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Exotics > Snakes > Flashcards

Snakes Flashcards

1
Q

What are the common snakes kept as pets

A

king snakes, rat snakes, garter snakes, corn snakes, various pythons (**Royal or Ball Python) and various boa constrictors (especially the common Boa constrictor)
Boa Constrictor and various pythons become very big  not recommended
Recticulated python

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2
Q

why are captive bred snakes preferred

A

Wild caught will be more stressed, will have

- will not adapt as easily to the type of prey that is offered

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3
Q

Describe the behaviour of snakes

A

Solitary- house singly

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4
Q

what are the common boas

A

Common Boa, Rosy Boa

New world

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5
Q

what are the common pythons

A

Ball, Blood, Burmese

Old world

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6
Q

what are the common colubrids

A

King, corn, milk, Rat snake (New World)

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7
Q

describe venemous snakes

A 
Injected thru hollow teeth called fangs
Produced by modified salivary glands
Triangular heads = large venom sacks
Only 10% of all snakes are venomous
Venomous snakes Are considered more evolved…
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8
Q

describe the corn snake

A

Elaphe (deerskin) guttata (spotted).
Colubrid
Non-venomous
One of the first snakes to be kept and bred in captivity.

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9
Q

describe the ball python

A 
Originates from Africa around equator
Ambush predator-  curls up in a ball 
Prefer open savannahs to forest
Live 20-30 years
Wide body snake, about 5 feet long
Good eyesight -Have  rods, cones– see in UV light + sense infrared (heat pits)
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10
Q

describe the results of a healthy snake exam

A

Active and alert- eyes bright
Run hand down body  Should not feel overly skinny- no lumps or bumps
No mites around eyes or under scales ( tiny black dots that move)
Gently open mouth (use soft plastic spatula)  mucosa pink w small amount of clear saliva- no mucus

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11
Q

describe the integument of snakes

A

No skin glands but have paired scent glands at the base of the tail
Beta keratin- scales
Alpha keratin b/n scales- injection- is the stretchy part

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12
Q

instead of eyelids what do snakes have

A

transparent spectacle

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13
Q

what is brille

A

fused transparent eyelids

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14
Q

what is the function of the labial pits in boiidae

A

heat sensors

Pit vipers can detect changes of .002 ‘ C

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15
Q

what are the function of the lateral spurs of boiidae

A

lateral spurs which are vestigial remnants of pelvic limbs

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16
Q

describe ecdysis in snakes

A

14 days b/f shed Eyes become opaque- skin - dull color
Enzymatic lymph fluid is collecting between skin layers
Snake may be aggressive ( can’t see well)
Skin is more vulnerable
Best to Leave alone- do not feed

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17
Q

What causes dysecdysis

A 
Low humidity ( use humidity box)
Skin parasites (mites)
Old scars
Poor nutrition
Retained spectacle is common problem
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18
Q

what can cause a thermal burn in snakes

A

Wrap themselves around a light bulb

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19
Q

describe the musculoskeletal system of snakes

A

Snakes have no limbs
-except boiidae- spurs- vestigeal limbs
No mandibular symphysis + intramandibular hinge and other skull adaptations to be able to swallow large prey

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20
Q

what are a snakes adaptations to swallow large prey

A

Mandibular symphysis can separate
No temperomanbibular joint, instead has a quadrate bone–> articulates b/n mandible and the skull–
Allows the jaw to dislocate to swallow prey

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21
Q

what is the function of the quadrate bone in snakes

A

Quadrate bone is also involved in sound transmission

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22
Q

describe handling of snakes

A

Skull articulates with only one occipital condyle- be careful when handling around the head
Do not approach head on, but from the side

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23
Q

what are the 6 types of snake locomotion

A 
Sidewinding. 
Slide pushing
Lateral undulation
Concertina
Saltation
rectilinear
24
Q

describe the cardiovascular system of the snake

A

1/3 of the way down -HEART-it is mobile
Terrestrial sp have a more cranial heart than marine sp
Heart is common site for venipuncture
3 chamber- 2 atria, 1 ventricle-
but is functionally 5 chambered???
intracardiac shunting of blood
Continuous contraction of skeletal msl needed to return blood to the heart

25
Q

describe the hematology of snakes

A

PCV around 20 -30%

Nucleated RBC, thrombocytes (like birds)

26
Q

what is located in the cranial 1/3 of the snake

A

Cranial 1/3 Trachea, esophagus, parathyroid, thymus, thyroid, heart

27
Q

what is located in the middle 1/3 of the snake

A

Middle 1/3: lungs, airsac, liver, stomach, spleen, proximal intestine

28
Q

what is located in the caudal 1/3 of the snake

A

Caudal 1/3:gonads, kidney, cecum, colon, cloaca

29
Q

describe the renal portal system of a snake

A

Blood from the caudal portion of the body goes to the kidneys
Does not go thru the glomeruli
Where does water reabsorption occur in the cloaca

30
Q

describe the respiratory system of a snake

A

no hard palate “choana”
No epiglottis- only a glottis
Trachea has incomplete cartilaginous rings
Most snakes have a single functioning right lung and a small left one- which is often air sac ( boiidae have 2 lungs)
Tracheal lung- Faveoli–> gas exchange
Trachea ends in air sac- regulates air flow when swallowing prey
NO DIAPHRAGM

31
Q

what do snakes do since then don’t have a diaphragm

A

they use the muscles of the ribs and body wall to pump air in and out of the lungs.

