Week Three: Reptile Nursing

Question 1

What are chromatophores?

Answer 1

Scales that change color

Question 2

What are chelonian scutes?

Answer 2

Scales on shells

Question 3

What is the difference between snakes and legless lizards?

Answer 3

Snakes don’t have eyelids and legless lizards do.

Question 4

Where are plastron bones on a chelonian?

Answer 4

Chest/bottom part of shell

Question 5

Where are carapace bones on a chelonian?

Answer 5

On their back, big part of shell

Question 6

What is tail autonomy?

Answer 6

Purposely detaching tail, may grow back

Question 7

Where is the heart located in a snake that lives in a terrestrial/arboreal environment?
A marine/aquatic environment?

Answer 7

Closer to head

Closer towards center of body

Question 8

Which lung is dominant in a snake?

Answer 8

Right

Question 9

Where are the lungs in a chelonian?

Answer 9

In the carapace

Question 10

What is the difference between oviparous and viviparous?

Answer 10

Oviparous: lay eggs
Viviparous: Carry babies inside with eggs, then when eggs hatch babies come out

Question 11

What is the man part called on a reptile?

Answer 11

Hemipenes

Question 12

Reptiles usually have eyelids and a nictating membrane, snakes do not. Instead they have…

Answer 12

Spectacle scale

Question 13

What is the parietal (third) eye in some species for?

Answer 13

It is a light sensor, used to regulate day/night

Question 14

What is Vomeronasal (Jacobson’s) organ?

Answer 14

Smell sensor in the roof of the mouth

Question 15

What is the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?

Answer 15

Turtle: aquatic
Tortoise: terrestorian

Question 16

Bearded Dragon

Answer 16

Lizard, Pogona (species)

Less than 2 ft long, do best in dry, land setups, 68-86F, omnivore

Question 17

Boa

Answer 17

Snake
Common- Boa constrictor: up to 10 ft.
Rosy- Lichanura trivirgata: up to 3 ft

Question 18

Box Turtle

Answer 18

Tortoise

Question 19

Chameleon

Answer 19

Lizard; Veiled (Chamaeleo calyptratus), Jackson’s (Ch. jacksonii), Panther (Ch. Pardalis)

Question 20

What does a Jackson’s chameleon look like?

Answer 20

Has horns

Question 21

Colubrid

Answer 21

Snake
King snake (Lampropeltis getula)
Corn snake (Elaphe guttata)
Rat snake (Elaphe obsolete)
Milk snake (Lampropeltis trangulum)
Garter snake (Thamnophis spp.)

Question 22

Gecko

Answer 22

Lizard
Day (Phelsuma spp.)
Leaf-tailed (Uroplatus spp.)
Leopard (Eublepharis macularius)

Tail autonomy

Question 23

Iguana

Answer 23

Lizard
Green iguana (Iguana iguana)
Sizes over 6 ft., herbivore, can be very aggressive, tail autonomy

Question 24

Monitor

Answer 24

Lizard
Nile (Varanus niloticus)
Savannah (V. exanthematicus)
Terrestrial carnivores, aggressive

Question 25

Painted/Slider

Answer 25

Turtle | Most common water turtles kept as pets

Question 26

Python

Answer 26

Snake Ball (Python requis) or royals up to 5 ft. Burmese (P. molarus bivattatus) up to 20 ft. Green tree (Morelia chondrophython viridis) up to 6 ft.

Question 27

Skink

Answer 27

Lizard Blue tongue (Tiliqua spp.) Omnivore

Question 28

Sulcata

Answer 28

Tortoise | AKA African spurred, males exceed 100 lb

Question 29

Tegu

Answer 29

Lizard | Tupinambis spp., large, primarily carnivores, may be aggressive

Question 30

Uromastyx

Answer 30

Lizard | Desert, land lizards, omnivores

Question 31

Water Dragon

Answer 31

Lizard Physignathus coccinus Do best in humid, arboreal setups, omnivores, can be aggressive and don't like to be held

Question 32

What are some venomous retiles?

Answer 32

Lizards: Gila monster, Mexican beaded Snakes: Rattlesnakes, water snakes

Question 33

How do you prepare for venomous patients?

