Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Year 2 NSF > Reptiles > Flashcards

Reptiles Flashcards

1
Q

Where do most reptile diseases in the UK start from?

A

o Poor/Incorrect nutrition
o Poor husbandry - Environmental stress reduces immune system function, and predisposes to infections, reptiles are especially prone to respiratory infection

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Reptile taxonomy

A
  1. Kingdom: Animalia
  2. Phylum: Chordata
  3. Class: Reptilia
  4. Orders, there are 4 but we are only interested in 2
    a) Squamata - lizards and snakes
    b) Chelonia - Shell creatures, turtles and tortoise
    c) (Crocodilia)
    d) (Rhynocephalia)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Talk about crocodilia

A

• Crocodiles, alligators, caiman, gharial, false gharial
• You can keep them as pets, and it is done in the UK but
o You need a wild/dangerous animal licence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Talk about Rhyncocephalia

A

• Unlikely to see in practice however successful captive breeding at Chester Zoo
• Pronounced ‘third eye’
o Photoreceptive but not visual
o Thought to be involved in circadian and seasonal cycles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Talk about squamata

A
  1. By far the largest order – about 6,000 species
  2. Contains
    o Suborder Suaria/lacertilia – Lizards (~19 families)
    o Suborder Serpentes – Snakes (~11 families)
    o (Suborder Amphisbaena – Worm lizards (1 family))
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Talk about Chelona.

What are the differences?

A 
Contains
o	The tortoises
o	The terrapins
o	The turtles
• Differences?
•	Tortoises - Land dwelling 
•	Terrapins - Land/water 
•	Turtles - Mainly water (lay on land), rarely kept as pets
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q 
Snakes
Order
Sub order
Number of species 
Which families are you most likely to see in practise and why?
A
  1. Order: Squamata
  2. Suborder: Serpentes
  3. Around 3000 species
  4. Four families: most likely to see top 2 in pet situations as bottom 2 are dangerous
    a) Colubridae
    b) Boidae
    c) Viperidae
    d) Elapidae
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Examples of snakes in each family

a) Colubridae
b) Boidae
c) Viperidae
d) Elapidae

A

a) Colubridae – corn snake, rat snake, king snake, garter snake. Commonly kept, popular children pet.
b) Boidae – boa constrictor, royal python, anaconda. Commonly kept. Powerful constrictors
c) Viperidae – rattlesnake, pit viper, puff adder. Most advanced, one carotid, one lung, hinged maxilla for jaw movement. Oviparous or viviparous
d) Elapidae – mamba, cobra, taipan, sea snake.
One lung and carotid, small heads, front fangs
Mainly oviparous

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Family, lifespan and length of corn and king snakes

A

Family - COLUBRIDAE
• Corn Snakes (Elphae guttata) make good childrens pets
o Lifespan 10-20 yrs
o Length up to 150cm (females often bigger than males)
• King Snakes (Lampropeltis spp.)
o Lifespan 15-25 yrs
o Length up to 180cm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Family of Pythons and Boas. Talk about types of python and the 2 most common boase

A 
Family = BOIDAE
PYthons:
1. Ball python - 1-1.5 m. Lots of diff colours
2. Burmese - v common, attractive marbelling
3. Reticulated - greater than 6m)
BOAS
2 most common seen in practise:
o Constrictor ~2 m (7-8ft)
o Rosy ~ 0.9m (3ft)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Lizard Order and sub order

A

• Order – Squamata

o Sub-order suaria/lacertilia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Commonly kept lizards

A 
o	Geckos E.g. leopard
o	Bearded dragons, Popular children pet
o	Iguana, Entirely herbivorous, Can be aggressive 
o	Chameleons, Quite easily upset
o	Skinks
o	Chinese water dragon
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Chelona

A
  1. Tortoises
    a) Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise (horny protrusion on thigh)
    b) Horsfields Tortoise
    c) Hermanns
    d) Marginated
  2. Terrapins
    a) Teenage mutant ninja turtles
  3. Turtles
    a) Rarely kept as need large body of water
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What to avoid in a reptile housing environment

A
  1. Things that can be ingested e.g. gravel and stones as these cause blockages
  2. Rotting food material
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What sort of heat regulators are reptiles?

A
  1. ECTOTHERMS - regulate body temp using behavioural means
  2. Bask in sun to gain
  3. Hide in shade to lose
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the preferred optimum temp zone and Preferred body temperature?

A
  1. Preferred optimum temp zone - Range of temperatures that that reptile requires to be able to thermoregulate (lowest and highest needs to maintain ability to thermoregulate)
  2. Preferred body temperature
    - Optimum temperature for correct functioning of all body systems
17
Q

What temperature management do you need in place for reptiles?

