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50 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Ecdysis
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The process of shedding the skin. Snakes shed as a whole and lizards will peel away
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Quadrate bone
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Snakes have these to swallow their pey whole Used to dislodge jawto spread nearly vertical for completely enveloping prey
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Snake Teeth
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Teeth are mostly the same size and will be replaceds if lost. There are several rows for trapping prey
Fangs (if they have them) are thick cartilaginous with pores for venom |
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Snake digestive tract
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Well developed throat withg a long esophagus and anterior glottis (reptiles can cover tracheal opening for long periods while digestiong)
Stomach and small intestines lead to cloaca |
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Cloaca
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Common opening for urine, feces, and eggs
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Snake Respiratory
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Have air sacs
No diaphragm (resp infections are dangerous) R. lung is huge compared to left. The left lung is very small or absent |
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Snake Circulatory
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3 chambered heart
Abbreviated circulatory system (single circulatory system, just like mammals, but "abbreviated") Renal portal system can carry blood directly from extremities to the kidneys w/out going through the heart for quicker filtration |
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Snake sensory
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Use tongue as a sensory organ (jacobson organ). Used to smell and sense temperature
Eyes are protected by a layer over the cornea No tympanic membrane, middle ear cavity or external pinna |
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Snake urinary
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Have NO bladder
No loop of henle in reptiles, so gas exchange in kidneys is limited Urine is highly concentrated and usually mixed with feces in cloaca |
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Snake reproduction
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Male snakes have himipenes ffound near the base of the tail and housed in cloaca
Some female snakes have only one ovary duct Male hemipenes are near cloacal vent. If probing to ID sex, the probe can be inserted roughly 6-8 scales caudal to cloaca in a male and only 2-3 in in the female |
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Snake housing
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A warm temp with humidity req. for all reptiles
A light source req. for a minimum of 12 hours a day. Should simulate natural sunlight Need a heat source (NO HOT ROCKS) Litter can be gravel or unscented wood chips free of bugs Glass terrarium with a screen top best |
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Snake housing temps
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77-84 daytime
67 - 80 nightime (Depending on species) |
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Snake diet
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Strictly carnivorous, need uncontaminated water for driniing and/or soaking. Tropical snakes need misting
Recently thawed feed, no live feed. Young snakes (6 inches to 1 foot) feed once weekly 2-4 ft snake feed every 2 weeks 5-6 ft snake feed every 3-4 weeks (depending on size of prey feeding). Tree boas and green tree pythons must be teased with food |
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Snake restraint
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Head must be held and under control at all times.
Exam gloves should be worn to protect from harmful skin bacteria May be transported in a pillow case, never reach into the pillow case |
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Physical exam of the snake
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Obtain weight, visual observation forr defects and wounds, unkept skin and scales, ectoparasites.
Check the mouth for rot (infected gum line)or mucus as this can be indicative of illness. Check for labored breathing and lethargy (cold reptiles WILL be lethargic) If fecal matter is available collect for analysis. Also ask the owner about nutrition and husbandry. |
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Snake venipuncture
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Blood collection often a blind stick using a 23 g needle.
ALWAYS go between the scales, never through them Do not draw more than 10% of the circulation (usually about 1 ml) The needle should aspirate slightly upon entry and the draw is slow. SITES: Ventral coccygeal vein Jugular (right side only( Cardiac |
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Snake medication administration
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Oral meds must be given with care. A stiff catheter is passed into the esophagus to the stomach.
SQ can be given in the grooves next to the scales on the ventral aspect |
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Common complaints for snakes
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Nutritional deficiency
Tramua bites Mouth rot or shedding issues constipation Ecto and endo parasites (Nematodes and Cestodes) |
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Turtle deformities
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Occur regularly in many reptile species as they are dependent on outside influences during development
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Turtle Order
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Chelonia - no teeth with a beak like protrusion.
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Difference between turtles and tortoises
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Turtles - usually water bound and carnivorus or insectivorus
Tortoises and terrapins are usually land bound and herbivorous |
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Ectothermic
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Reptiles need atleast 12 hours of light and constant warmth
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Turtle shell
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Hard, keratinized tissue like fingernails with bone support underneath
~The Top Shell - Carapace ~The bottom shell - Plastron Scapula supports the upper shell with a coracoid process underneath |
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Turtle digestive anatomy
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No teeth - beak like appendage
Stomach and intestines similar to mammals, but have a cloaca like other reptiles Hard veggies or fruit for herbavores must be cut up into small peices for them to eat Nutrient supplimentation necessary if they are exclusivly indoors |
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Turtle respiratory
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Have no diaphragm like other reptiles.