Answer 33

Have antivenin available or hospitals contacted in preparation, use anesthesia for all procedures

Question 34

What is conspecific dominance aggression?

Answer 34

Aggression between the same species

Question 35

What are some things to keep in mind when housing reptiles?

Answer 35

Size, shape, substrate, and materials vary by species Large enough for thermoregulation Height is important for arboreal and length is important for terrestrial

Question 36

What do you need to keep in mind when picking out cage furniture for reptiles?

Answer 36

Climbing, basking, hiding, nesting, food and water

Question 37

What does POTZ stand for?

Answer 37

Preferred optimal temperature zone

Question 38

What is candling?

Answer 38

Looking for vascularity in the eggs

Question 39

What is pipping?

Answer 39

You breaking the eggs for the babies

Question 40

How should you transport reptiles?

Answer 40

Appropriately sized cages or crates, large snakes can be bagged or put in a plastic tub

Question 41

What are some pharmaceutical toxicities for reptiles?

Answer 41

Ivermectin and Metronidazone

Question 42

What are some common vitamin deficiencies in reptiles?

Answer 42

Vitamin B,E, and A Selenium Calcium

Question 43

When do reptiles get gout?

Answer 43

Too much Vitamin A

Question 44

What are some restraint tools for snakes?

Answer 44

Hooks or tubes

Question 45

What should you look for in reptiles during a physical exam?

Answer 45

Muscle mass of tail, sunken eyes, opening mouths, gravid females

Question 46

What are some ways of restraint for reptiles?

Answer 46

Plastic containers, or lifting chelonians

Question 47

What are some common injectable drugs for anesthetizing reptiles?

Answer 47

``` Ketamine and telazol IM Propofol IV or IO Butorphanol IM Isoflurane for inhalant Sevoflurane may be used ```

Question 48

Where are some catheter sites for reptiles?

Answer 48

Medium to large lizards: Cephalic | Smaller lizards: Femoral IO, Tibial IO

Question 49

Where are some common venipunctures sites for reptiles?

Answer 49

Caudal tail vein, jugular for chelonians

Question 50

What are some tubes we use for assisted feeding in reptiles?

Answer 50

Pharyngostomy tube, red rubber, or cannula feeding

Question 51

Where would you administer subq injections in lizards?

Answer 51

Very uncommon but lateral scapular region

Question 52

Where would you administer subq injections in snakes and chelonians?

Answer 52

Wherever skin folds are visible (coiled snakes or skin folds of neck and legs in chelonians)

Question 53

Where are some common IM injection locations in reptiles?

Answer 53

Epaxial, triceps in large lizards

Question 54

Intracoelomic injection means the injection will go where on a lizard?

Answer 54

Right lower quadrant of abdomen

Question 55

How do you determine the sex of a reptile?

Answer 55

Anatomically, probing, or eversion/popping

Question 56

Where are the common routes of euthanasia in reptiles?

Answer 56

Either IO or IC

Question 57

What is dysecdesis?

Answer 57

General term for any issue with shedding | Retained shed on toes, tails, and eyes is a concern

Question 58

What is the most common disease in reptiles?

Answer 58

Metabolic Bone Disease

Question 59

____ should ALWAYS be treated as a serious issue in reptiles

Answer 59

Dyspnea

Question 60

What are some signs of GI obstruction and impaction in reptiles?

Answer 60

Anorexia, bloating, lethargy, weight loss, diarrhea, constipation

Question 61

What is a cloacal prolapse like?

Answer 61

Like a cows junk falling out. Clean it, lube it, stick it back in.

Question 62

What happens with dystocia?

Answer 62

Eggs are unable to pass | Calcium and oxytocin can be administered

Question 63

What are some internal parasites of reptiles?

Answer 63

Coccidia, hookworms, roundworms

Question 64

Weakened immunity in snakes can come from...

Answer 64

Husbandry, nutrition, stress, feeding techniques, trauma

Question 65

What is the most common zoonotic concern with reptiles?

Answer 65

Salmonellosis | caused by Salmonella spp.