted at the top of the cage had no cover. Your 3-year-old female jumped and clung to the heat bulb, screamed and fell. Her right palm is red, with small blisters between the fingers. She keeps licking the hand and travels along the branches without using her right hand. Some skin has peeled.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Apply ice directly for a short, intense cooling
2. Apply aloe or a human burn ointment to keep it from drying out
3. Pop the blisters with a needle to drain the fluid, then disinfect
4. Cool the area with a cold wet towel, apply no ointment, do not touch the blisters, and see the vet

AnswerD. Cool the area with a cold wet towel, apply no ointment, do not touch the blisters, and see the vet

ExplanationThe manual's response to burns is 'cool with a cold wet towel. Apply no ointment; see a vet. Do not touch blisters.' Cooling stops the heat penetrating deeper and eases pain. The palm is essential for landing and gripping branches; a deep burn can end her ability to jump, so see the vet the same day to have the depth assessed and treated. Ice applied directly causes frostbite and hypothermia in a small body. Human ointments and aloe get licked and swallowed and also hinder the vet's examination. A blister is a natural protective barrier against infection; popping it increases infection and pain.

IssuesThe heat bulb had no cover and was mounted where she could reach it by jumping. There was no awareness that for a bushbaby jumping over 2 m, every heat source inside the cage is within reach.

ImprovementAlways fit covers on heat bulbs and heaters, and mount them outside the cage or where she cannot reach by jumping. Prefer equipment whose surface does not get hot, such as panel heaters. After installation, observe how far she can jump and review the placement.

Late at night, you go to check on continued crying from the cage and find your 1-year-old male hanging by a finger of his left hand, tangled in a frayed thread of the hammock. The thread is cutting into the finger and the fingertip is starting to turn purple. Every time he struggles, the thread tightens. You first tried pulling the thread to free it, but he screamed.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Pull the thread harder and yank it off the finger in one go
2. Cut the thread off together with the fabric using scissors, then check the finger for swelling and movement and see the vet if needed
3. Carefully untangle the threads one by one by hand, continuing even if he struggles
4. It often comes free on its own, so leave it until morning

AnswerB. Cut the thread off together with the fabric using scissors, then check the finger for swelling and movement and see the vet if needed

ExplanationThe manual's response to 'entangled fingers / claws' is 'cut the fabric itself to free it. Do not pull.' Pulling the thread cuts into the finger, causing fractures or skin lacerations. Cut the thread off together with the hammock fabric using scissors, put him in a dark box, then calmly remove the remaining thread. A purple fingertip is a sign that blood flow is cut off; with time it becomes necrotic. After freeing it, if the finger swells, cannot move or does not regain its color, see the vet the same day. Untangling by hand takes time, he struggles and tightens it, and you get bitten. Leaving it until morning costs him the finger.

IssuesA frayed fabric hammock was kept in use, and the owner did not know the danger of fine-mesh netting and threads tangling around fingers. Fabric items in the cage were not being inspected.

ImprovementChoose tightly woven hammocks and fabric items and replace them as soon as they fray. Do not use fine-mesh netting. Keep small scissors by the cage and set the rule that entanglements are cut free. Inspect fabric items for fraying at every cleaning.

At night, as you reach into the cage to change the food dish, your startled 5-year-old male bites down on your index finger and will not let go. His teeth are sunk into the skin and blood is oozing. The pain makes you want to yank your hand back reflexively. A thick towel is nearby. You were handling him bare-handed, without gloves.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Unable to bear the pain, yank your hand out forcefully
2. Hit him on the head with your other hand to make him open his mouth
3. Stay still and calm, cover his body and face with the towel to make it dark, and once he lets go return him to the cage with the towel and rinse the wound under running water for 15+ minutes
4. After he lets go, rinse lightly with water, put on a bandage and carry on with the task

AnswerC. Stay still and calm, cover his body and face with the towel to make it dark, and once he lets go return him to the cage with the towel and rinse the wound under running water for 15+ minutes

ExplanationThe manual's bite response is 'stay still and calm; cover its body and face with a thick towel to make it dark. Once it lets go, return it to the cage, towel and all, and rinse the wound under running water for 15+ minutes and disinfect.' Pulling your hand away lets the teeth tear and deepens the wound; hitting him causes fractures and destroys trust. In the dark, a nocturnal bushbaby calms down and releases. Primate bites carry the risk of zoonoses such as B virus, so never handle bare-handed. Rinse the wound for 15+ minutes; for a deep wound, swelling or fever see a doctor the same day and always tell them 'I was bitten by a primate.' A quick rinse and bandage leaves the infection risk.

IssuesThe owner handled him bare-handed when changing food, with no procedure to avoid startling him and no towel ready. The owner did not understand that primate bites can lead to zoonotic infection and how important medical care is in that case.

ImprovementDo cage work while he is in the nest box, and always keep a thick towel within reach. Wear gloves and never pick him up bare-handed. Write the bite procedure on paper, post it on the cage and make sure the whole family knows it. Keep the contact details of your regular vet and a human medical facility together.

During nighttime free-roam, your 3-year-old female leaped toward a window whose curtains were left open, crashed face-first into the glass and fell to the floor. After a while she got up, but there is a little blood from her nose and she is slowly circling the same spot, unsteady on her feet. She responds sluggishly when called, and one eye seems half closed. You want to check the size of her pupils.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Hold her and keep talking to her so she does not fall asleep and stays conscious
2. Brighten the room and closely examine her eyes and pupil size
3. Give her water to calm her and watch until morning
4. Put her in a dark box lined with a towel, keep her warm, and see the vet right now without jolting her

AnswerD. Put her in a dark box lined with a towel, keep her warm, and see the vet right now without jolting her

ExplanationCollisions with window glass are typical accidents for a bushbaby with such jumping power; nosebleed, sluggish responses, circling in one spot and asymmetrical eyes are dangerous signs of head trauma. The manual's response to 'collision while jumping' is 'do not handle; keep warm and quiet in a dark box. See a vet the same day', and with abnormal consciousness or responses it becomes see-the-vet-now. Put her in a dark box to reduce stimulation and transport without jolting. Holding her and talking continuously means stimulation and movement, worsening brain injury. Bright light severely strains nocturnal eyes, and she may struggle and fall again. Giving water to an animal with dulled consciousness causes aspiration, and bleeding inside the skull may progress while waiting for morning.

IssuesThe window glass was not covered before free-roam and the curtains were left open. The owner did not know that glass at night looks like open space because of the darkness beyond, making it a likely jumping target.

ImprovementAdd 'close windows and draw curtains' and 'cover mirrors and glass surfaces with cloth' to the pre-free-roam checklist. Apply anti-collision film to window glass. Keep a dark transport box ready and set the rule that sluggish responses after a collision mean a vet visit without hesitation.

An 8-year-old male. Recently his claws have grown long and catch on the cage cover cloth and towels, and he increasingly hangs for a moment when jumping across. The branches are old and their surfaces have become smooth. You have prepared human nail clippers to do it yourself and plan to have a family member hold him, but the last time you tried to restrain him he struggled violently.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Have a family member hold him and clip all the claws at once with human nail clippers
2. Do not clip them yourself; replace the branches with rough-barked ones and ask the vet to trim the claws
3. Wrap him in a towel, have two people hold him and clip a little at a time
4. File the claws down with a nail file while he is awake

AnswerB. Do not clip them yourself; replace the branches with rough-barked ones and ask the vet to trim the claws

ExplanationThe manual says 'claws are worn down naturally on branches. If overgrown and catching on fabric, have the vet trim them. Restraint for nail trimming is dangerous: it struggles.' A bushbaby weighs only 100–300 g with thin bones; struggling under restraint causes fractures, and the owner gets bitten. Overgrown claws are largely an environmental problem, smooth branches that no longer wear them down, and simply switching to rough-surfaced branches often fixes it. Clipping everything at once with human clippers, or in stages under towel restraint, carries a high risk of bleeding from cutting too short and of fractures. Filing while he is awake is also dangerous because he struggles, and handling a nocturnal animal by day is stressful.

