AnSci 200 Herps

amphibians

skin without scales, heterothermic (poikilothermic), three-chambered heart, fresh water and terrestrial (no marine species)

heterothermic (poikilothermic)

environment determines body temperature

metamorphosis

have gills when young, then breathe with lungs as adults

amphibians repro

oviparous, need water to reproduce, young hatch from egg laid or near water, tadpoles are more like fish

amphibian options

more aquatic: half land half water, more terrestrial: More land less water

Amphibians temperature conditions

best at 68-72F, use evaporative cooling, may burrow for cooling, may hibernate/aestivate, too cold can cause diseases

Amphibians water

adults absorb water through the skin, don’t usually drink water

amphibians feed

nearly all carnivores, mealworms, crickets, sowbugs, flies, (pinky mice), also need to add calcium, may want to “gut-load”

what is gut-loading

Feeding nutrients to the “feed” animals

amphibian thin skin

be careful when handling, can absorb chemicals, lotions, etc.

Argentine horned frog

up to 6 inches, eat mice, small reptiles, etc.

amphibian’s toxin

many have them to deter predators

African clawed frogs

common pets but illegal in some states because they could become invasive, can be kept in fish tanks

thyroxin

causes tadpoles to metamorphose, can make “mini-frogs”

Frogs feeding us

frogs are game animals and food animals

reptiles general characteristics

no metamorphosis, heterothermic, three (most) or four (crocs+gators) chambered heart, body covered with scales, air-breathing (throughout life), terrestrial (secondarily aquatic)

reptile repro

mostly oviparous (some snakes give live birth: ovoviviparous), eggs are able to incubate outside of water, internal fertilization, incubation by parents is rare (environmental incubation), length of incubation depends on environmental temperature (40-80 days)

snake pet facts

good pet species: milk, corn, king, ball python, buy a captive-reared snake, most need to be raised separately, lifespans vary (10-20 years, some to 40)

things to look for in a healthy snake

firm round body, clear eyes, no discharge from eyes, no sings of mites (look around head/eyes, look for dusty specks on body), no open breathing/gasping for breath, inside mouth uniformly pink, shiny smooth skin with no scabs or sores, clean vent no swelling, move smooth no tremors, should calm down with gentle handling, may want a feeding demonstration

snake equipment needs (enclosure)

at least a 30-gallon aquarium, larger snakes need 60 gallons or more, need secure lid, give multiple different hiding places

snake temperature

use a temperature gradient, 75-90 F, dropping 70-75 at night, heat mat under the tank (1/2), hot rocks (not good)

snake humidity, bathing, and substrate

40-60%, may want to increase during molting, shallow dish for bathing, substrate (indoor-outdoor carpeting, shavings, shredded bark, newsprint)

snake feeding (types of food)

may eat, mice, chickens, rabbits with their hinged jaws. need whole animals (pre-killed prey is best because prey can fight back and is more humane for prey)

Snake feeding (when to feed)

young snakes: 5-7 days, older snakes: 10-14 days, don’t feed when molting, can live several months without feed

snake cleanup

pretty simple, not uncommon for them to defecate in water dish

snake repro

few are ovoviviparous (rattlesnakes, garter snakes, boas) most are oviparous. Artificial incubation can be done

Lizards (good pets)

geckos, bearded dragons, anoles, chameleons

leopard gecko (general facts)

7-10 inches, 40-60 grams, 10-20 yrs, can be raised together (only one make)

leopard gecko equipment

empty aquarium, top should be screened, shallow water dish, newspaper or paper towel for substrate, hiding area (fill with peat moss and mist daily), mid-80s during day cooler at night

leopard gecko feeding

mealworms or crickets (~4 per day), can feed pinkie mice, need to gut-load, provide vitamin-mineral powder

leopard gecko repro

sexually mature about a year, lay 2 eggs in a clutch, may lay 10-16 per year, incubation 60-70 days, temp dependent sex determination

temperature dependent sex determination (leopard geckos)

sex is determined by daytime high temp for first two weeks of incubation, below 82 produces female, about 85 will produce 1:1 ratio, about 90 produce males, above 92 can cause hot females (infertile+aggressive)

gecko color morphs

when people start selectively breeding these animals for colors there is an increase in scale color and pattern

problems with keeping iguanas

their size (can get big), feeding used to be issue due to need of variety of plants (some people fed them hamburger and lettuce because they would eat it)

what reptile can squirt blood from their eyes?

horned lizard

red-eared sliders

can grow to 11-12 inches long, live for 20+ yrs, can be raised in outdoor ponds

turtle equipment

aquarium at least 40 gallons, need water and land, water dish (separate from swimming), hiding places, lights (full spectrum or sunshine for basking: important for vitamin D), tank heater (~75)

turtle feeding

young are carnivorous (feed insects, fish, meat) as they grow will eat more greens so offer fruits and vegetables, vitamin A is important (comes from vegetables), calcium supplements.

turtle cleanup

can be messy, need good filtration (better than fish)

turtle repro

for best result need them to hibernate: 50-60F, 6-8 weeks. mate right after hibernation. male inserts semen which the female can store until she is ready to lay a clutch of eggs (5 or more) into soil. incubation: 60-120 days.

turtle sex dependent determination

75 all males, 80 mixed, 85 all females

advantages of Herps as pets

quiet interesting animals that don’t need to be fed often (2-3 weeks), usually easy clean up, shock factor

disadvantages of Herps as pets

can be scary to some, temperature control is important (takes time), food source/feeding, getting them to eat, heterothermic (difficult to determine health, not cuddly), some get large and can cause injury, may be regulations (poisonous species/salmonella issue)

salmonella and reptiles (turtles)

in 1970 the CDC found that 14% of salmonella infections in children was caused by turtles, law passed making it illegal to sell turtles less than 4” (little kids cant hold or lick the bigger turtles and more expensive), now there are mostly salmonella-free turtles

Jacobsons organs

pit organs in head, sixth sense that allows them to taste odor particles with their tongues, some have heat sensors in same area

regeneration of body parts

some species can regenerate tails (maybe legs), usually smaller than normal