Exotic Accommodation, Parasites & Diet Flashcards
Main causes of reptile and amphibian diseases
poor husbandry, diet and basic hygiene. Inadequate accommodation and incorrect environment (lighting, ventilation, temperature).
Main problems seen in reptiles and amphibians
Parasites, bacterial diseases, fungal diseases, viral diseases and metabolic disorders
Common external parasite in snakes
snake mites
Snake Mites
black and nocturnal
visible on body
treatment ivermectin for 8 weeks
Preventing internal parasites snakes
Hookworm
controlled by worming twice a year
panacur 10% 1mg/kg bodyweight
Metabolic disease snakes
metabolic bone disease
Caused by incorrect diet and lack of vit D3 from UV light (calcium cannot be utilised)
Symptoms- bones are soft, swollen, deformed or fractures
Bacterial/viral/fungal disease seen in snakes and lizards
Mouth rot (Stomatitis)
Caused by poor husbandry and injury from running against glass front of vivarium
Common Disorders of Reptiles and Chelonians
Dysecdysis, Blister Disease, hypovitaminosis
Dysecdysis
Cause- dehydration, lack of abrasive surface to rub on, ectoparacites
Treatment- Rehydrate, bathe in lukewarm water, towels to rub on, treat parasites
Blister Disease
Commonly seen in semi-aquatic species/exposed to damp substrates
Symptoms- Skin develops blisters of clear fluid. Can become infected and progress to septicaemia
Treatment- Perform sensitivity test
Topical treatment for blisters
Parenteral antibiotics
Hypovitaminosis B1
Cause- Feeding raw fish (contain thiaminase deactivates thiamine=b1)
Symptoms- weakness, head tremours
Treatment- daily injection 25mg/kg
Thiamine supplement 35mg/kg of food given
Metabolic bone disease in reptiles and chelonia
cause- Diet deficient in calcium & lack of UV light (vit D3)
Symptoms- Diet deficient in calcium & lack of UV light (vit D3)
Treatment- Correct diet and UV light
Hypocalcaemic paralysis 100mg/kg of calcium gluconate IM
Good hygiene practice to avoid zoonoses
Don’t risk infecting reptile by feeding raw chicken or raw egg
wash hands thoroughly after handling animals or cleaning out the cage
Reptile & Amphibian cleaning Routine
- Change drinking or bathing water daily
- Food dishes and water dishes should be cleaned every day
- Spot cleaning of the substrate should be done regularly – sloughed skin and uneaten food should be removed
- Faeces and soiled substrate removed (cheaper substrate i.e. newspaper can be removed whenever soiled i.e every 2-3days
- Complete substrate change depends on type. Astroturf once a week
- Not all disenfectants safe to use (phenols toxic to rep/amph) 3% bleach solution safe
- Water used in vivarium should be de-chlorinated
Suitable Disinfectant for reptile vivarium
3% bleach solution
phenols such as Dettol are toxic
How do snakes receive nutrients?
All snakes are carnivores – receive all nutrients as eat prey whole.
Exception is insectivorous snakes – prey must be gut loaded with calcium & vitamin D3
Corn snakes & King snakes. What are they fed and how often?
mice fed possibly every day
Larger snakes such as boas. What are they fed and how often?
Rats/rabbits every 2-3 weeks
Examples of food for snakes
These are sold frozen and in different sizes
Pinkies = day old mice, no hair (1-2grams) Fuzzies = young mice that have grown a coat (4-6grams)
Fish-eating Snake diet
Garter snakes are fed on fish and amphibians.
If fed only raw fish they will develop a vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency.
To prevent this, the fish must be heated (80°c for 5mins) and cooled.
Diet can also be supplemented with thiamine 35mg/kg of food.
Knowing when to feed snakes
Hatchlings will begin to feed after their first shedding of skin (around a week after hatching). They will need to be fed at least once a week.
Feeding routine is based on trial and error as well as watching snakes behaviour
Snake behaviour when wanting food
Up at glass more often
moving around vivarium more than usual
flicking tongue more than usual i.e. looking for food
Method of feeding snakes
Make sure your scent is not on the food by touching it as little as possible.
Use blunt ended forceps to handle and place in vivarium.
Present food head end first
Fish-eating Snakes
Garter snakes are fed on fish and amphibians.
If fed only raw fish they will develop a vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency. To prevent this, the fish must be heated (80°c for 5mins) and cooled.
Diet can also be supplemented with thiamine 35mg/kg of food.
Food for Lizards
Different species may be carnivorous, insectivorous, herbivorous, frugiverous or omnivorous. Some species can change eating habits as they age. Geckos/skinks eat insects/mealworms but these must either be gutloaded or dusted in calcium. Insects which can be provided as food are
- Crickets
- Fruit flies
- Locusts
- Mealworms
Food for Chelonians
Tortoises are Primarily herbivores. They have no teeth but a hard horny beak which is worn down by eating tough fibrous foods. Should reflect natural diet and be fed ad-lib
Plants = Dandelion leaves, Bramble leaves
Leafy Greens Veg = Kale, carrot
Flowers= Dandelions, courgette flowers
Food for Terrapins
Terrapins are omnivores but largely eat fish and aquatic invertebrates.
They will only feed in water.
A suitable diet of fresh fish i.e. prawns, shrimps , tadpole or tinned catfood/dogfood. Suitable plants are dandelions and watercress.
Sexing birds -Budgies
– blue cere and more brightly coloured, female has a beige cere.
Surgical sexing involves using an endoscope through ribs into the abdominal airsac where the gonads can be seen.
DNA sexing can be done through blood or the pulp of the pulp from a freshly plucked body feather.