IssuesThe branches were not replaced, so an environment that wears the claws down naturally was not maintained. Despite the previous violent struggle under restraint, the owner was about to try clipping again, a poor judgment.

ImprovementUse natural branches with rough surfaces and replace them once they become smooth. Reduce fabric items that catch claws. Have the vet trim claws at the annual health check, and decide never to do procedures requiring restraint at home.

During nighttime free-roam, the family cat got in through a door you forgot to close and pounced on your 2-year-old female. You got the cat out immediately, but there is a small scratch on the bushbaby's flank with a little blood oozing. There are no obvious large wounds; she has fled to the top of a tall shelf and is trembling. Her breathing is fast and she will not come down when called. You feel reassured because the wound is small.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Even though the wound is small, put her in a dark box, keep her warm, and see the vet the same day for a full examination
2. The wound is small, so just disinfect it and return her to the cage as usual
3. Apply human antiseptic and antibiotic ointment to the wound and watch
4. Scold the cat, brighten the room, and watch over her until the trembling stops

AnswerA. Even though the wound is small, put her in a dark box, keep her warm, and see the vet the same day for a full examination

ExplanationThe manual states 'never keep in the same room as dogs, cats or ferrets.' A cat's claws and mouth carry many bacteria, and even a small wound can progress to deep infection or sepsis within days. Furthermore, a small primate attacked by a predator can suffer bruising, internal injuries and severe shock even without visible wounds. Fast breathing, trembling and refusing to come down are signs of shock; keep her warm in a dark box to calm her and see the vet the same day for a full examination and antibiotics. Disinfecting and returning her to the cage misses infection and shock. Human ointments cause poisoning when licked. Brightening the room to watch her adds more fear for a nocturnal animal.

IssuesA door was left open during free-roam, so contact with a predator, the cat, was not prevented. The owner underestimated the small wound and did not know the danger of shock from predator stress.

ImprovementBefore free-roam, isolate cats and dogs in another room and close doors, secured with stoppers. If possible, set up a dedicated room cats cannot enter. Make it a rule that any contact with a predator means a same-day vet visit regardless of wound size, and keep a transport box and your regular vet's contact details ready.

Late at night, your 4-year-old male missed a branch mid-jump and fell. After the fall, the middle of his tail is bent at a right angle, hanging limp and no longer moving. There is no bleeding, and he can get back to the nest box along the branches. He walks dragging the tail and loses his balance on landing. You wonder whether straightening the bent part would fix it.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Straighten the bent part by hand and set it back in position
2. Tape it as it is to a chopstick splint and rest him
3. Without touching him, rest him in a dark box lined with a towel and see the vet right now
4. There is no bleeding and he can walk, so watch for a few days and see the vet if it does not heal

AnswerC. Without touching him, rest him in a dark box lined with a towel and see the vet right now

ExplanationThe manual lists 'bleeding will not stop; tail is bent' as a call-now sign. The tail is a vital organ for balance in a bushbaby's jumps and landings; an untreated fracture or dislocation damages nerves and blood flow, leading to necrosis and amputation. Do not touch him; rest him in a dark box and transport without jolting. Straightening by hand injures nerves and vessels at the fracture ends, and the agony makes him struggle, causing bites and further fractures. An amateur splint cuts off blood flow and lets it set out of position. Watching for days because he can walk lets the tail tissue die, affecting his jumping for life.

IssuesThe branches in the cage may have become old and slippery, or been spaced in a way that made jumping difficult. The bedding was thin and did not cushion the fall. The owner misunderstood a tail fracture as minor.

ImprovementUse non-slip, rough-barked branches, place them at jumping distance and inspect them regularly. Lay thick bedding on the floor to cushion falls. Set the rule that a bent tail means an immediate vet visit, and post the emergency (after-hours) hospital's number on the cage.

At night, as your 3-year-old female jumped near the top of a coarse wire-mesh cage, her left hind leg went through the mesh, and she bled from the ankle struggling to pull free. She finally got loose on her own, but blood keeps dripping from the wound and a pool is forming on the bedding. She is small, and while you cannot judge her color, her movements are slowing. You have gauze and flour in the house.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Pack flour or a commercial styptic powder into the wound to clot it
2. Press with clean gauze for 5+ minutes, pressing lightly on the heart side, and if it does not stop, see the vet immediately while maintaining pressure
3. Apply gauze, then lift it frequently to check whether the bleeding has stopped
4. Rinse the wound under running water for a long time to clean it, then watch

AnswerB. Press with clean gauze for 5+ minutes, pressing lightly on the heart side, and if it does not stop, see the vet immediately while maintaining pressure

ExplanationThe manual's bleeding control is 'press with clean gauze for 5+ minutes; do not lift it to check. For the tail or limbs, press lightly on the heart side. Heavy bleeding or bleeding that will not stop: see a vet immediately.' A 100–300 g bushbaby has very little blood, and bleeding that forms a pool is life-threatening. Keep pressing, put her in a dark box and transport right now. Flour or styptic powder leaves foreign matter in the wound, invites infection and hinders the vet's treatment. Lifting the gauze repeatedly tears off the forming clot and the bleeding continues. Prolonged rinsing washes away the blood, delays clotting and also drains body heat.

IssuesA coarse cage with mesh larger than 1 cm was in use, leaving a structural hazard where legs and tails could get caught. The owner did not know the method of bleeding control or the principle of 'do not lift it to check'.

ImprovementUse a metal cage with mesh of 1 cm or smaller and check for gaps where fingers or feet could fit. Keep clean gauze and a transport box by the cage and post the pressure-bleeding-control procedure on paper. Confirm the emergency (after-hours) hospital's number for bleeding that will not stop.

9 p.m. The moment you opened the cage door to clean, your 2-year-old male shot out in an instant and escaped to the top of the curtain rail. The room's windows are closed, but the door to the hallway is slightly open. When called, he moves his ears but will not come down. The family is panicking and about to chase him, and the room lights are still on. You have the cricket container to hand.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Climb a stepladder, reach up and catch him on top of the curtain rail
2. Brighten the room to keep track of his position while the family corners him
3. Quickly drop a butterfly net over him from above to capture him
4. Close the door, darken and quiet the room, and wait for him to return, luring him with crickets

AnswerD. Close the door, darken and quiet the room, and wait for him to return, luring him with crickets

ExplanationThe manual's escape response is 'leaps to a high spot and flees in an instant. If it escapes, darken the room and lure it with food.' First close doors and windows to confine the escape to the room, then dim the lights and keep quiet. Once it is dark and quiet, a nocturnal bushbaby calms down and is drawn by the smell and sound of food back to the cage or a food dish on the floor. Chasing him or dropping a net over him sends him into a panic, crashing into the ceiling light or window glass and breaking bones, and the owner gets bitten. Catching him from a stepladder means he jumps and falls, and the owner falls too. Brightening the room and cornering him as a family adds fear and spreads the escape farther.

IssuesThe owner did not check his position before opening the door, and the cage had no second lock such as a padlock. There was no habit of closing the room door during cleaning, and the family had not agreed on what to do in an escape.

ImprovementDo cage work during the day while he sleeps in the nest box, or after blocking the nest box exit. Padlock the door and close the room's doors and windows before working. Agree as a whole family that an escape means 'darken, keep quiet, lure with food', and never chase.

