Reptiles Flashcards
Examples of Carnivorous Reptiles
snapping turtles, monitor lizards (including Komodo dragons), snkaes (hognose, ball python, cornsnakes)
pinkies
frozen baby mice
Best way to feed carnivores?
frozen defrosted (NOT LIVE)
Retinoids
animal source of vitamin A
Why are nutritional deficiencies rare in snakes?
feeder mice provide what they need (via bones (calcium) and liver (vitamin A and D))
Examples of Insectivores
leopard geckos, chameleons
chitinase
enzyme to digest chitin
chitin
structural component of invertebrate exoskeletons
What 3 animals have true monodiets?
- Koalas
- Giant pandas
- Black footed ferrets
Are fireflies good bugs for reptiles?
No, especially beardies
Can insectivores get their nutritional requirements from their “natural” diet (like wild bugs)?
no
Gut Loading
feed veggies (sweet potato, squash) to insects before giving to insectivore to provide carotenoids
carotenoids
Vitamin A from plant sources
What worms are good sources of calcium?
earthworms and phoenix worms (they come from the dirt)
Dusting
calcium/multivitamin powder to put bugs in before feeding
Examples of Herbivorous Reptiles
green iguana, tortoises, spiny tail lizards
Diet Recommendations for Green Iguana
dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, collard/mustard/dandelion greens), SMALL amounts of fruit and veggies
Diet Recommendations for Tortoises
grass hay and weeds, but can also have leafy greens, fruits, and veggies
Do dark leafy greens have more or less calcium?
more
Are herbivorous reptiles hindgut fermenters?
yes
How can you help herbivores get their required vitamin D?
dust their diet with it and provide UVB
What is a herbivorous diet naurally high in and therefore does not require supplementations?
betacarotene (no additional Vitamin A required)
Examples of Omnivorous Reptiles
beardies, box turtles
Ontogenetic Shift
baby beardies go from being carnivorous (insectivores) to a mostly plant diet (80%) as adults (1 year old)
What species require UVB to make endogenous Vitamin D?
bearded dragons, herbivores (iguanas and tortoises)
What species can get Vitamin D toxicity?
beardies
Size limit for insects for beardies?
width between the eyes
Box Turtle Diet
mainly insects, some vertebrate prey, veggies and leafy greens; all dusted and gut-loaded
Nutritional Secondary Hyperthyroidism
husbandry problem where animal has not gotten enough calcium vitamin D, and/or UVB exposure; typically during growth life stages
Fibrous osteodystrophy
low calcium bone stores lead to swelling of long bones d/t fibrous tissue attempting to stabilize the bone
Clinical Signs of Low Calcium Bone Stores
Clinical Signs of Hypocalcemia (low calcium in the blood)
Vitamin of Epithelial Health
vitamin A
What parts of the body have epithelium?
anything open to the outside world!
Ocular Signs of Hypovitaminosis A
palpebral edema, thick mucus, solid cellular debris within the conjunctiva
Oral Signs of Hypovitaminosis A
inability to catch prey d/t lack of tongue stickiness, stomatitis
Dysecdysis
difficulty shedding
Sign of Hypovitaminosis A in turtles
aural abscesses (swollen heads)
Spiny Tail Lizard Nutritional Strategy
herbivore
Recommended Calcium:Phosphorous Ratio
2:1
