reptiles Flashcards
describe daily management and husbandry requirents of the commonly kept reptiles and consider the implications of this when keeping reptiles as pets in the UK
- huge variation in diet, habitat, social groupings, etc
- captive environment should replicate wild as best as possible
- should allow maintenance of goo health
- should promote natural behaviours
- minimise negative impact
captive environment:
- size and shape depends on species, number if individuals and behaviour (size recommendations based on body length)
- should be large enough for temperature gradient
- 30-40% of floor space for normal activity
- materials should be non-toxic, non-porous, easy to clean, easy to obtain and maintain, durable, not likely to cause injury
temperature:
- reptiles are ectothermic and require a range of temperatures to be able to thermoregulate
- need to have optimal temperature for species to be able to feed, digest, reproduce and immunocompensate normally
- varies greatly by species, time of day/year, physiological state, health status
- should have a “hot” (perferred optimal temperature for species or above) and cold (at or below POTZ)
- thermometers should be places at height animal most likely to be at
- should be cooler at night
- heat sources include ceramic or incandescent bulb for, heat pads/mats, sometimes hot rocks (not recommended as not easily controllable can burn)
lighting;
- lizards and chelonians should have full spectrum lighting (UVA, UVB and visible light)
- change bulbs regularly
- need to be placed at correct distance from animal to prevent burns and cancer
- daylight and night light required
humidity:
- varies per species (desert species need less than rainforest species i.e bearded dragon vs iguana)
- associated with temp
- measure using hygrometer
- if too low: dyseccdysis (snakes) renal failure (iguana)
- spraying, misting, drip systems, water bowls, water features, humidifyers, moss and peat help
drinking water:
- what do they do in the wild? do they drink from pools? mist on plants?
- bathing cooling swimming? humidity?
- includes bowls, drip systems, sprayes, misting
ventilation:
- air changes not just movement of air
- reduces odours, prevents pathogen build up
- need careful balance with temperature and humidity
- includes passive (ventilation holes) or active (fans)
Diet:
- varies
- carnivores: need while prey items, not just meat
- herbivores and omnivores need leafy weeds, veggies (not fruit), +/- hay, feed chopped, avoid high oxalates (parsley, spinach, romaine) brassicas (cabbage, kale, broccoli), high phytate containing foods (cereals and legumes) pellets (too high in energyb and protein)
- omnivores need insect based diets (meal worms, crickets etc)
- supplement with calcium, multivitamins including vitamin D
describe behaviours of commonly kept reptiles
- climb, hide, bathe
- thermoregulation
- brumation (hibernation for reptiles, not all species brumate)
- aggression
What legislation list species that cannot be removed from the wild to be kept as pets
CITES
what legislation requires a license to keep dangerous animals
dangerous wild animals act 1976
covers venomous species of snakes, lizards and all crocodilia
bearded dragon
leopard gecko
green iguana
ball python
corn snake
milk snake
green tree python
garter snake
boa constrictor
indian chameleon
blue tongued skink
water dragon
red eared terrapin
horsefields tortoise
describe the natural behaviour of cornsnakes
- from south easter US (florida)
- diet: carnivores, eat whole prey (constricotrs), feed every few days
- live in forests, fields and wetlands
- diurnal
- secretive
- solitary
what is important about snake diets that differs from other carnivorous species
- do not handle within 24-48 hours of feeding
- amount and frequency of feeding depends on species and age
- regular weighing and BCS to get it right
- can alter feeding to manage behaviour (over active snakes can be fed more frequently to calm them down)
sex this bearded dragon
male: large femoral pores
sex this bearded dragon
female: small femoral pores
sex this bearded dragon
male: 2 hemipenes
females have no hemipene
does the sexing probe go further in male or female snakes
further in males
how do you determine sex of chelonians
- longer tails in males
- plastron concave in males
- carpace margin flared in females and tucked in males
what are the common causes of health and welfare problems in captive reptiles
- inadequate husbandry!
list common musculoskeleton issues in reptile
- metabolic bone disease (disorder of calcium metabolism, leads to fractures and bone deformities)
- gout (uric acid crystals form in joints if diet too high in protein)
- overgrown nails and beak
list common GI issues in reptiles
- gut impaction (esp if on sand or wood chip substrate)
- endoparasites
- regurgitation (endoparasites or handling)
- anorexia (lots of causees such as stress, inadequate setup, systemic illness, dehydration)
list common skin and shell issues in reptiles
- burns and scalds (from heating bulbs)
- ectoparasites (snake mite)
- tumours (UV damage)
- dyseccdysis including retailed spectacles
- trauma (fighting, enclosure design)
- shell pyramiding
- soft shell (metabolic bone disease)
- stomatitis (mouth inflammation)
list causes of common respiratory diseases of reptiles
- inadequate ventilation
- high temps/low humidity = drying of mucous membranes
- low temps reducing immunity
- poor hygeine
- small vivarium = not able to clear discharges
- nutritional deficiencies