Late at night, during free-roam, your 5-year-old female darted across the floor and under your feet as you headed to the bathroom, and you stepped on her. She screamed, huddled in a corner of the room and went still. Her breathing is fast and she is hiding her right foreleg under her body. You feel an urge to feel her whole body to check for fractures.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Without touching her, gently place her in a dark box lined with a towel, and if she cannot move, see the vet right now
2. Pick her up and feel her whole body to check for fractures yourself
3. Have her walk a little to judge whether she drags a leg
4. She is only huddled, so leave her alone for a while and watch

AnswerA. Without touching her, gently place her in a dark box lined with a towel, and if she cannot move, see the vet right now

ExplanationThe manual warns of trampling, 'moves quickly across the floor of a dark room; watch your feet as you walk', and lists 'cannot move after a fall or collision' as a call-now sign. Under a human's weight a 100–300 g body suffers ruptured organs and multiple fractures, with much damage invisible from outside. Feeling her displaces fracture ends, worsens internal injuries and risks a painful bite. Making her walk worsens it just the same. Huddling with fast breathing is a sign of shock and pain; left alone, internal bleeding progresses. Without touching her, put her in a dark box, keep her warm and transport without jolting.

IssuesThe owner walked around a dark room during free-roam without the habit of checking underfoot. There was no household rule limiting family movement during free-roam, and insufficient understanding of her habit of darting across the floor.

ImprovementDuring free-roam, the owner should stay put too; when getting up, always check her position or return her to the cage first. Place a red light to illuminate the floor, and return her to the cage for guests or housework. Agree as a family on the procedure after trampling: do not touch, see the vet.

11 p.m. During free-roam, your 3-year-old male climbed to the top shelf of a bookcase, slipped and fell 2 m onto hardwood flooring. He failed the landing and tumbled onto his side; after a while he got up, but his left hind leg stays extended and he cannot draw it in to his body. He moves on three legs and tries to climb a low shelf. There is no bleeding, and he keeps crying.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. He can move on his own, so return him to the cage and watch until morning
2. Gently flex and extend the leg to judge for yourself whether it is broken
3. Without touching him, rest him in a dark box lined with a towel and see the vet tonight
4. Crush a human painkiller into fruit to ease the pain

AnswerC. Without touching him, rest him in a dark box lined with a towel and see the vet tonight

ExplanationOn falls, the manual says 'if it cannot move after a fall, see a vet immediately', and lists 'not jumping; dragging a leg' as a same-day criterion. Being unable to draw in the hind leg strongly suggests a fracture or dislocation; being able to move is no proof it is minor. Rest him in a dark box without touching and see the vet tonight for X-rays. If no emergency (after-hours) hospital is available, see the vet first thing next morning and keep him in the box so he cannot jump until then. Returning him to the cage means he jumps again and worsens the fracture. Flexing the leg to check displaces the fracture ends and injures nerves and vessels. Human painkillers cause fatal poisoning in small primates and must never be given.

IssuesThe owner knew of his habit of climbing to high places such as bookcase tops, yet placed no cushioning at landing spots. There was a misconception that a fall is fine as long as he can move, and the hind-leg abnormality was underestimated.

ImprovementLay thick blankets or cushions beneath shelves and curtain rails he climbs during free-roam. Block off places you do not want him climbing in advance. Set the rule that inability to use a leg after a fall means a same-day vet visit, and prepare a low, small rest cage and a transport box.

At night during free-roam, you hear a sharp crackling sound and find your 2-year-old male lying beside the TV's extension cord. The cord's insulation has been chewed through, exposing the copper wire, and there is a smell like singed fur around his mouth. His body is twitching but he cannot get up. You immediately reach out to pull him away.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Immediately grab him bare-handed and pull him away from the cord
2. First unplug the cord to cut the power, then touch him, check his breathing and see the vet right now
3. Pour water on him to cool the mouth burn, then pick him up
4. Open his mouth to check the extent of the burn, and watch if it is not severe

AnswerB. First unplug the cord to cut the power, then touch him, check his breathing and see the vet right now

ExplanationTouching an electrocuted animal while current is still flowing electrocutes the owner too. Always unplug the cord or trip the breaker first to cut the power, then touch him. Electric shock causes not only mouth burns but cardiac arrhythmias and pulmonary edema, fluid in the lungs, hours later, so even if he looks fine, an immediate vet visit is required. If he is not breathing, move to the manual's CPR. Pouring water while current is flowing spreads the shock and chills a small body. Opening the mouth to check gets you bitten from the pain, and internal damage cannot be seen from outside. Transport in a dark box, kept warm, without jolting.

IssuesCords on the floor were not cleared before free-roam and there was no countermeasure for his chewing habit. The owner did not know the basic rule of cutting the power before touching, or the danger of delayed pulmonary edema.

ImprovementBefore free-roam, clear small items and cords from the floor; cover remaining cords or fix them behind furniture. Unplug appliances not in use. Post the electric-shock procedure on paper, 'cut the power, check breathing, see the vet immediately', and keep the emergency (after-hours) hospital's number.

At night, your 4-year-old female jumped into the bathroom, whose door was left open, and fell into a bucket full of water. Alerted by her cries, you pulled her out soaked through, limp, with water dripping from her mouth. She is breathing weakly, but shakes her body as if coughing. Her body is already starting to feel cold. The room is 25°C, but the bathroom is chilly.

What is the most appropriate action right after pulling her out?

1. Lower her head to drain water from the mouth, check breathing, wrap her in a towel to keep warm and see the vet right now
2. Dry her whole body with a hair dryer's warm air and watch if she perks up
3. Hold her upside down and shake her to get all the water out of the lungs
4. Pour warm sugar water into her mouth to warm her up

AnswerA. Lower her head to drain water from the mouth, check breathing, wrap her in a towel to keep warm and see the vet right now

ExplanationIn near-drowning, hold the head lower than the body to drain water from the mouth and clear the airway, then check breathing and responsiveness. If she is not breathing, clear the mouth and begin CPR. A wet 100–300 g body loses heat rapidly, so wrap her in a dry towel and keep warm with a cloth-wrapped hand warmer. If water was inhaled, aspiration pneumonia can develop hours to days later, so even if she is breathing an immediate vet visit is required. Drying her and leaving it there misses the pneumonia. Swinging her upside down injures the neck and spine and does not work. Pouring liquid into a limp animal causes aspiration and worsens her condition.

IssuesThe bathroom door was left open and water was left standing in a bucket or the bathtub. The owner was not mindful of her habit of jumping into anything and the danger of water sources.

ImprovementDuring free-roam, close bathroom, toilet and kitchen doors, and do not leave water standing in buckets or basins. Drain the bathtub or cover it. Set the rule that near-drowning means a vet visit even if she is breathing, and keep a dry towel and hand warmers with the transport box.

At night, during free-roam, the wind blew a door shut, catching the fingers of your 3-year-old female's right hand as she traveled along the door's edge. She screamed and fled to a shelf, holding her right hand to her chest and not using it. There is a little blood from the fingertip, and the middle finger is starting to swell. She moves gripping branches with her left hand only. You were not using a door stopper.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Pull the fingers straight to check whether they are broken
2. Apply ice directly to the fingers to bring down the swelling
3. There is little blood, so watch for about a week and see the vet if it does not heal
4. Press the bleeding with gauze, and since the finger is swollen and immobile, see the vet the same day

AnswerD. Press the bleeding with gauze, and since the finger is swollen and immobile, see the vet the same day

ExplanationThe manual warns 'tail or fingers get caught in doors and cage doors. Secure doors with stoppers during free-roam', and for finger injuries, 'if a finger swells or cannot move, see a vet.' Fingers are the key to gripping branches and landing; an untreated fracture of these thin bones heals deformed and affects jumping for life. Press the bleeding with gauze, treat a swollen, unusable finger as a suspected fracture, and see the vet the same day for X-rays. Pulling the fingers displaces the fracture ends and worsens it, and you get bitten from the pain. Ice applied directly causes frostbite in tiny fingers. A week of watching lets the bone set displaced, and infection sets in.

IssuesNo door stopper was used during free-roam, leaving a situation where wind could move the door. There was no countermeasure for her habit of traveling along door edges and gaps, and finger injuries were underestimated.

ImprovementBefore free-roam, secure every door with a stopper and close windows to eliminate drafts. Always check her position before closing any door. Set the rule that a swollen finger or tail means a same-day vet visit, and keep gauze and a transport box ready.