32
Q

describe the lungs of most snakes

A

The lung can occupy much of the snake’s body between the heart and the hind end.
The lung of most snakes is divided into 2 portions with the front 1/3 - 1/2 being a functional reptile lung and the remainder, being more of an air sac.

33
Q

Describe a snake with pneumonia

A

Snakes w pneumonia often elevate their heads at a 45oangle and have open mouth breathing

No diaphragm  can’t cough

Pneumonia often result of poor husbandry

34
Q

what are the sense organs of the snake

A

Cutaneous sense organs-heat pits
Ears- no outer ear-no tympanic membrane, minimal inner earCan pick up vibrations
Smell- Jacobson’s organ- forked tongue
Eyes- spectacle- called brille

35
Q

what organ does the snake use to smell, and how does it smell

A

Jacobson’s Organ
Allow snakes to taste and smell in stereo
Some have heat sensitive pits
If a snake gets the tip of its tongue damaged it may never eat again

36
Q

describe the eating portion of the digestive system of snakes

A

Extensive Salivary glands- slime the prey
Esophagus 1/4 -1/2 body length
Snakes that eat large infrequent meals maintain their digestive system in inactive state-
metabolic rate increases 44x when feeding

37
Q

Describe the tongue, stomach and intestine of the snake

A

Tongue is bifid, and can be pushed out through labial notch to catch odors to deliver to the vomeronasal organ
“can smell in stereo”
STOMACH- digests all but the hair
Small intestine, large intestine- Coprodeum portion of the cloaca

38
Q

describe the urinary system of a snake

A

Right kidney is cranial
No urinary bladder
Ureter empties into urodeum
Uric acid is secreted- urecotelic
No loops of henles ( can’t make conc. Urine)
water is refluxed from urodeum to colon + reabsorbed (no bladder)

39
Q

what is special about the arizona king snake

A

Can eat other snakes

40
Q

describe reproduction of snakes

A

Female pythons stay with eggs and curl around them
And do muscular contractions
Cobras will defend eggs
oviparous and oviviparous

41
Q

What are the live bearing ovoviviparous snakes

A

Boas
Vipers
Garter snakes

42
Q

How do you sex snakes

A

Sexing by using probes or eversion of hemipenes

43
Q

How is venom produced

A

Produced by modified salivary glands

44
Q

what is the defence mechanism of the hog nose snake

A

Hog nose- plays dead- foul odor

45
Q

what do snakes do when frightened

A 
Cobras raise up + expand neck muscles
Cobras can spit venom 3 feet
Rattle snakes- rattle
Ball pythons roll up in a ball
Cottonmouths- show bright white inside mouth
46
Q

Describe the housing of snakes

A 
Cage length no less 1/2 snake
Is snake terrestrial or arboreal
Escape proof
Temperature gradient-  POTZ
Hot spot – use a heat gun to monitor
Humidity level-   humidity box
Ventilation
Hide box
Substrate
47
Q

What are some types of substrate

A 
Cedar- pine shavings- not recommended
Aspen shavings- not for humidity lovers
Astroturf
Sand-- desert species- feed outside
Cypress mulch
Newspaper- easy to clean
Sphagnum moss for humidity
48
Q

How do you provide heating and lighting to snakes

A 
POTZ
Temperature gradient
Hygrometer
Thermometers (2)
Hot rocks ???
Heating tape
49
Q

describe lighting for snakes

A

Quality– UV light - full spectrum lights- UVA - for behavioral reason
Do snakes need UVB ?

Photoperiod

Is the lighting a heat source as well

50
Q

Describe water/humidity for snakes

A

Tropical species
High humidity- greater risk of bacterial contamination

Moss and mulch help to keep humidity levels up

51
Q

What are some other cage furnishings you can give your snake

A

Hide Boxes
Tree branches
Decorative rocks
humidity box

52
Q

What are some sizes of rats and mice

A

Pinkies  Fuzzies  Hoppers Pups Weanlings  Small, medium, large Jumbo (Rats)

53
Q

how do you thaw a rat/mouse for a snake

A 
How to thaw: zip lock bag in hot water
Do not use microwave
WHAT size ??
How often to feed ( adult) :1 x/week or /14 days
Obesity can be a problem
54
Q

Describe feeding in snakes

A

Feed snake outside enclosure to avoid ingesting substrate
Do not use your fingers

Spot cleaning up after defecation

55
Q

What are the protozoal parasites that snakes can get

A

Protozoal-
Amoeba
Coccidia
Cryptpsporidia- cryptosporidiosis- midbody swelling, regurgitation and weight loss

56
Q

How do you test a snake for parasites

A

Fecal floatation
Direct smear
Centrifugation technique

57
Q

What are good venipuncture sites in snakes

A

Tail vein
Cardiocentesis
Palatine vein

Exotics (5 decks)

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