lec 20 companion snakes

what are the 3 groups of venomous snakes?

-vipers

-elapids

-some colubrids

what are vipers?

-large, erectile fangs near front of upper jaw

-tissue damage

-can be fatal

what are elapids?

-Cobras

-fangs similar to vipers but smaller and fixed

-affects CNS

-fatal

What are colubrids?

-Corn snakes, rat snakes, king snakes, milk snakes

-rear fanged snakes

-enlarged teeth located farther back in upper jaw

-tend to be mildly venomous

-some can still be lethal

what is the most popular pet snake?

boa constrictor

why is the boa the most popular pet snake?

-tames quickly

-breeds in captivity

what kind of breeders are boas?

livebearers

are the female boas larger or smaller than the males?

larger

what kind of breeders are pythons?

egg layers

what is a good beginner snake to have?

ball pythons

why are ball pythons good beginner snakes?

-only 3-5in in length

-docile and rapidly adapt to handling

why are burmese pythons not recommended as pets for novices?

>20ft in length, >200lbs

what python should you not have as a pet & why?

reticulated pythons

-large

-poor temperament

-dangerous as pets

what are garter snakes?

-adapt well in captivity

-livebearers

what are king snakes/milk snakes?

-relatively docile

-constrictors

-egg layers

what are rat snakes/corn snakes?

-generally docile

-can be excellent pets

-egg layers

what are hognose snakes?

-rear-fanged, medium sized snakes

-produce mild venom

-pointed, upturned nose

what will hognose snakes do when they are threatened?

inflate bodies and flatten head like a cobra when threatened

what happens when ecdysis occurs in snakes?

-entire outer layer sheds in a single piece

-2wks before shed - lymph-like fluid produced between old and new layers of skin

what is the modified scale on snakes?

spectacle that covers and protects their eyes

where does their forked tongue withdraw back into?

the sheath at the front of mouth

where do the direct chemical scent molecules deposit into?

into their vomeronasal organ

where is their trachea opening?

located immediately behind tongue sheath

what do most advanced snake species have in terms of lungs?

a single elongated right lung

what else is elongated in snakes?

liver and kidneys

how many chambers does a snake's heart have?

3 chambers

what do snakes have in their tail?

ventral tail vein

what must be the same length of the snake in terms of enclosures?

the diagonal of the enclosure

what floor substrates should you avoid for snakes?

aromatic softwood shavings (pine)

are snakes secretive?

yes

what is an important way snakes absorb water?

soaking

what kind of temperature regulators are snakes?

ectotherms

what will happen if the ambient temp is too cool in a snake's enclosure?

snakes won't eat

why shouldn't you allow direct contact with the heat source?

because they can get burns

what can low humidity in enclosure result in?

desiccation and dysecdysis

what happens when there is too much moisture in the enclosure?

dermatitis aka blister disease

what cleaning agents are toxic to snakes?

phenolic compounds

what kind of diet do snakes eat?

all snakes are carnivorous

-insects, earthworms, frogs, fish, reptiles, birds, rodents, rabbits

are most snakes selective?

no, most are nonselective

what should you feed snakes?

prey items nutritionally complete diets

what will most snakes readily eat for their prey?

pre-killed prey

-some only eat live food

what do snakes do to swallow their prey?

they swallow it whole

how can snakes swallow their prey whole?

they have a flexible mandibular symphysis, joins, and attachments

what should you not do directly after feeding a snake?

do not disturb them

how often should you feed snakes?

approx every 2 weeks

when handling snakes, what should you remember when holding him?

support their body as much as possible

-restrain behind head (firm but gentle)

what do most snakes require prior to breeding?

a period of physiological rest (burmation) prior to breeding

what types of breeders are male snakes?

hemipenes - paired male reproductive organs

what are the reproductive organs of boas and pythons?

spurs

-larger in males than in females

what is the most accurate method of sexing snakes?

probing

-females are shorter than males in terms of how many scales you can fit the probe in

how do most snakes reproduce?

they lay eggs

what should you remember to do with the eggs during incubation?

-do not rotate them

-maintain some orientation when recovering and placing them in new container

what is infectious stomatitis?

mouth rot

what are some reasons why infectious stomatitis occurs?

-occurs secondary to suboptimal conditions, poor nutrition, stress, immunosuppression

what are some clinical signs of infectious stomatitis?

-reddened areas in oral cavity

-caseous deposits and ulcerations can develop

-can invade jaw bones - osteomyelitis

-facial deformities

-anorexia

how do you treat infectious stomatitis?

-surgically remove caseous deposits

-topical and systemic antibiotics

-supportive care

what are two protozoal diseases commonly affecting snakes?

amoebiasis and cryptosporidiosis

what are some clinical signs of amoebiasis and cryptosporidiosis?

-anorexia, vomiting

what is a clinical sign of amoebiasis?

bloody diarrhea

what is a clinical sign of cryptosporidiosis?

firm swelling in snake's midbody region due to thickening of gastric wall

who are reservoirs for amoebiasis?

turtles

what are treatments for amoebiasis and crypto?

-metro/no treatment

-quarantine for minimum 60 days

what is inclusion body disease?

-fatal viral infection in captive snakes

-very contagious

what species are primarily affected by inclusion body disease?

boas and pythons

what are some clinical signs of inclusion body disease?

chronic regurgitation, disorientation, paralysis

what are the treatment options for inclusion body disease?

-none

-euth

what are snakes very susceptible to?

-internal parasites, including hookworms

what are some clinical signs of internal parasites?

anorexia, intestinal ulceration, anemia

what are some treatment options for internal parasites?

anthelmintics - fenbendazole

what is lung worm and what does it cause?

-causes inflammation of lower airways

-secondary bacterial pneumonia

what are some common external parasites?

ticks and mites

what are some clinical signs of external parasites?

anemia, interferes with shedding

what are some treatment options for mites?

-ivermectin

-treat environment

what is dysecdysis and retained spectacles?

abnormal shedding

what is dysecdysis and retained spectacles commonly a result of?

-low humidity

-thyroid dysfunction

-ectoparasitism

-traumatic injuries

what are some treatment options of dysecdysis and retained spectacles?

soak snake in shallow water bath for several hours

what is toxicosis a result of?

pesticides

-organophosphate impregnated strips that are placed in or near enclosure to kill mites

what are some clinical signs of toxicosis

tremors, spasms, paralysis, death

what else causes toxicosis?

overdosing ivermectin or metro

-leads to ataxia, tremors, paralysis

what is gout?

when uric acid levels in the blood are too high

-affects joints and organs

what are some risk factors of gout?

-starvation, kidney disease, dehydration, nephrotoxic antibiotics

what does gout cause?

uric acid forms crystalline deposits in internal organs

what are some treatment options for gout?

-drug therapy

-nutritional & environmental changes

-supportive care

-poor prognosis

what are some other health concerns for snakes?

-thermal burns

-obesity

*common due to overfeeding and lack of exercise, predisposes to constipation, dystocia, atherosclerosis, liver failure