A July night. During free-roam, your 2-year-old male jumped onto a fan you forgot to switch off, was struck on the foreleg by the spinning blades and fell to the floor. The fingers of his left foreleg are bleeding and one claw has been torn off. He is hiding under a shelf, trembling, and will not put his left hand on the ground. The fan is still running. You are flustered and do not know where to start.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Catch him from his hiding place first and check the wound
2. Rinse the wound under tap water, apply antiseptic and watch
3. Stop the fan, press the bleeding with gauze, put him in a dark box and see the vet the same day
4. Cover the base of the torn claw with a human adhesive bandage and wait until tomorrow

AnswerC. Stop the fan, press the bleeding with gauze, put him in a dark box and see the vet the same day

ExplanationThe manual states as preconditions for free-roam 'dim the lights and turn off fans; close windows' and 'cover ceiling lights, fans, mirrors and window glass.' First stop the fan to prevent a second accident. Next press the bleeding with gauze for 5+ minutes, keep him warm and quiet in a dark box, and see the vet the same day. A blow from the blades often involves finger fractures and tendon damage, and a torn claw is prone to infection. Trying to catch him with the fan still running, he may flee and jump into it again. Rinsing and antiseptic neither stop the bleeding nor check for fractures. A human adhesive bandage gets licked and swallowed and prevents observation of the wound.

IssuesThe basic rule of switching off the fan before free-roam was not followed. Summer heat control relied on a fan, and the owner underestimated how lethal spinning blades are to a jumping animal.

ImprovementAdd 'switch off fans and ceiling lights' to the pre-free-roam checklist, and remove the fan from the room or use one with a blade guard. Control summer temperature with air conditioning and avoid direct drafts. Keep gauze and a transport box nearby and set the rule that claw and finger injuries mean a same-day vet visit.

A summer night. Through a gap in a window left on the insect screen for ventilation, your 3-year-old female leaped out onto the balcony. The apartment is on the 3rd floor, and she sits on the balcony railing looking back at you. It is dark outside and crows are calling from a nearby power line. The family is shouting her name and trying to shine a flashlight on her. The neighbor's balcony is separated by a partition panel, but within jumping distance.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Keep calling her name loudly to get her attention and call her back
2. Quietly turn off the room lights, place an open cage with food by the window, and wait without moving
3. Approach the railing with the flashlight on her and grab her quickly
4. She cannot be caught at night, so search in the morning

AnswerB. Quietly turn off the room lights, place an open cage with food by the window, and wait without moving

ExplanationThe manual says 'never take outdoors (escape, crows, birds of prey)' and 'if it escapes, darken the room and lure it with food.' Outdoors, the more you chase, the farther she jumps, falling from a height or being attacked by crows. First quiet the family, darken the room to remove the threat, and so the nocturnal animal feels safe to return, place an open cage with food by the window and wait without moving. Shouting and flashlights frighten her and trigger a flight to the neighbor's balcony or the ground. Catching her on the railing risks her falling and the owner falling too. Left until morning, she dies from birds of prey, crows, hypothermia or traffic. If she does not return, quietly ask the building manager and neighbors for help.

IssuesThe window was left on the insect screen for nighttime ventilation, breaking the basic rule 'close windows during free-roam.' The owner did not anticipate that a screen opens easily and she could slip through a gap in an instant. The family had not agreed on what to do in an escape.

ImprovementKeep the windows of the bushbaby's room closed at all times and ventilate with air conditioning or in another room. Fit escape-proof locks on screens. Share with the family that an escape means 'darken, keep quiet, lure with food, do not chase', and tell neighbors the situation in advance. Have a microchip and photos ready.

11 p.m. During free-roam, the moment you looked away, your 2-year-old male was gnawing on a chocolate bar on the table. Judging from the wrapper, he ate about 10 g. He is still jumping energetically, but you know chocolate is toxic to animals. You found an online article saying 'give salt to make it vomit', and there is table salt in the kitchen.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Put salt in his mouth to make him vomit, then watch
2. Give him milk to dilute the poison
3. Do not induce vomiting; record the amount and time eaten, take the wrapper, and call the hospital right now and go
4. He is still lively, so see the vet once symptoms appear

AnswerC. Do not induce vomiting; record the amount and time eaten, take the wrapper, and call the hospital right now and go

ExplanationChocolate is a banned food in the manual; its theobromine acts on the heart and nervous system. For a 100–300 g bushbaby, even 10 g can reach a toxic dose. Symptoms appear hours later, so the correct course is to call the hospital while he is still well and go right now with the amount, time eaten and the wrapper. The vet can treat safely while little time has passed since ingestion. Inducing vomiting with salt risks salt poisoning and aspiration and can be fatal in a small primate. Milk is a dairy product banned in the manual and does not dilute the poison. Once symptoms appear, absorption is advanced, and seizures or arrhythmias make it too late.

IssuesFood on the table was not cleared before free-roam, and the danger of him eating human food was underestimated. The owner nearly took online vomiting advice at face value.

ImprovementMake a pre-free-roam checklist for clearing food and small items from the floor and table. Store chocolate, snacks and honey in lidded containers. Set the rule that poisoning means no home vomiting, call the hospital, and keep the number of a hospital that treats primates after hours.

Late at night, you find about 5 cm of frayed thread from the cover cloth hanging from the mouth of your 3-year-old female in the nest box. When you tug the thread she pulls back in protest, and it seems to continue deep inside. She is drooling and has not touched tonight's food. You are thinking of just pulling the thread out.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Do not pull the thread; cut it at the mouth and see the vet tonight
2. Slowly pull the thread out bit by bit until it is all removed
3. Give her cooking oil so the thread slides out
4. Wait for it to pass with the stool and watch for a few days

AnswerA. Do not pull the thread; cut it at the mouth and see the vet tonight

ExplanationThe manual lists ingestion as a caution: 'mouths bedding, fabric threads, rubber and small toys.' A thread-like foreign body catches in the intestine; pulling it can tear the intestine along the thread or bunch it up, causing severe obstruction or perforation. Cut the visible thread short at the mouth and see the vet without pulling. Drooling and loss of appetite are signs the digestive tract is already affected, so a vet visit tonight is required. Oil will not bring the thread out and risks aspiration. Waiting days lets the intestine become necrotic and is life-threatening.

IssuesA frayed cover cloth was kept in use on the cage; fabric items were not being inspected enough. The owner did not know that thread-like foreign bodies must never be pulled.

ImprovementChoose tightly woven cover cloths and hammocks and replace them as soon as they fray. Clear threads, rubber and small toys from the cage and the free-roam floor. Set the rule that ingestion means cut, do not pull, see the vet, and remember vomiting, loss of appetite and drooling as signs of a foreign body.

Having run out of live food, you fed your 4-year-old male grasshoppers and crickets caught in the garden that evening. An hour later he is drooling heavily, wobbling on the branch and failing landings. You can see fine tremors. You remember that the neighbors sprayed insecticide on their garden trees yesterday. The remaining insects are still in the container.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Give him lots of water to dilute the poison and watch
2. Dissolve human activated charcoal and give it to him
3. Do not jump to blaming the wild insects; watch until morning
4. Keep the remaining insects in their container, record the course of symptoms, and see the vet right now

AnswerD. Keep the remaining insects in their container, record the course of symptoms, and see the vet right now

ExplanationThe manual bans 'wild-caught insects (pesticides, parasites).' Drooling, unsteadiness and tremors are classic symptoms of neurotoxic poisoning such as pesticides, progressing to seizures and respiratory arrest. See the vet right now and bring the remaining insects in their container to identify the cause. Recording the feeding time and the course of symptoms speeds treatment. Water does not dilute a neurotoxin, and if consciousness dulls he aspirates. Human activated charcoal is the wrong dose, giving it is itself dangerous and delays the vet visit. Breathing may stop while waiting for morning.

