Herptiles

Question 1

Tuatara

Answer 1

Most primitive reptile (100 yr lifespan)
20 years to sexual maturity

Question 2

Tuatara eggs

Answer 2

Lays every 4 years and takes a year to hatch
Male: above 22C, Female: below 20C

Question 3

Herptiles do not have a ________

Answer 3

Diaphragm

Question 4

Circulatory systems

Answer 4

Possess 3 chambered hearts except crocs and alligators have 4
Nucleated RBCs and thrombocytes

Question 5

Crocodilians have ________ stomach

Answer 5

Muscular gizzard-like posterior

Question 6

Reptile kidneys

Answer 6

Unable to produce liquid urines because they lack loop of henle

Question 7

Herptile temperature regulation

Answer 7

Ectothermic- body temp regulated by the environment

Question 8

Reptile signs of health

Answer 8

Plump well rounded tails
Clears eyes and alert
Gloss tone of epithelium and appendages

Question 9

Snakes smell

Answer 9

Jacobsen’s organ
Forked tongue carries scent particles to organ

Question 10

Ambesphenids

Answer 10

Worm lizards with scales arranged in rings

Question 11

Turtles

Answer 11

Ecto and endoskeleton
Males have convex plastron and females flat
Herbos= terrestrial , Omnis= marine

Question 12

What are the top and bottom of the turtle called?

Answer 12

Pastron: Bottom
Cacapace: top

Question 13

Husbandry

Answer 13

80-90% of problems due to husbandry
Environment, feeding and nutrition, species requirements

Question 14

Lighting functions

Answer 14

Heat production
Photoperiod regulation
UV light production for calcium metabolism

Question 15

Why is UV light needed?

Answer 15

Photolysis of provitamin D3 to previtamin D3 that isomerizes to vit. D3
(no important for snakes and nocturnal lizards)

Question 16

What are included in amphibians?

Answer 16

Frogs, toads, salamanders, caecilians

Question 17

Amphibians life cycle (2 stages)

Answer 17

1. Aquatic (pronephric kidneys)
2. Terrestrial (mesonephric kidneys)

Question 18

Redleg

Answer 18

Bacterial infection –> swelling and hemorragic –> septicemic
Organisms: Aeromonas spp. **

Question 19

Treating Redleg

Answer 19

Good nursing care, antibiotic therapy, isotonic solutions (Amphibian Lactated Ringers) soaks

Question 20

Tuberculosis (Mycobacteriosis)

Answer 20

Organisms: M. Marinum, M. Ranae, M. Chelonae, M. Xenopi
Multifocal non healing ulcerative skin lesions
Can’t eradicate, cull animals

Question 21

Pseudocapillaroides xenopi

Answer 21

Capillarid nematode frist in African clawed frogs
Epidermal hyperplasia and nematodes in eggs

Question 22

How do you treat traumatic injuries?

Answer 22

Placing animals in high salt solutions

Question 23

SCUD (Septicemic cutaneous ulcerative disease)

Answer 23

Organisms: Aeromonas, Aspergillus spp.
Signs: anorexia, lethargy, cutaneous ulcers

Question 24

Pneumonia

Answer 24

Respiratory infections
Clin signs: harsh respirations, heavy oral or nasal secretions, open mouth breathing

Question 25

Egg binding

Answer 25

Very few snake spays
Retained eggs or portions of eggs or fetuses
May take a few weeks or months to develop

Question 26

Adenoviruses

Answer 26

Of boa constrictors
Causes CNS signs and death
Diagnosed based on ID intranucelar IBs

Question 27

Paramyxoviruses

Answer 27

Snakes causing respiratory disease

Question 28

Retroviruses

Answer 28

Causes regurgitation and CNS signs in pythons
Diagnosed by intracytoplasmic IBs

Question 29

Herpesviruses

Answer 29

In tortoises cause respiratory disease
May cause necrotic lesions
Diagnosed with IBs

Question 30

Hypovitaminosis A (turtles)

Answer 30

Dietary inadequacy
Clin signs: Blepharoedma, conjunctivitis, otitis, nasal discharge, lethargy
Treated with parenteral vit. A admin

Question 31

Retained lenscap (snakes)

Answer 31

Lens cap or spectacle in place after shedding

Question 32

Abnormal husbandry

Answer 32

Poor husbandry and nutrition
Low humidity
Correct by soaking