Reptiles For Dummies - karingalvet.com

1 Reptiles For Dummies Dr. Shane Simpson (Hons), GCM(VP), CMAVA Karingal Veterinary Hospital 328 Cranbourne Road, Frankston, VIC, 3199 P: 9789 3444 F: 9776 6127 Be it fear or fascination people have always had a thing for Reptiles . Dinosaurs have long captured our imaginations and celebrities like the late Steve Irwin have brought Reptiles into people s living rooms all around the world. Factors such as these mean that the number of Reptiles being kept as pets seems to be increasing at an exponential rate. Consequently the number of Reptiles being presented to veterinary clinics has and will continue to increase. If the thought of having to see a reptile in a consultation makes you weak at the knees then you are not alone. Amazingly many veterinarians would rather not see Reptiles . For a minority it is due to fear ..yes there are Veterinarians that are afraid of snakes! For all the others it is simply because they do not have the knowledge or experience in the field of reptile medicine and surgery.

2 At Veterinary School we get little to no exposure to Reptiles and so we graduate with no confidence in our abilities in treating these wonderful animals. Hopefully the following will provide you with some basic information for treating Reptiles in your practice. Reptile Taxonomy It is important to know what reptile species you are examining because it has major implications to their temperaments, husbandry requirements, disease possibilities and in some cases whether their bite can kill you or not! There are approximately 7500 reptile species throughout the world. In Melbourne a veterinarian in general practice is likely to see less than of this number of species. A simplified taxonomy of Reptiles in Australia is shown in Figure 1. Some of the common species seen from each Order include: 1. Eastern Long Neck Turtle (Chelodina longicollis) 2. Jungle Carpet python (Morelia spilota cheynei) 3. Coastal Carpet python (Morelia spilota mcdowelli) 4. Diamond python (Morelia spilota spilota) 5.

3 Centralian Carpet python (Morelia spilota bredlii) 6. Children s python (Antaresia childreni) 7. Bluetongue Lizard (Eastern and Blotched) (Tiliqua scincoides ssp.) 8. Central Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) In more specialised reptile practices other species such as assorted monitors and other lizards, crocodiles and various species of snakes would also be seen. Many reptile owners (or herpers as they often call themselves) have a somewhat cynical view of veterinarians and will often do a lot of research into finding a veterinarian that is competent with Reptiles rather than just go to the local veterinary clinic .. even in the case of an emergency! Once you have established what species of animal you are dealing with you should then gain some understanding of where it originates from is it a desert or tropical species? What is its natural habitat? I can recommend four books to aid in getting this information: i. A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia by Steve Wilson and Gerry Swan ii.

4 Keeping and Breeding Australian Pythons edited by Mike Swan iii. Keeping and Breeding Australian Lizards edited by Mike Swan iv. The Australian Reptile Keepers series These are available through , and Figure 1. Simplified Reptile Taxonomy in Australia History Taking Getting an accurate history is one of the cornerstones of reptile medicine. Taking a history is like conducting a job you have to ask the right questions! Areas to be questioned include: 1. Source i. Is the animal captive bred or wild caught? Wild caught animals sometime do not adjust to captivity and develop maladaptive syndrome when confined. Wild caught animals can also have higher internal parasite burdens. ii. Where did the owner get the animal? Pet shop, breeder, local or interstate. iii. How long have they had the animal? 2. Heat i. What type of heat source is used? ii. Is it a radiant or convective source? iii. It is controlled by a thermostat? iv. Does the enclosure have a thermometer?

5 V. Where are the thermostat and thermometer positioned within the enclosure? vi. Does the client know the difference between a thermostat and a thermometer? vii. Are the heat sources guarded? 3. Light i. Is a UVB light available? ii. What type of visible light is available? iii. Where is it positioned in the tank in relation to the animals? iv. When was it last changed? v. Is there any glass between the light and the animals? vi. Do the animals have any exposure to natural sunlight? vii. What is the light cycle? How long is the light on for over a 24 hour period? 4. Humidity i. What is it in the enclosure? ii. Is it measured? Is there a hygrometer present? 5. Cage size i. Size? ii. Ventilation? iii. Materials that it is constructed of? iv. How often is it cleaned and with what? v. Are cage mates present? If so how many, what sex and what species? 6. Cage Furniture i. What items are in the cage? hides, rocks, branches, logs, plants etc. 7. Substrate i. What is it?