IssuesLive-food stock was not managed, and when it ran out the owner made the dangerous decision to substitute wild insects. The owner failed to recall the neighbors' insecticide spraying before feeding.

ImprovementBuy live insects from a reliable supplier with a margin of stock, and when it runs out substitute a species-specific food or acacia gum. Decide never to feed wild insects. Set the procedure for suspected poisoning: bring the suspected cause and records and see the vet immediately, and keep the emergency (after-hours) hospital's number.

A summer night. A mosquito got in, so a family member used insecticide spray in the living room, and free-roam began afterwards. 30 minutes later, your 3-year-old female is drooling, trembling and unable to get down from a branch. Her fur feels damp; the spray may have landed on her. Her breathing is fast and her eyes are watery. The spray can is still to hand.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Wash her whole body thoroughly with lukewarm water and watch until she dries
2. Ventilate, move her to another room, wipe the chemical off her body with a damp towel, and see the vet right now with the product name
3. Give her milk to neutralize the poison
4. Keep it dark and wait until the trembling stops, then see the vet the next day

AnswerB. Ventilate, move her to another room, wipe the chemical off her body with a damp towel, and see the vet right now with the product name

ExplanationThe manual states 'close windows during nighttime free-roam; do not use mosquito repellents.' Insecticide ingredients act as neurotoxins on small primates; drooling, trembling and changes in breathing are signs of poisoning. First move her to a chemical-free room and ventilate, wipe the chemical from her fur with a damp towel, and see the vet right now with the can showing the product name and ingredients. Washing her whole body with water drains body heat, adding hypothermia to an animal already trembling. Milk is a banned food and does not neutralize anything. Trembling shows the poisoning is progressing; waiting until the next day leads to seizures.

IssuesThe family did not know that mosquito repellents and insecticides are toxic to small animals, and started free-roam after using one. The husbandry prohibitions were not shared with the whole family.

ImprovementDo not use insecticide sprays, mosquito coils or plug-in mosquito repellents in a home with a bushbaby. Keep mosquitoes out by locking screens and closing windows, and use a physical mosquito net if needed. Put the prohibitions on paper for the family, and set the rule that poisoning means bringing the product and seeing the vet immediately.

After free-roam two days ago, a rubber band on the desk went missing. Tonight, your 5-year-old male vomited the cricket he had eaten and since then has not touched his food. He resists when you try to touch his belly, and sits curled up and still on a branch. He has not passed stool since yesterday. You suspect he swallowed the rubber band.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Give him salt water to make him vomit and check whether the rubber band comes up
2. Give an over-the-counter laxative or constipation remedy to pass it with the stool
3. Do not induce vomiting; explain the possible ingestion and the course of events, see the vet the same day and have imaging done
4. It usually passes naturally, so monitor the stool for a week

AnswerC. Do not induce vomiting; explain the possible ingestion and the course of events, see the vet the same day and have imaging done

ExplanationThe manual says 'mouths rubber and small toys. Vomiting or loss of appetite: see a vet.' Vomiting, loss of appetite, no stool and a tender belly strongly suggest intestinal obstruction. Rubber shows poorly on X-rays, so tell the vet about the possible ingestion and when it happened and have imaging done; a same-day visit is required. Inducing vomiting with salt water risks salt poisoning and aspiration, and a lodged foreign body cannot be vomited anyway. Laxatives stimulate the obstructed intestine and cause perforation. A week of monitoring lets the intestine become necrotic, and a small body dies of dehydration and weakness within days.

IssuesSmall items such as rubber bands on the desk were not cleared before free-roam, and nothing was done two days ago when the band was noticed missing. The decision to see the vet was postponed until symptoms of ingestion appeared.

ImprovementBefore free-roam, clear all small items from the floor and desk, and store rubber bands, clips and threads in lidded boxes. If a small item goes missing, suspect ingestion and consult the vet at that point. Write down vomiting, loss of appetite and no stool as 'same-day vet' criteria.

2 a.m. in January; heavy snow has caused a power outage. The panel heater and air conditioning have stopped, and the room with the cage has dropped to 15°C within an hour. Your 2-year-old female is curled up in the nest box, moving less than usual. There is no telling when power will return. In the house you have disposable hand warmers, a hot-water bottle, blankets and a portable gas stove.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Put the hot-water bottle directly inside the nest box to warm her
2. Line a small box with a towel, add cloth-wrapped hand warmers, move her in, cover with a blanket and keep it around 24°C
3. Burn the portable gas stove in the room to raise the room temperature
4. Huddling and sleeping in the nest box is her natural habit, so do nothing and wait until morning

AnswerB. Line a small box with a towel, add cloth-wrapped hand warmers, move her in, cover with a blanket and keep it around 24°C

ExplanationThe manual states 'below 20°C risks hypothermia' and 'winter: maintain 24°C or above around the clock', and for transport, 'line a darkened small box with a towel; wrap the hand warmer in cloth.' The same thinking applies in a power outage: a small box is easier to keep warm than a large cage. Add cloth-wrapped hand warmers, leave room for her to move away from them, cover with a blanket and confirm around 24°C with a thermometer. A hot-water bottle placed directly causes low-temperature burns and overheating if there is no escape. A gas stove risks carbon monoxide poisoning and fire, fatal in a closed room. Curled up and moving less is the onset of hypothermia; left until morning it is life-threatening. If her body becomes cold, prepare for an immediate vet visit.

IssuesWinter heating relied entirely on electrical equipment with no backup for an outage. The hypothermia danger zone and the outage warming procedure had not been decided in advance.

ImprovementKeep disposable hand warmers, a small warming box, blankets and a battery-powered thermometer together ready for outages. In winter, confirm a way to boil water and how to use a cloth-wrapped hot-water bottle. Post the outage procedure on paper by the cage.

Early afternoon in August, outdoor temperature 36°C. You come home to find the air conditioner has stopped and the room with the cage is at 33°C. Your 4-year-old male lies stretched out outside the nest box, breathing fast with his mouth open. His body feels hot to the touch and he is drooling. You have ice packs and a fan, and another room is air-conditioned.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Immerse him in a basin of cold water to cool him down fast
2. Point the fan directly at him on high to lower his temperature
3. Apply ice packs directly to his belly and neck
4. Move him to the air-conditioned room, place cloth-wrapped ice packs near his body, and see the vet right now

AnswerD. Move him to the air-conditioned room, place cloth-wrapped ice packs near his body, and see the vet right now

ExplanationThe manual sets the suitable temperature at 24–28°C, below 28°C with air conditioning in summer, and lists 'open-mouth breathing or rapid breathing' as a call-now sign. A hot body with open-mouth breathing is heatstroke, which needs treatment before it leaves brain or organ damage. First move him to the air-conditioned room, place cloth-wrapped ice packs near his body to cool him gradually, and go to the vet in a dark box. Immersion in cold water causes shock from the rapid temperature drop, and a small body swings into hypothermia instead. A direct fan makes him struggle, raising oxygen demand, and can overcool him. Ice packs applied directly cause frostbite and constrict the blood vessels, trapping heat.

IssuesSummer temperature control relied on a single air conditioner with no way of noticing a failure or stoppage. There was no way to check the temperature while out during the day, and no preparation for initial heatstroke response.

ImprovementInstall a thermometer or monitoring camera that can be checked from a smartphone to know the room temperature while away. Have the air conditioner serviced regularly and keep ice packs and cloth ready for a stoppage. In summer keep the cage in a room out of direct sunlight and set a rule to act immediately above 28°C.

A large earthquake struck at 9 p.m.; aftershocks continue and the municipality has issued an evacuation order. Your 3-year-old female, startled by the shaking, is hiding and trembling in the nest box at the top of the cage. The cage is 180 cm tall and cannot be carried. It is November and 10°C outside. You plan to drive to a relative's house. You have crickets, species-specific food, calcium supplement and the weight-record notebook to hand.

What is the most appropriate preparation for the move?

