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3. Comparative > Reptiles 1 pt 2 > Flashcards

Reptiles 1 pt 2 Flashcards

1
Q

reptiles neuro system
- like what other animal?
- spine structure?
- reflexes?
- braincase?
- behaviour

A
  • Similar in the general organization as in birds
  • No intervertebral disks
  • Reflexes are temperature dependent
  • Righting reflex
  • Side walls of the braincase are cartilaginous in lizards and absent in snakes
  • Lots of “weird” behavior that can be misinterpreted
    <><>
  • Thanatosis – cold-blooded reptiles such as hognose snakes flip belly-up and remain rigid, with their mouth open and tongue hanging out.
  • Circumduction – the movement of a limb or extremity so that the distal end describes a circle while the proximal end remains fixed.
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2
Q

reptile eyelids
- who has fused?
- skull eye?

A
  • Fused eyelids in snakes and some geckos (shed during ecdysis)
  • Parietal eye on top of the skull
    <><>
  • A parietal eye, also known as a third eye or pineal eye, is a part of the epithalamus present in some vertebrates. The eye is located at the top of the head, is photoreceptive, and is associated with the pineal gland, regulating circadian rhythmicity and hormone production for thermoregulation. Found in the tuatara, most lizards, frogs, salamanders, certain bony fish, sharks, and lampreys.
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3
Q
  • reptile special senses?
  • external ears?
A
  • Vomeronasal organ (Jacobson’s) > flicking of tongue
  • Infrared receptors (pit organs)
  • No external ears in snakes and chameleons
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4
Q

can reptiles live just anywhere?

A
  • Reptile are extremely diverse
  • Reptiles are highly dependent on
    their environment
    > Highly adapted to their ecological niche
    > Select micro-environment
  • Reptiles can “function” and reproduce in suboptimal environment
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5
Q

Poor or suboptimal environment changes….

A
  • Poor or suboptimal environment promotes diseases
    <><>
  • Decrease metabolism
  • Promote infectious agent transmission
  • Impair a range of physiological processes:
  • Immune system
  • Growth
  • Shedding
  • Calcium metabolism
  • Appetite and digestion
  • Normal behavior
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6
Q

Main husbandry needs for reptiles?
additional needs?

A

Main needs:
* Heat
* Lighting and UVB
* Humidity
* Substrate and enclosures
* Water quality for aquatic species
<><><><>
Additional husbandry needs:
* Environmental enrichment
* Foraging and natural behavior
* Minimizing stress and diseases

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7
Q

Common types of biotopes in pet reptiles

A
  • Tropical
  • Desert
  • Temperate
  • Aquatic
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8
Q

reptiles temp
- most reptiles regulate how?

A

Most reptiles are poikilothermic and ectothermic
* Thermoregulation by using an environmental thermal gradient
* Preferred optimum temperature range (POTZ)
<><><>
* Ectotherm (vs. endotherm) = an animal that is dependent on external sources of body heat.
* Poikilotherm (vs. homeotherm) = an animal that cannot regulate its body temperature except by behavioral means such as basking or burrowing.
* Phenotypic plasticity: downregulation of physiological processes in cold temperatures, metabolic compensation.

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9
Q

reptile habitat temp:
- thermal gradients - how to provide
- important considerations

A

Basics of thermal gradients:
* Preferred optimum temperature range
> Cool area: 20-25oC for most species
> Hot area: 35-40oC for most species
> Basking spot
> Cooler at night
> Species-specific requirements
* Horizontal or vertical
* Size of the enclosure
* Heating sources combination
* Should follow the UVB gradient
* Aquatic species also bask, i.e., turtles need a rock!

