Reptile Husbandry, Restraint, + Disease Flashcards
What is the recommended humidity range for tropical reptile species?
80-90%
What is the recommended humidity range for dessert reptile species?
30-50%
What is UVB lighting necessary for?
Vitamin D synthesis and Calcium absorption
What the diurnal temperature range for reptiles? Both tropical and desert?
85-95°F
What is the maximum basking light temperature for reptiles?
100°F-105°F
Why is temperature monitoring important for reptiles?
To avoid thermal burns and achieve optimum temperature ranges
What are 7 appropriate under layer materials for reptiles in their enclosures?
- Newspaper
- Artificial turf (sturdy, good quality)
- Recycled paper products
- Aspen bedding
- Cypress
- Mulch
- Ornamental bark chips
What type of housing is best for Arboreal + Terrestrial species of reptiles
Both: Made of synthetic nonporous material, sealed wood, Plexiglas
Arboreal species: vertical enclosures
Terrestrial species: horizontal enclosures
Herbivore diet: 3 facts
What reptile species is a Herbivore?
- Grasses, leaves, vegetables and fruit
- Feed diet with moderate to high fiber content and moderate to low fat and protein
- Alfalfa should be part of diet to provide protein source, should be fed in moderation
Example: Lizard
What 5 foods should Herbivores avoid?
- Don’t feed dog/cat food.
- Parsley
- Spinach
- Chives
- Oxalic acid may bind calcium and reduce calcium level
Carnivore diet:
- Prey, small mammals, birds or other reptiles
- High protein diet with moderate fat and low fiber
- Immature rodents should be coated with a calcium supplement
- Increase calcium intake
What should you avoid feeding carnivores + why? What are examples of carnivorous reptile species
Avoid feeding live prey, may cause injury to reptile
Ex: Lizards, Snakes
What is an Insectivore? What is important about their diet? Reptile example
Insectivore: Eats insects, worms, and other invertebrates
Diet: Crickets, mealworms, waxworms
- Insects must be fed a nutrient rich diet for up to 2 days before being offered to the reptile
- Gut loading, insects do not provide enough nutrition without gut loading
Example: Lizards
What is an Omnivore? What is important about their diet? What about water? Reptile example
Omnivore: Eats plant and prey
Diet: Combination of food items for herbivores, carnivores and insectivores
Water: depending on the species water may be offered in a dish, misting or dripping system
Example: Lizards
What a lizards main defense?
How do you restrian them?
Venipuncture sites (3)
Defense: Bite
Restrain:
- Hold head first; placing the index finger and thumb around base of mandible
- Use free hand to hold rear legs and tail
- Don’t grab the tail; some lizards can lose the distal part of their tail as a defense mechanism (this is called tail autotomy)
- Sometimes covering eyes can calm them down
Venipuncture sites: ventral coccygeal (tail) vein, jugular vein, ventral abdominal vein
What a chelonain’s main defense? What are they?
How do you restrian them?
Venipuncture sites (3)
Turtles & Tortoises
1. Nonaggressive chelonians: safe handling by grasping both sides of shell
2. Restrain head by grasping base of skull at the mandible with index finger and thumb.
- Use gentle traction to extend head and neck. Excessive pressure may lead to injury of cervical spine
3. Seek professional training for tips to handle aggressive species (e.g. freshwater snapping
turtles and marine turtles).
Venipuncture sites: jugular vein, subcarapacial venous sinus (just above head and underneath
shell at midline), dorsal coccygeal vein (dorsal midline of tail)
What a snake’s main defense?
How do you restrian them?
Main defenses: bites and constriction
Restrain:
- Grasping head at level of mandible, support body with the other hand.
- There needs to be an additional handler for every 3-4 feet of snake to support the snake’s spine
- Never drape snakes over a person’s neck
- Only trained professionals should handle venomous snakes
What medication is extremely toxic to some reptiles? Which does it effect? What does it cause in these 3 species?
Ivermectin - leads to neuroloigic defects and often death
Species: Chelonians, indigo snakes, and debilitated snakes
What is dysecdysis?
Abnormal shedding or sloughing of the skin in reptiles
What is Ecdysis?
Normal shedding or sloughing of the skin in reptiles