1. Line a dark small box with a towel, add cloth-wrapped hand warmers, move her in, take the food, calcium and records, and drive quietly with the car kept at 24°C or above
2. Dismantle the cage to take it, and load her into the car still inside the cage
3. To avoid the stress of travel, leave her at home with extra food and water
4. Carry her inside your clothes to keep her warm while evacuating, and move her to a box once things settle

AnswerA. Line a dark small box with a towel, add cloth-wrapped hand warmers, move her in, take the food, calcium and records, and drive quietly with the car kept at 24°C or above

ExplanationThe manual's transport procedure is 'line a darkened small box with a towel; wrap the hand warmer in cloth. Keep still and quiet. Car interior at 24°C or above.' Follow this in a disaster too; if the nest box can be removed whole, putting it into the box with her helps her settle. The crickets, species-specific food, calcium and weight records are needed for care and vet visits at the evacuation destination, and take the contact details of a hospital that treats primates as well. Transporting her in the large cage means she jumps with the shaking and breaks bones, and it will not fit in the car. Left at home, she risks falls in aftershocks and hypothermia in an unheated room on a November night. Carried inside your clothes, a startled animal bursts out and escapes outdoors, and bites.

IssuesNo small carrying box, warming supplies or spare food were kept together for a disaster, and the evacuation procedure had not been thought through. A household with a bushbaby is unlikely to be allowed into a shelter, so securing an evacuation destination is also an issue.

ImprovementMake an evacuation kit with a dark transport box, towels, hand warmers, a week of food, calcium, the record notebook and hospital contact details. Arrange a host such as relatives or friends in advance. Practice moving her into the box once a year so she is used to it.

December. The cage is positioned where the heating air conditioner's draft blows directly onto it. The hygrometer reads 25%; your 6-year-old male's fur is dry and clumped, and the skin around his nose is dry and cracked. You have heard him sneeze a few times. His appetite and jumping are normal, and the temperature is kept at 26°C. You are considering misting his body with a spray bottle.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Point the humidifier's steam outlet into the cage to humidify it quickly
2. Mist his body directly with a spray bottle to moisten the fur and skin
3. Move the cage out of the direct draft, bring the humidity to 40–60% with a humidifier and observe the fur
4. The temperature is maintained, so do nothing in particular

AnswerC. Move the cage out of the direct draft, bring the humidity to 40–60% with a humidifier and observe the fur

ExplanationThe manual specifies humidity of 40–60% and 'avoid direct air-conditioner drafts.' Continuous dry warm air dries the skin and nasal membranes so that grooming cannot restore the coat, and weakens airway defenses, leading to sneezing and respiratory problems. First move the cage out of the direct draft, bring the whole room's humidity to 40–60% with a humidifier or wet towels, and observe for a few days whether the coat recovers. See the vet if it does not improve. Steam aimed into the cage causes local condensation that wets him, risking hypothermia and mold. Misting his body wets him, drains body heat and is highly stressful. Being satisfied with temperature alone leaves the lack of humidity management unaddressed.

IssuesThe owner paid attention to temperature but did not treat humidity as something to manage, and the cage was placed where it received a direct draft. Unkempt fur was not recognized early as a sign of illness.

ImprovementPlace a thermo-hygrometer at eye level on the cage and record temperature and humidity every night. Position the cage against a wall out of the air conditioner's airflow and fix the louvers upward. Keep humidity at 40–60% with a humidifier in winter, and add coat condition and nose dryness to the daily observation items.

Demolition work has started on the house next door, with heavy machinery noise and vibration all day. A week in, your 2-year-old female is slow to leave the nest box even after dark and has begun leaving food. The cage is in a room near the window on the construction side. Her weight is down 3%. You are considering waking her during the day to play as a change of pace.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Turn on the TV or radio to mask the construction noise
2. Move the cage to a dark, quiet room away from the construction side, use a cloth cover to block sound and light, and record food intake and weight
3. Wake her during the day for free-roam to restore her appetite with a change of pace
4. It is just until the construction ends, so do nothing

AnswerB. Move the cage to a dark, quiet room away from the construction side, use a cloth cover to block sound and light, and record food intake and weight

ExplanationThe manual says 'dark, quiet room during the day. Avoid TVs and windows', and lists 'dark and quiet by day' for preventing stress-related hair loss. For a nocturnal bushbaby that sleeps by day, daytime noise and vibration rob her of sleep, a severe stress, and reduced appetite and weight loss are its expression. Move her to a room away from the construction side, soften light and sound with a thick cloth cover, and record food intake and weight to confirm recovery. See the vet at a loss of 5% or more. A TV or radio only adds more noise and stimulation. Waking her by day is the worst response, robbing her of still more sleep. Doing nothing lets the weight loss progress and the stress advance to hair loss and self-injury.

IssuesThe owner did not consider how changes in the surroundings affect a bushbaby's sleep and left the cage in the room by the window. Action at the 3% weight loss stage was delayed.

ImprovementDecide in advance on a room in the house that can be kept quiet by day, and move her ahead of time when noise or visitors are expected. Prepare a thick blackout cover. Once construction or similar is scheduled, record food intake and weight more closely and set a rule to see the vet at a 5% loss.

In the evening, your elementary-school-age child touched your 3-year-old male through the cage and then ate snacks with hands that smelled of the urine on his hands and feet. Bushbabies habitually urinate on their hands and feet as they move, and the cage branches are damp too. The next day the child complained of stomach pain and diarrhea. You had assumed wiping hands with alcohol spray was enough.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Consider it enough to enforce the habit of wiping hands with alcohol spray
2. Treat the child's diarrhea as coincidence and do nothing in particular
3. Enforce hand washing with soap and running water, take the child to a doctor and tell the doctor you keep a bushbaby
4. Wash the bushbaby in lukewarm water to remove the urine smell

AnswerC. Enforce hand washing with soap and running water, take the child to a doctor and tell the doctor you keep a bushbaby

ExplanationOn salmonellosis the manual gives the route as 'feces; hands, feet and equipment marked with urine' and says 'they smear urine on their hands and feet. Always wash with soap after contact.' The child's stomach pain and diarrhea may be an animal-borne Salmonella infection; seeing a doctor and mentioning the bushbaby leads to the right tests and treatment. At home, enforce washing with soap and running water after contact, and allow eating only after hand washing. Alcohol alone works poorly against bacteria inside soiling. Dismissing it as coincidence invites severe illness and spread within the family. Washing the bushbaby causes severe stress and hypothermia, and the urine-washing habit cannot be stopped.

IssuesThe family had not been told that the urine-washing habit contaminates his hands and feet and that this is a route for diseases that pass to humans. There was no hand-washing rule after the child touched him, and no separation from eating.

ImprovementPut soap and a hand-washing notice by the cage and set a family rule to always wash under running water after contact before eating. Have an adult accompany the child when handling him. Wash the branches once a week and keep dedicated equipment. If a family member falls ill, tell the doctor about the pet.

Your 4-year-old female has two circular bald patches about 1 cm across on her back, with noticeable dandruff. A week later, on the forearm of the owner who holds her every night, an itchy, raised, ring-shaped red rash has appeared. The owner sometimes sleeps with her in the same bedding and is thinking of applying an over-the-counter athlete's foot cream to both herself and the animal.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Take her to the vet, wash hands after holding her and disinfect the cage, and the owner should see a dermatologist and mention the animal contact
2. Apply over-the-counter athlete's foot cream to her bald patches and your own arm and watch
3. Assume it cannot pass to humans and keep sleeping together as before
4. Cover the bald patches with tape to prevent contact until the fur grows back

AnswerA. Take her to the vet, wash hands after holding her and disinfect the cage, and the owner should see a dermatologist and mention the animal contact

ExplanationOn ringworm (dermatophytosis) the manual gives the route as 'contact (bald patches, fur in the cage)' and says 'circular hair loss: see a vet. Wash hands after holding. Disinfect the cage regularly.' Circular bald patches with dandruff plus a ring-shaped rash on the owner are the classic combination of dermatophyte infection, a zoonosis. Take her to the vet within a few days for antifungal treatment, and the owner should see a dermatologist, mention the animal contact and be treated. Disinfect the cage and fabric items to prevent reinfection. Athlete's foot cream on the animal gets licked, causes poisoning and delays diagnosis. Continuing to sleep together repeats the infection and spreads it to the family. Tape damages the skin, she struggles and tears it off, and the cage remains a source of infection.