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10
Q

heat sources for reptile habitat
- what type

A
  • Radiant heat sources
    <><><><>
  • Heat only:
  • Infrared light (heat)
  • Ceramic heater (no light and so does not disturb normal photo periods)
    <>
  • All-in-one bulbs – visible light, infrared light (heat), UVA, UVB:
  • Solar Glo – mercury vapor bulb
  • Sunray – metal halide bulb
    <><><><>
  • Conductive heat sources
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11
Q

monitoring tools to ensure proper thermal gradient

A

Monitoring
* Thermometers
* Thermostat

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12
Q

lighting for reptile habitat

A
  • Replicate daylight
    > Photoperiod
    > Seasons
  • UVB light
    > Species-specific requirements
    > put with light source as in nature
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13
Q

reptiles tropical, subtropical, temperate photoperiod

A

Photoperiod
* Tropical: 12h
* Subtropical: 13/11h for Sum/Win
* Temperate: 14/10h for Sum/Win

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14
Q

UVB wavelengths used by reptiles

A
  • Used by reptiles: 290-320 nm
  • Peak production at 298 nm
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15
Q

reptile Vit D3 metabolism
- light
- diet
- purpose?

A

pro D + UVB = 298nm > pre-D3 + heat > D3
> to liver, 25-H-Vit-D3 > to kidney, Calcitriol
<><><>
* In most snakes, crocodilians, some chelonians, and some amphibians, a nocturnal lifestyle or ingestion of whole prey has allowed vitamin D3 to be primarily or completely obtained from the diet.
* However, diurnal, insectivorous, or herbivorous reptiles (particularly lizards, some chelonians, and some amphibians) require UVB exposure to activate the cholecalciferol pathway.
* Under natural conditions, reptiles synthesize vitamin D3 when exposed to sunlight.
* UV light in the spectrum (290–320 nm) reacts to convert cholesterol to the inactive form
of vitamin D3 in the skin; this vitamin D3 is then converted to 1,25-
dihydroxycholecalciferol (calcitriol) through the liver and kidneys.
* Calcitriol is then used to facilitate the absorption of calcium from the intestinal tract.

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16
Q

Dietary supplementation of Vitamin D3
- easy?
- problems?
- easier way?

A
  • Difficult to get the correct dose for every species
  • Prone to hyper- and hypovitaminosis
  • Better to provide UVB
    <><><>
  • When an animal cannot be provided with proper exposure to UV light, vitamin D3 supplementation can be considered; however, risks associated with hypervitaminosis D.
17
Q

lighting materials
- suitablility is based on
- UVB bulbs vs sun?

A
  • Suitability based on
  • Quality (spectrum)
  • Quantity (irradiance)
    <><><>
  • No UVB bulb is comparable to the sun
  • In captivity, an alternative to natural sunlight that mimics the spectrum of natural light is required; these UV lights are often a poor replacement for natural sunlight, and natural sunlight should be provided whenever possible.
18
Q

Factors decreasing UVB output for light sources
- for different bulb types
- in general

A
  • Time
    > 6 months for fluorescent
    > 1 year for mercury vapor bulb
    > 2 years for metal halide bulb
  • Distance (20-40 cm)
  • Screening materials
19
Q

how do we know how much UVB is needed?

A
  • Ferguson zones – recommended UVI by UV-meter > type of bulb for particular species
    <><><><>
  • The key to choosing suitable UV lighting is the selection of an appropriate “photo- microhabitat”.
  • Suitable UV levels are estimated using a concept described by Dr. Gary Ferguson and his team from Texas Christian University (Ferguson et al, 2010).
  • They recorded the daily UV exposure of 15 species of reptiles, in the field, as measured with the Solarmeter 6.5 UV Index meter (Solartech Inc. USA; www.solarmeter.com).
  • They demonstrated that knowledge of any species’ basking/daylight exposure habits enables a reasonable estimation of likely UV exposures. They divided species into 4 sun exposure groups or “zones”, which we have designated the “Ferguson Zones”. Ferguson Zone 1 species are crepuscular or shade dwellers. Zone 2 species are occasional baskers. Zone 3 species bask in partial sun or at restricted times of the day. Zone 4 species tolerate full sunlight and high UVB levels throughout the day.
  • Provisional allocation into one of the four Ferguson Zones is possible for any species with known basking behavior, but this allocation must remain provisional until habitat recordings are made.
20
Q

humidity for reptiles
- do they all need the same?
- what do they need it for?
- measurement?

