Chelonians Flashcards
What animals classify as chelonians?
- Turtles
- Tortoises
- Terrapins
What habitat does a tortoise live in?
Terrestrial - on land
What habitat does a turtle live in?
Aquatic - may spend some time basking/laying eggs
What type of habitat does terrapins live in?
Aquatic and terrestrial
Combined surface of all turtles carapace should not exceed __% of floor space.
25%
How deep should the water be in a turtle enclosure?
As deep as the width of the shell so the turtle can get upright if it flips over
Define ectotherm
Body temperature changes in response to environmental temperatures
How do turtles regulate their body temp?
By basking in heat when needed
What does POTZ stand for?
Preferred
Optimal
Temp.
Zone
What is the POTZ for a turtle?
75-82ºF
The basking area or hot spot in a turtle enclosure should be __
90-100ºF
How do you know how many inches the light should be placed above the basking area?
Read the manufactures instructions - varies for different products (good rule of thumb: 12-18 inches)
If possible turtles should get ___min of sun __x a week.
20min, 3x
The diet for a turtle is ____
Mostly omnivores
They can eat: fish, earthworms, chopped skinned mice, dark green leafy veggies
Commercial diets recommended - more balanced
The POTZ for a tortoise is ____ if they’re being kept outdoors.
65-75ºF or above
The POTZ for a tortoise being kept indoors is between ____ºF
75-90ºF
List some acceptable substrates for tortoises
Cypress mulch, large conifer bark nuggets, alfalfa pellets, newspaper, indoor/outdoor carpet
List the UNACCEPTABLE substrate types
Sand, fine gravel, cat litter, crushed corn cob, walnut shells, pine and cedar shavings
What is another name for Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism?
Metabolic Bone Disease
What is Metabolic Bone Disease?
- Abnormality in calcium metabolism
- Deformed shells and abnormal scute growth
Understand how Calcium Regulation works
How to treat a chelonian with vitamin A deficiency
Plan A: correct the diet
Plan B: vitamin A injections
What will a chelonian will vitamin A deficiency look like?
Conjunctivitis (Pink eye), Blepharitis (swollen eyelid), nasal discharge, dyspnea, ear abscesses
What are some signs that a chelonian might have vitamin A toxicity?
Dry flakey skin, sloughing of the skin, secondary bacterial infection
Describe the difference between wet and dry shell rot
Wet form: hemorrhagic discharge between the scutes
Dry form: more of a dry appearance
What is shell rot also known as?
SCUD: Septicemic cutaneous ulcerative disease
How would you treat shell rot?
Fix husbandry/sanitation issues
Treat topically with betadine soak
Sunlight also helps a lot
What are some important things to remember when it comes to traumatic injuries?
- very commonly seen in practice
- clean and debride
- don’t rush in too soon to repair if possible
- use antibiotics and wound care to treat the infection before closing over with epoxy
- will take time to heal but don’t give up
Overgrown beaks
Respiratory diseases
What can cause gout?
Diets too high in protein, kidney disease, dehydration
What is gout?
Deposition of uric acid crystals in the visceral organs or the joints
How do you diagnose gout?
Radiographs and cytology
What does dystocia mean?
Difficulty giving birth
What are some signs of dystocia?
Anorexia, lethargy, straining, sometimes bloody discharge from the cloaca