IssuesThe owner did not see the vet when the circular bald patches were found, and continued close contact such as sleeping together without washing hands after holding her. The owner did not know that ringworm passes to humans.

ImprovementSet the rule that circular hair loss or dandruff means an early vet visit. Always wash hands after holding her and do not share bedding. Disinfect the cage and fabric items regularly and replace fabric items during treatment. Share with the family that any skin symptoms should be reported to a doctor along with the animal contact.

A 9-year-old male. For two weeks he has had a repeated dry cough at night, and his weight has dropped 15% in a month. He has an appetite yet is losing weight, and his coat is dull. A younger animal's cage is in the same room. You have had a lingering cough yourself recently and assumed it was a cold. You have considered giving him a little over-the-counter cold medicine too.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Mix a small amount of human cold medicine into his food
2. It is the change of season, so keep him warm and watch
3. Leave him in the same room and take him to the vet together with the younger animal
4. Isolate the coughing animal in a separate room, handle him with a mask and gloves, see the vet right now, and the owner should see a doctor too

AnswerD. Isolate the coughing animal in a separate room, handle him with a mask and gloves, see the vet right now, and the owner should see a doctor too

ExplanationOn tuberculosis the manual gives the route as 'coughing, droplets, close contact' and says 'coughing or weight loss: see a vet immediately. Keepers should have an annual health check.' Tuberculosis in primates is a serious zoonosis transmitted from and to humans, and cough plus weight loss is the classic sign. Isolate the coughing animal in a separate room to prevent droplets reaching the companion animal, wear a mask and gloves when handling him, and see the vet right now for testing. The owner's own lingering cough may be the same disease; see a doctor and mention keeping primates. Human cold medicine poisons a small primate. Keeping him warm and watching lets the disease progress and spread. Without isolation, the younger animal becomes infected.

IssuesThe serious signs of cough and weight loss were ignored for two weeks and not connected to the owner's own symptoms. With multiple animals, no room was prepared for isolation, and the keeper had not been having health checks.

ImprovementShare that cough, weight loss and a 5% weight drop are criteria for an immediate vet visit. With multiple animals, secure an isolation room and cage and separate equipment. The owner should have an annual health check and tell the doctor about keeping primates. Record weight once a week.

A household with a 5-year-old female has acquired a new 1-year-old male. Having heard that they sleep in groups by day, the owner plans to have them huddle together in the same cage from the first day. The new animal has mildly soft stool and has not yet had a fecal exam. The existing animal is healthy, and the owner intends to share food dishes and branches. The owner is impatient for them to get along quickly.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Follow their natural habit and put them in the same cage from day one to sleep huddled together
2. Isolate the new animal in a cage in a separate room, keep equipment separate until the fecal exam and health check are complete, and wash hands after each handling
3. Spray disinfectant on the new animal's body, then house them together
4. Keep them in separate cages in the same room but share food dishes and branches, and watch

AnswerB. Isolate the new animal in a cage in a separate room, keep equipment separate until the fecal exam and health check are complete, and wash hands after each handling

ExplanationThe manual lists 'fecal exam at intake and 1–2 times a year' for parasite prevention, and also describes diseases spread by contact or droplets such as ringworm and tuberculosis. The new animal has soft stool and no fecal exam yet, so he is very likely to bring in parasites or infections. Isolate him in a separate room and do not house them together until the fecal exam and health check confirm he is clear. Keep food dishes, branches and cleaning tools separate, handle the existing animal first, and wash hands with soap each time. Housing together from day one passes disease to the existing animal, and territorial behavior causes bites. Spraying disinfectant on the body causes poisoning and skin damage and prevents nothing. Even separate cages in the same room spread infection via droplets and shared equipment.

IssuesOn the basis of their group-sleeping habit, the owner tried to house them together without a quarantine period. The owner did not understand the importance of a fecal exam at intake or the basics of isolation and separate equipment with multiple animals.

ImprovementBefore acquiring a new animal, prepare an isolation cage in a separate room, and quarantine for 2–4 weeks after the fecal exam and health check. Keep equipment separate for each animal and be strict about handling order and hand washing. Begin cohabitation only after the vet's clearance, starting with short supervised periods.

Late at night, your 3-year-old male fell from near the ceiling and lies limp on the floor, not responding to his name. You see no chest movement, and when you open his mouth there is no sound of breathing. There is one wood chip from the bedding in his mouth. You are shaken, but your phone is to hand and you have the number of an emergency (after-hours) hospital that treats primates.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Remove the object from his mouth, pinch his chest between thumb and index finger and compress 120 times per minute, blowing a small breath into his nose after every 5, while calling the hospital
2. Press hard on his chest with the palm of your hand to get the heart going
3. Splash cold water on his face to stimulate him and wake him up
4. Shake his body hard and keep calling his name, waiting for a response

AnswerA. Remove the object from his mouth, pinch his chest between thumb and index finger and compress 120 times per minute, blowing a small breath into his nose after every 5, while calling the hospital

ExplanationThe manual's CPR is 'if not breathing, clear any foreign object from the mouth. Pinch the chest between thumb and index finger; compress 120 times per minute. After every 5 compressions, blow a small breath into the nose. Keep going while calling the hospital and follow their instructions.' For a 100–300 g body, pinching between thumb and index finger is enough force; pressing with the palm breaks the ribs and injures the lungs and heart. Breathe into the nose, not the mouth, in small breaths matched to the tiny lungs. Cold water does not restore breathing and drains body heat. Shaking worsens head and spinal injuries and wastes time. Continue CPR while calling, and do not interrupt it during transport.

IssuesSafety measures for the ceiling light and landing spots that caused the fall were inadequate. Having the emergency (after-hours) number ready was good preparation, but the CPR procedure had not been practiced in advance, and in the panic the owner could not recall the steps.

ImprovementWrite the CPR procedure (clear the mouth, pinch and compress 120 per minute, breath into the nose after every 5) on paper, post it on the cage and read it through as a family. Practice the compression force on a stuffed toy. Save the emergency (after-hours) number in your phone and keep the transport box nearby.

10 p.m. Your 5-year-old female is slumped on a branch. Her eyes are open and she moves her ears when called, but she does not jump and her movements are sluggish. You want to assess her condition to judge whether it is an emergency, but do not know what to look for. You have a thermometer and a clock. You are wondering whether to put a human thermometer in her mouth.

What is the most appropriate way to assess her condition?

1. Hold a mirror to her mouth and check only whether it fogs to confirm breathing
2. Put a human thermometer in her mouth to take her temperature
3. Check her response, count breaths for one minute by chest movement, feel the heartbeat with a finger on the chest, and touch her to check for coldness
4. Pick her up and shake her repeatedly, judging by whether she moves

AnswerC. Check her response, count breaths for one minute by chest movement, feel the heartbeat with a finger on the chest, and touch her to check for coldness

ExplanationThe manual's check procedure is 'call its name and watch for a response. Normal body temperature is 37–39°C. Count breaths by chest movement, about 40–60 per minute. Place a finger on the chest to check the heartbeat, around 200 per minute.' Checking response, breathing rate, heartbeat and coldness in turn lets you judge between see-the-vet-now and same-day, and report accurately when you call the hospital. Fast breathing, open-mouth breathing, a cold body or seizures mean see the vet now. A mirror shows only whether she breathes, not the rate or quality. A human thermometer in the mouth risks a bite, and she may struggle and break a bone. Judging by shaking worsens head and internal injuries.