6 Ii. How often is it cleaned/changed? iii. Is it suitable for the species involved? 8. Feeding i. What is being fed? ii. How often is it being fed? iii. Where is the food sourced? 9. Water quality (for aquatic species) i. Is the water tested regularly and for what? ii. How much and how often is the water changed? iii. What form of filtration is in place? iv. Is the water heated and if so to what temperature? 10. Illness History i. How long does the owner think the animal has been sick? ii. Are any health records kept? Feeding, shedding, weight data Husbandry While it is vital to obtain a very detailed and specific history about the way the animal is kept, it is impossible to determine if there are any problems with the way the animal is maintained if you don t have an appreciation of how the animal should be housed in the first place! In addition, the vast majority of problems seen in Reptiles are related to poor husbandry. The basic principles of reptile husbandry can be covered by the seven H s.

7 Heat (and Light) Reptiles are NOT cold blooded. They are ectothermic meaning they regulate their body temperature by behavioural and physiological mechanisms rather than producing their own body warmth. Their body temperature is therefore dependent on the environmental temperature. All Reptiles have what is referred to as an Active Temperature Range or ATR . This is the temperature range where Reptiles are capable of normal, voluntary activity. Below this temperature Reptiles will just simply shut down until the temperatures are more suitable. Each species of reptile has a different ATR. The Preferred Optimal Temperature Range/Zone (POTZ) or Preferred Body Temperature (PBT) refers to the specific temperature range selected by a particular species of reptile when presented with a thermal gradient. Each reptile species has its own POTZ and it is only when the animal is in its POTZ that its physiology is functioning at its best. It should be noted that the highest temperature in the enclosure the reptile can access is usually higher than the PBT.

8 The PBT for a number of the commonly kept species is shown in the table below. Species PBT ( C) Eastern Log Neck Turtle 26 Children s python 30-33 Carpet python 29-33 Diamond python 29 Bluetongue Lizard 28-32 Central Bearded Dragon 35-39 Reptiles should therefore be exposed to temperatures that they would normally experience in the wild. Their enclosure should offer a range of temperatures within it to allow the animal to choose its thermal environment and therefore thermoregulate. This is achieved by having heat sources strategically placed within the enclosure. Two main types of heating are used by reptile keepers. These are radiant sources ( lamps, ceramic heat emitters) and convective ( heat mats, heat tapes and heat rocks). Different species of Reptiles prefer different heat sources large snakes rely primarily on radiant heat where as small snakes like convective sources. Heat sources should be thermostatically controlled in order to avoid overheating.

9 Some reptile owners do not recognise the difference between a thermostat and a thermometer. Thermostat readings are only a guide and they must be calibrated for individual enclosures using a thermometer. The temperature gradient is NOT a reading of the thermostat setting. Lighting for Reptiles is a complex and often poorly understood component of husbandry by reptile owners. Ultraviolet light is essential for the synthesis of vitamin D3 and calcium metabolism. Many of the common Australian species that are kept indoors need to have ultraviolet light provided with a wavelength of 280-315nm. This falls within the UVB range. There are many types of lights manufactured to provide this and some do it better than others. They need to be replaced as per the manufacturers guidelines as their UV light production decreases with time. In general most need to be replaced every 6 to 9 months. All Reptiles should be provided with a natural day and night cycle of light and dark.

10 Ensure that the reptile is not exposed to white light 24 hours a day. Exposing Reptiles to natural, unfiltered sunlight for at least hour 2-3 times per week is beneficial. Humidity Humidity requirements vary greatly between reptile species. An appreciation of where a particular species comes from will give a good indication. Desert species like Central Bearded Dragons need around 40% humidity where as far north Australian inhabitants such as the Green Tree python obviously like it much more humid. Humidity can be controlled by altering the size of the water bowl. A heat mat under the bowl can be used to increase the humidity if required. Misting with a spray bottle may also be required. Humidity should be monitored using a hygrometer and the enclosure must be adequately ventilated. Hide To reduce stress levels all captive Reptiles need somewhere to hide. Ideally several hide places should be provided within a cage and be situated in different locations.