A
  1. Provide different heat sources to achieve POTZ
  2. Primary heat source should be at the low end of POTS to provide ambient/ background heat
  3. Secondary heat source which should be a higher temp than primary
18
Q

About primary heat source

A

o Low end of POTZ – provides background/ambient heat
o Should NOT be a light source as needs to be on all the time
o Need to consider correct period of daylight/darkness
o Options: although at low temperature shouldn’t be directly accessible to animal to avoid burns
 - Heat mats
 - Heat tape
 - Incandescent bulbs
 - Ceramic lamps

19
Q

About secondary heat source

A
  1. much higher temp
    o Gives higher temp heat source in specific areas
    o Should not exceed high end of POTZ
    o Generally 50-75W bulb will suffice
    o NEVER allow direct contact with this source – BURNS
     Meshed off so can’t get to it
20
Q

Important things for temperature monitoring

A
  1. Ambient temp should not exceed PBT
  2. Heat source should not exceed top POTZ
  3. Min and max thermometers essential
  4. Monitor on daily basis
21
Q

Humidity:

  1. broadly talk about species dependence
  2. What used to measure it
  3. When to provide higher humidity?
A
  1. Lower for desert species – leopard geckos – 20-30%
  2. Most species tolerate 50-70%
  3. Higher for rainforest species – 70-80%
  4. Hygrometer
  5. higher for ECDYSIS (skin shedding). and spray daily to help shedding
22
Q

What will happen if too humid or not enough

A

too - skin issues

not - shedding issues

23
Q

Lighting facts

A
  • Timers essential
  • Most species tolerate 12-14 hours of light a day
  • Quality of light important: need 2 types
  • UVA – 320-400nm
  • UVB – 290-320nm – most important in pet species
24
Q

Talk about the different types of lighting needed for reptiles?

A
  1. UVA – 320-400nm
    • Stimulates reproductive behaviour in lizards
  2. UVB – 290-320nm – most important in pet species
    o Required for conversion of Vit D3 in skin
    o Important for calcium metabolism
    o 6-12 inches from animal to get right amount of light onto skin for these processes
    o Replace regularly (efficacy declines over time) – every 6 months best, can be every year
25
Q

How many hrs of daylight and dark do tropical and temperate species need in summer and winter

A 
1. Tropical species
o	Summer 13hr light/11hr dark 
o	Winter 11hr light/13hr dark
2. Temperate species (similar climate to us)
o	Summer 15hr light/9hrs dark
o	Winter 9hr light/15hrs dark
26
Q

Calcium to phosphorus ratio

A

1.5:1 to 2:1

27
Q

What is important to remember with crickets and mealworms. Also pinkie mice

A

inverse Ca:P ratio (0.33:1)
 High P low Ca
 So if feeding exclusively that need to add Ca supplements to get balance right e..g packets of Ca powder sprinkle on food or gut load by feeding to insect
ALSO Pinkie mice lower than adult mice (0.79:1 cf 1.4:1)
 May need to supplement

28
Q

What does the frequency of feeding depend on

A
  1. species

2. weight gain/ condition

29
Q

Frequency of feeding

A

o Small snakes/lizards – 1-2 times per week
o Young large boas/pythons – 3 times per week
o Iguanas/Chelonians – daily
o Large snakes – once every 2-4 weeks

30
Q

What to feed herbivores - tortoises, spiny tailed lizaards, green iguana

A

o Green veg, flowers, succulents, calcium supplement and UVB essential for vit D conversion of Ca
2. Green iguana is 100% veg!

31
Q

What to feed omnivores - terrapins/ turtles

A

o Feed in water
o Separate tank may be useful to stop living area getting ruined
o Earthworms, pinkies, fish, green veg, commercial food

32
Q

Feeding carnivores - snakes

A
  1. Often in practise due to stop eating.
  2. likely as result of not offering food in the form they like
  3. Live feeding not illegal but very frowned upon so instead warm it up and use stick to move
  4. like to feed in small dark place
  5. may require teasing
33
Q

What do insectivores eat? - bearded dragon, water dragon, gecko, chameleons

A

o Mealworms, wax worms, crickets, locusts

o Can gut load insects with fruit and calcium supplement before feeding

34
Q

What must you avoid once feeding

A

OVERHANDLING AFTER EATING AS MAY REGURGITATE (ESP YOUNG REPTILES) – can put animal off eating. Often up to 24 hrs

35
Q

Handling

A
  1. All species should be handles as little as possible

2. overhandling (esp young and reptiles) can lead to food refusal

36
Q

Handling chelonia (tortoise/ terrapins/ turtles)

A

o Hold shell just in front of hind limbs – like a hamburger!
o OR around back of shell between hind limbs – useful in aggressive species
o Care as some species can scratch and bite – risk of salmonella so was hands

37
Q

Handling lizards

A

o Hold around neck and upper body with one hand
o Other hand supports pelvis and hind limbs – especially important for big lizards
o May need to keep hind limbs extended slightly and parallel with body – reduces risks of scratches!
o NEVER hold by tail – some species shed tails!

38
Q

Handling snakes

A

o Can be aggressive
o Careful handling required – easily bruised/rib fractures
o Thumb and second finger behind head, forefinger on top of head
o If bitten, do not panic – resist pulling back as teeth point backwards.
o Push hand deeper into mouth and immerse snakes head in water to encourage it to release bite
o Can use isopropyl alcohol if this doesn’t work! As don’t like taste or smell. OR minty listerine!

39
Q 
Hibernation
pro
con
What to do
Months during
Waking
A
  • Pros – stimulates normal thyroid function and reproductive behaviour
  • Cons – harmful in young, ill or underweight animals
  • Withhold food for 2 weeks, place in box with bedding, reduce temp to below 10C, monitor state
  • Nov/Dec to March
  • Waking up – warm water bath, encourages drinking and expulsion of faeces

Year 2 NSF (10 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions