Chelonians

Turtles

Primarily aquatic

Terrapins

Semi-aquatic; hard shelled chelonians

Tortoise

Terrestrial Chelonians

How much combined surface of all turtles carapace should the floor space be?

not to exceed 25%

How deep should the water in the enclosure for a turtle be?

The width of their shell

Ectotherms

regulate body temperature by basking in the sun

Death zones for turtles

Cool water temps

POTZ for turtles water and environment

75F-82F

POTZ

Preferred Optimal Temperature Zone

POTZ for tortoise

65F-75F

Carapace

Top of the shell

Plastron

Bottom of shell

Tortoise room temp

75F-90F

Acceptable substrates for Tortoise

Cypress mulch, large conifer bark nuggets, alfalfa pellets, newspaper, and indoor/outdoor carpet

Unacceptable substrates

Sand, fine gravel, cat litter, crushed corn cob, walnut shells, pine and cedar shaving

When should you replace the light bulbs in UV lights?

According to manufactures recommendations

Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism

Metabolic Bone Disease

Metabolic bone diease

Abnormal calcium metabolism; causes deformed shells and abnormal scute growth

Scute

Internal sections of the shell

Common causes of Vitamin A deficiency

Diet deficient in Vitamin A

Results of Vitamin A deficiency

Conjunctivitis, blepharitis, swollen eyelids, nasal discharge, dyspnea, and ear abscesses

Common causes of Vitamin A toxcity

Excessive Vitamin A diet or injections of too much Vitamin A

Symptoms of Vitamin A toxicity

Dry flakey skin, sloughing of the skin, secondary bacterial infection

Treatment of Vitamin A toxicity

Antibiotics for secondary infections and correct/discontinue supplements

Two forms of shell rot

Wet and Dry

Wet shell rot

Hemorrhagic discharge between the scutes

SCUD

Septicemic Cutaneous Ulcerative Disease

What helps with shell rot

Sunlight

Treatment for SCUD

Antibiotics and correct husbandry

Test for respiratory diease

Buoyance test, can not swim normal

Why chelonians can’t cough?

No diaphragm

Gout

Deposition of uric acid crystals in visceral organs or the joints

Dystocia

Difficulty laying eggs

Causes of dystocia

poor environment, metabolic disease, improper husbandry

Why is a possible to remove the penis of a chelonian

The urethra does not go through the penis

Treatment for cloacal proplapse

If not necrotic can use a hypertonic sugar solution to soak and decrease swelling and replace

Zoonotic diseases

Salmonella

When was the ban of selling baby turtles of 4 inches or less established?

1975

How many views should be taken for radiology and what are the views?

3; Lateral, Ventrodorsal, Craniocaudal

Why is inhalant induction not practical for anesthesia?

Chelonians can hold their breath for long periods

Fluid therapy should be placed where?

SubQ or intracoelomic

Main vein for blood collection?

Jugular

Where to place a IM injection

Muscle mass of front legs or Pectoral muscles located under the armpit

Where to place a SubQ injection?

Inguinal and ventral neck skin folds

Where not to place Intracoelomic injections?

If too dorsal, might be in the lungs; if too medially can be in the bladder

What chelonian are bladder stones common?

Desert tortoises

What is the hardest part of euthanasia?

Knowing if they’re dead