Have huge set of lungs that are dorsal in the cavity, just under the carapace for buoyancy Can puncture lungs if there is trauma to the shell |
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Turtle anatomy - cardiovascular
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You can pick up a hearbeat with a doppler stethoscope
Have a 3 chambered heart like other reptiles |
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Turtle anatomy - Urinary
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Turtles along with most lizards DO have a bladder with a direct feed into the cloaca
Urine and feces mix so urinalysis is not performed |
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Turtle anatomy - Reproduction and sexing
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Turtles usually sexually dimorphic
Male turtle have a longer tail with a concave plastron for mounting Male terrapins have claws for tickling the chin of females Males have a single long penis that protrudes from the cloaca Eggs produced in the cloaca Females have a shorter thail and an indented carapace. |
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Turtle husbandry - housing
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Glass terrarium with screen top (easy to disinfect)
CLEAN WATER TO DRINK IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! Small tortoises and juveniles of larger species need to be soaked for 20- 30 minutes twice a week in shallow lukewarm water to encorage defecation and to help prevent constipation and blockages |
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Turtle husbandry - cage temps
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Daytime - 78-89
Night - 65-80 Change water daily |
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Turtle restraint
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Place on a pedestal like a big can to encourage turtle to extend the head and legs from shell.
Check over the shell and wear exam gloves Water turtles can and will bite |
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Turtle medical administration
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Can instert lubed tubes intto esophagus
Soaks and fluid therapy common techniques |
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Turtle venipuncure
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Blood collected using a 23-25 g needle using GENTLE aspiration
SITES: Jugular on the right side only Femoral plexus Dorsal coccygeal vein |
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Turtle shell repair
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Shell is living tissue so aseptic technique is critical.
Resins and acrylic repair kits common. Analgesics should be prescribed as trauma is painful CANNOT cross scutes of the shell. Stop at the divisions and restart the application |
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Common issues in the turtle
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Trauma to the shell
Respiratory distress Shell rot Nutrient deficiency Endoparasites with GI disorders |
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Lizard integument and skeletal anatomy
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Integument similar to snakes, skeletal similar to mammals.
The scull is similar to snakes, but w/out a quadrate bone Have NO STERNUM and the crushing of lungs can be problematic |
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Lizard digestive anatomy
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have teeth which can be shed and replaced like snakes
GI tract depends on diet, but has a stomach, intestines, and colon like mammals It ends in a cloaca |
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Lizard diet
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Can be insectivorous (chameleons and geckos), carnivourus (monitors and dragons), and omnivores or herbivores
Be careful of light green leafy lettuce, can cause impaction and have very little nutritional value in excess |
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Lizard respiratory anatomy
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No diaphragm
Normal set of lungs Ectothermic (needs 12 hours off light per day) |
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Lizard cardiovascular and sensory anatomy
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three chambered heart
Renal portal system Hearing via a shallow depression on the side of skull Eyes are protected by a sheath of skin Few have unbique abilities with tongue |
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Lizard uninary anatomy
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Lizards do have a bladder that empties into the cloaca
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Lizard reproductive
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Male lizards have hemipenes like snakes, but only one is used during copulation and is inserted into the female cloaca
Female lizards have a pair of ovaries, but no UTERUS The egg develops in the cloaca |
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Lizard sexing
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Sexing can be dimorphic, but commonly done by examining the inside of the rear leg
Most male lizards have some sort of demarcation along the inguinal area |
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Lizard husbandry - housing
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Similar to snakes. A warm temp with humidity.
Light source is required for a minimum of 12 hours, no hot rocks, and litter can be gravel or unscented wood chips free of bugs. Best cage is glass terrarium with a screen top Semi aquatic lizards require a dish of water for drinking and soaking Some need misting as well Insectivorous lizards need racks over their water to prevent bugs from getting in |
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Cage temps for lizards
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Day: 77-90
Night: 55-78 |
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Lizard restraint and exam
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Restrain limbs with cohesive bandage
Always include direct and fecal float in exam Check skin for rot Check respiration for labored breathing Heart is palpated with a doppler only |
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Lizard oral medication administration
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Lubed rubber feeding tubes can be effective for GI administration of medication
Oral syringes may be used |
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Lizard injection sites
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SQ, IV (in the cephalic of large species), and Intraosseous
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Lizard venipuncture needle and sites
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23 - 27g needle at a 45 degree angle
Sites: Ventral coccygeal vein Ventral abdominal vein Cephalic in large species |
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Common medical complaints with lizards
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Nutritional disease
Vitamin A and D deficiency Trauma to the tail or body Anorexia or constipation Endo and ectoparasites (round and tapeworms and protozoans) |
