Snakes

Question 1

What are the most common blood sampling sites in snakes?

Answer 1

Ventral coccygeal vein - most common!!
Heart (cardiocentesis).
Palatine vein.

Question 2

What is the most common intramuscular injection site in snakes?

Answer 2

Epaxial muscles in cranial half of body.

Question 3

What is the subcutaneous injection site in snakes?

Answer 3

Lateral body wall

Question 4

Snake Skeletal
What is the skeletal system comprised of?

Answer 4

Skull, vertebral column (200-400 vertebrae), ribs, vestigal pelvis, vestigal limbs.

Question 5

Snake Skeletal
Explain 2 attributes of the skull.

Answer 5

It articulates with the atlas via a simple joint containing 1 occipital condyle.

It is a small cranial cavity that protects the brain and large nasal cavity.

Question 6

Snake Skeletal
Explain the attributes of the jaw.

Answer 6

Each side of the lower jaw can move independently as they are connected by an elastic ligament.

Quadrate bone is not rigidly attached meaning it pivots to allow vertical and horizontal rotation of the jaw.

No temporomandibular joint.

Mandible and quadrate bone can pick up vibrations in the ground.

Question 7

Snake Skeletal
Explain the ribs and their functions.

Answer 7

All vertebrae have ribs except coccygeal vertebrae.

Functions:
Protection of organs.
Contribute to respiration.
Attachment of muscles to aid locomotion.

Question 8

Snake Dentition
How many rows of teeth are on each jaw?

Answer 8

Maxilla: 2 rows on each side

Mandible: 1 row of teeth on each side

All teeth are replaced as required.

Question 9

Snake Dentition
What shape are the teeth?

Answer 9

Fangs: point backwards and are attached to bone.

Non-venomous snakes: Teeth short and hook like.

Venomous snakes: grooved fangs to allow venom to flow along.

Question 10

What type of skin do snakes have?

Answer 10

Scales.
Different sized scales.
Keratinised outer layer of epidermis.

They have little to no skin glands.

Question 11

How do snakes thermoregulate?

Answer 11

They are ectothermic. If too hot they seek shade, if cold they seek warm spots.
They have pit organs that help detect infrared radiation, aiding in thermoregulation and tracking of prey.

Question 12

Snake Digestive
What is the appearance of the tongue and its function?

Answer 12

Long, slender, forked, mobile.
Function:
Olfaction, taste, touch, Jacobsons organ.

Question 13

Snake Digestive
What does the digestive system consist of?

Answer 13

Tongue, Oesophagus, Stomach, Small Intestine, Spleen, Pancreas, Gall bladder, Liver, Large Intestine.

Question 14

Snake Digestive
What are the attributes of the oesophagus?

Answer 14

Extremely discernible muscular tube.

Question 15

Snake Digestive
What are the attributes of the stomach?

Answer 15

Strong, elastic, tubular.
Powerful digestive juices.
Whole prey is digested.

Question 16

Snake Digestive
What are the attributes of the Liver?

Answer 16

Runs from the mid point of the lungs to the caudal stomach.

Question 17

Explain the first chamber of the cloaca.

Answer 17

Coprodeum
Faeces is discharged from the large intestine into the coprodeum.

Question 18

Explain the second chamber of the cloaca.

Answer 18

Urodeum
Receive the urogenital (urinary and reproductive) ducts, which carry urine and either eggs or sperm.

Question 19

Explain the third chamber of the cloaca.

Answer 19

Proctodeum
Acts as a general collecting area for digestive and excretory wastes. The male hemipenes open into the portion of this compartment nearest the tail.

Question 20

Snake Respiration
What is involved in the respiratory system and what are their attributes?

Answer 20

Paired nostrils.
Glottis - allows breathing whilst eating.
Trachea - C-shaped cartilages.
Lungs - large right lung, small or absent left lung.
No diaphragm.

Question 21

Snake Respiration
What is involved to allow inhaling and exhaling?

Answer 21

Ribs and intercostal muscles to breathe in.

Abdominal and intercostal muscles to breathe out.

Question 22

Snake Reproductive
Explain some attributes of the male reproductive system.

Answer 22

2 testes - located within the body, cranial to the kidneys. These are enlarged during breeding season.

2 hemipenes - lie inverted but evert when engorged with blood. Contain barbs/spines.

Question 23

Snake Reproductive
Explain some attributes of the female reproductive system.

Answer 23

Paired ovaries.

Oviparous - produce eggs that hatch after laid.

Ovoviviparous - produce eggs that are retained in mother until hatched and offspring is born.

Question 24

Explain the process of ecdysis in a healthy adult snake.

Answer 24

Occurs 1-4 times a year depending on season, health, age.
New skin forms beneath old skin.
Eyes can appear cloudy/blue during this time.
Protein rich fluid is secreted between old and new skin which prevents bacterial and fungal growth on new skin as it forms.
Fluid is reabsorbed into skin.
Skin sloughs - should slough off all at once.

Question 25

What are some factors that can prevent a healthy shed.

Answer 25

Age, dehydration, lack of abrasive substrate, decreased humidity, decreased temperatures, nutritional status, parasites, disease conditions, wounds or scars.

Question 26

What diet do snakes have and what do they eat?

Answer 26

Carnivores.
Get all nutrients by eating whole prey.
Mice/rats/rabbits.

Low requirements but need access to constant water.

Question 27

How often do snakes feed?

Answer 27

Hatchlings feed after 1st shed - about a week after hatching then once weekly.

Corn/King snakes = mice fed possibly every day.

Larger snakes = rats/rabbits every2-3 weeks.

Question 28

What are the signs of hunger in a snake?

Answer 28

Up at glass more often.
Moving around vivarium more than usual.
Flicking tongue more than usual.

Question 29

What are the important considerations to make when feeding a snake? (4 marks)

Answer 29

Make sure a hand in the vivarium does not associate with food as this can make handling difficult.
Wear gloves when handling food to not transfer human scent into food.
Use blunt end forceps to place food in vivarium.
Remove snake from vivarium to eat.
Wash hands after handling food.