A
  • Species-specific parameter
  • High humidity in tropical/rainforest species
  • Low humidity in temperate/desert species
  • Species select high humidity microenvironment (burrows, logs, caves)
    <><><>
  • Essential for healthy reptiles
  • Shedding
  • Respiratory health
  • Drinking (chameleons, geckos)
  • Measure with hygrometer
21
Q

how to provide humidity in habitats

A
  • Humidity boxes/caves
    > Moistened substrate/moss
    > High humidity microenvironment
  • Substrate that holds moisture
22
Q

humidity problems, trade-offs

A
  • Humidity is low in a home environment, i.e., < 20%
  • There is a trade-off between high humidity and ventilation
23
Q

reptile substrate
- depends on? what to use for different kinds
- general guidelines

A
  • Depends on the species and biotope
  • Desert species: mineral
  • Tropicalspecies:soil,wood,plant-based
    <><><>
  • General guidelines
  • Small particles to limit impaction
  • Donotfeedonsubstrate
  • Spotcleaning
  • Regularreplacementoftheentiresubstrate
24
Q

reptile water quality, parameters

A
  • Often overlooked part of husbandry assessment
    <><>
  • Basic water quality parameters:
  • Nitrogen cycle
    > Ammonia
    > Nitrites
    > Nitrates
  • Temperature
  • pH
  • Salinity
25
Q

Diet for reptiles
- who are carnivores, insectivores, herbivores, omnivores

A

Carnivorous
* Snakes, monitor lizards
<><>
Insectivorous
* Geckos
* Chameleons
<><>
Herbivorous
* Bearded dragons (more insectivorous when juveniles)
* Red-eared slider (more carnivorous when juveniles)
* Green iguana
* Tortoises
<><>
Omnivorous
* Box turtles

26
Q

diet for reptiles
- Ca:P ratio for insects, vegetables
- vit A?
- larva?
- vitamin supplemets?
<><>
- vit A deficiency

A
  • Most insects and vegetables have an inversed Ca:P ratio and may be deficient in calcium; consequently, they require calcium (without D3) supplement
  • Insects may be deficient in vitamin A
  • Larval insects are very fat–obesity,
    lipidosis
  • Need 1-2 twice a week multivitamin supplementation (with A and D3)
    <><><><>
  • Vitamin A deficiency is common in all captive insectivorous reptiles, including leopard geckos, chameleons, and anoles. It is thought to result from dietary deficiency; it is unknown if insectivorous lizards can synthesize vitamin A from carotenoids in their diet. Dietary history and multivitamin review may disclose a lack of vitamin A in the patient’s diet; for example, the patient may not be fed multivitamins that contain vitamin A or may be fed insects that do not receive gut-loading diets or other foods containing vitamin A. Feeder insects are generally deficient in vitamin A and often receive diets deficient in vitamin A. In addition, many food manufacturers omit vitamin A and substitute β-carotene in reptile multivitamins because of misinformation that vitamin A is toxic to insectivores.
27
Q

reptile hospitalization
- temp gradients
- UVB
- substrate
- glass
- snakes, rodents, birds
- hiding

A
  • Gradients are less important
    > Reptiles are sick and may lose some
    thermoregulatory abilities
    > Best to keep them toward the high end of their POTR
  • Lack of UVB for 1-2 days is not a big deal (bring them outside!)
  • Easily clean able substrate is best
  • Glass enclosures are not ideal
  • Snakes may smell rodents and birds
  • Provide hiding spots

3. Comparative (23 decks)

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