Protocol

Performing Surgery on Tammar Wallaby (Macropus eugenii) Adults

  1. Marilyn B. Renfree1
  1. Department of Zoology, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
  1. 1Corresponding author (m.renfree{at}unimelb.edu.au).

INTRODUCTION

Adult tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii) are very tolerant of surgery if it is conducted with care. Adult females weigh ~4‐5 kg, males ~7‐8 kg. Routine surgery performed in our laboratory and described in this protocol includes castration, laparotomy (to visualize the reproductive tract), ovariectomy, and hysterectomy (for embryo collection). All surgery is conducted under aseptic conditions. For most reproductive surgery on females, the optimum surgical approach is via the inside of the pouch. Any pouch young must be removed before surgery.

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