IssuesThe owner did not know the normal breathing and heart rates and had no criteria for judging urgency. There was no habit of observing and recording her condition when healthy.

ImprovementObserve her breathing rate and movements at rest when healthy, and post the normal benchmarks (breathing 40–60, heartbeat around 200) on paper. Share the four call-now signs with the family: seizures, unconsciousness or cold body; open-mouth or rapid breathing; unable to move after a fall; bleeding that will not stop or a bent tail.

Late on a winter night, your 2-year-old male became unable to move after a jump, and you must drive him to an emergency (after-hours) hospital 40 minutes away. It is 3°C outside. You are torn between taking him in his usual large cage or carrying him in your arms. You have towels, disposable hand warmers and a small cardboard box with a lid. He is trembling with his eyes half closed, but breathing.

What is the most appropriate method of transport?

1. Hold him against your chest to keep him warm and sit in the passenger seat
2. Load his usual large cage into the car and transport him in it
3. Put him in the box and drive with the windows open for fresh air
4. Line a darkened small box with a towel, add a cloth-wrapped hand warmer, and drive without jolting with the car kept at 24°C or above

AnswerD. Line a darkened small box with a towel, add a cloth-wrapped hand warmer, and drive without jolting with the car kept at 24°C or above

ExplanationThe manual's transport procedure is 'line a darkened small box with a towel; wrap the hand warmer in cloth. Keep still and quiet. Keep the car interior at 24°C or above.' A small dark box calms a nocturnal animal, protects an immobile body from jolting and retains heat efficiently. Hand warmers cause low-temperature burns in direct contact, so wrap them in cloth and leave space for him to move away. Carried in your arms, a startled animal jumps and escapes inside the car, bites the owner and interferes with driving. A large cage rolls with the motion, the space to jump worsens the fracture, and it cannot be kept warm. Open windows in winter let in 3°C air and hypothermia advances rapidly.

IssuesA transport box and warming supplies were not kept together, so time was lost deciding how to transport in an emergency. The owner did not understand that temperature and jolting during transport are matters of life and death.

ImprovementKeep a lidded small box, towels, hand warmers and a thermometer by the cage as a transport kit. Run the car heater first to reach 24°C or above before departing. Practice moving him into the box once a year so he is used to it, and confirm the route to the emergency (after-hours) hospital.

1 a.m. Your 4-year-old female has been dragging her left hind leg since a failed landing. There is no bleeding or bending, she eats crickets and is fully alert. But she travels along the branches instead of jumping and sometimes holds the leg up. The nearest emergency (after-hours) hospital says it does not treat primates. You are torn between waiting until morning and acting right now.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Give a small dose of human painkiller for the pain and let her sleep until morning
2. Remove the branches, rest her in a low, small cage so she cannot jump, see the vet first thing in the morning, and call the emergency hospital if she becomes unable to move or her breathing changes
3. She is lively and eating, so watch for a few days and see the vet if it does not heal
4. Let her free-roam to observe how she uses the leg, and skip the vet if it is no worse

AnswerB. Remove the branches, rest her in a low, small cage so she cannot jump, see the vet first thing in the morning, and call the emergency hospital if she becomes unable to move or her breathing changes

ExplanationThe manual lists 'not jumping; dragging a leg' as a same-day criterion, with first aid 'remove branches, move to a low, small cage and rest. See a vet the same day for X-rays.' Alert, with no bleeding or bending, and eating, she does not meet the call-now criteria, but a same-day visit is required. If no hospital treats primates at night, rest her in a small cage where she cannot jump and see the vet first thing in the morning; if call-now signs appear in the meantime, such as inability to move, rapid breathing or a cold body, call the emergency (after-hours) hospital. Human painkillers poison small primates. Days of watching or free-roam worsen a fracture.

IssuesThe owner had not looked up an emergency (after-hours) hospital that treats primates and was left undecided in the middle of the night. The owner did not know the difference between the 'now' and 'same-day' criteria, or how to rest her in between.

ImprovementConfirm in advance a hospital that treats primates and an emergency (after-hours) hospital, and save them in your phone. Prepare a low rest cage or carrier where she cannot jump. Post the call-now and same-day criteria on paper, and at night check for signs of deterioration every hour.

6 a.m. on a winter morning, you find your 2-year-old male limp on the floor outside the nest box. He does not open his eyes when called, his body is cold, and there is faint chest movement. The heater is working, but last night's food was untouched. Suspecting hypoglycemia, you have prepared sugar water. There is also a pot of hot water by the cage.

What is the most appropriate first action?

1. Pour sugar water into his mouth to raise his blood sugar, then see the vet
2. Immediately hold a container of hot water against his body to warm him fast
3. Put nothing in his mouth; wrap him in a towel, warm him gradually with a cloth-wrapped hand warmer while calling the hospital, and transport right now
4. Return him to the nest box to sleep quietly and wait for him to wake

AnswerC. Put nothing in his mouth; wrap him in a towel, warm him gradually with a cloth-wrapped hand warmer while calling the hospital, and transport right now

ExplanationThe manual lists 'seizures, unconsciousness, cold body' as a call-now sign, and the first aid for hypothermia is 'wrap in a towel and warm gradually with a cloth-wrapped hand warmer. If conscious, dab sugar water on the corner of the mouth.' An unconscious animal cannot swallow; sugar water poured in enters the airway, causing aspiration or choking. Sugar is given at the hospital by IV drip. Warm him gradually while describing the situation by phone, and transport in a dark small box without jolting. A hot container held directly causes low-temperature burns, and rapid warming dilates the vessels and causes shock. Returned to the nest box to wait, his temperature and blood sugar keep falling and breathing stops.

IssuesThe owner failed to recognize the hypoglycemia risk when last night's food was left untouched. Not understanding the condition 'if conscious, sugar water', the owner was about to give it to an unconscious animal.

ImprovementIf food is left at the evening feeding, check again late at night and look in early the next morning. Write the conditions for using and not using sugar water on paper and post it on the cage. In winter keep disposable hand warmers and the transport box always to hand, and set the rule that a morning crisis means immediate transport while on the phone.

Late on a Saturday night, your 3-year-old female has a seizure. Your regular dog-and-cat clinic is closed, and you have never looked up a hospital that treats primates. The family is about to ask fellow keepers on social media, and you are so flustered you do not know where to start. Her weight records and diet are in a notebook.

What is the most appropriate response by the owner?

1. Call the emergency (after-hours) hospital to confirm whether they handle primates, meanwhile prepare warming and the transport box, and go with the weight history, diet details and stool photos
2. Ask fellow keepers on social media what to do and wait for replies
3. No one will see her at night, so keep her warm until morning and then go to the dog-and-cat clinic
4. Without calling, drive straight to the nearest dog-and-cat emergency hospital

AnswerA. Call the emergency (after-hours) hospital to confirm whether they handle primates, meanwhile prepare warming and the transport box, and go with the weight history, diet details and stool photos

ExplanationSeizures are a call-now sign in the manual. Even without knowing which hospital will see her, first call the emergency (after-hours) hospital to confirm whether they can handle primates or, if not, whether they can refer you, while preparing warming and the transport box in parallel. The manual lists as information for the visit 'weight history, diet and insect types, photos of stool, photos of the cage setup'; bringing the notebook speeds diagnosis. Waiting for social-media replies wastes time and the accuracy of the information is not guaranteed. Waiting until morning lets the seizures continue and leave brain damage. Going without calling, you may be turned away unseen, and the round trip drains her strength.

IssuesThe owner had not identified a hospital that treats primates in advance, neglecting the manual's basic preparation 'find a hospital that treats primates in advance.' Emergency contacts and procedures had not been shared with the family.

ImprovementLook up a hospital that treats primates and an emergency (after-hours) hospital right away, save them in your phone and post them on the cage. Ask your regular vet for an emergency referral. Keep records of weight history, diet and stool photos in a form you can grab and go, stored together with the transport box and warming supplies.