Glossary Of Common Reptile Terms

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A post a little different than the norm, we give you a glossary of common terms used in the reptile industry to help our readers better understand the articles posted.

• Albino – Genetic mutation that causes the lack color pigment usually seen with red eyes
• Aquatic – Spending most of the time in fresh water
• Basking Spot – Area of the enclosure kept warmer with the use of a heating element to allow the animal to thermo-regulate
• Bridge – Area of the shell on turtles and tortoises that connects the carapace and plastron
• Brumation – Period of cooling down a reptile to simulate natural seasons, helps to stimulate breeding
• C. B. – Abbreviation for Captive Bred
• Captive Bred – Animal bred in captivity and not caught from the wild, generally healthier and better adjusted to live in captivity, abbreviated C. B.
• Carapace – Dorsal portion of the shell on a turtle or tortoise
• Carnivore – Feeding exclusively on meat
• Cold Blooded – Body temperature and metabolism is controlled by the external temperature, see also Exothermic
• Crepuscular – Active primarily during dawn and dusk hours of the day
• Dechlorinate – To remove the chlorine from ordinary tap water by letting it sit out for 24-hours to allow the chlorine to dissipate naturally or by using commercially available products
• Diurnal – Active primarily during the day
• Dorsal – Referring to the back or top of an animal, portion with the backbone, opposite side of ventral
• Endothermic – Body temperature and metabolism controlled internally and not dependent upon the external temperature, see also warm blooded
• Exothermic – Body temperature and metabolism is controlled by the external temperature, see also Cold Blooded
• Gut Loading – Process of feeding prey items good quality food to ensure proper nutrition for the animal being fed the prey items
• Heat Rock – Commercially available product that consists of a heating element surrounded by rock; notoriously unreliable and often causes burns to the animals it is used with; see also Hot Rock
• Herbivore – Feeding exclusively on plant material
• Herpetoculture – The science of keeping herpetofauna in captivity
• Herpetofauna – Referring to both reptiles and amphibians
• Herpetology – Study of reptiles and amphibians
• Herptile – Inaccurate and incorrect slang term for reptiles and amphibians, see herpetofauna
• Hibernation – Often used inaccurately with regards to herpetofauna, see Brumation
• Hopper – Juvenile mouse that is just starting to move around
• Hot Rock – Commercially available product that consists of a heating element surrounded by rock; notoriously unreliable and often causes burns to the animals it is used with; see also Heat Rock
• Insectivore – Specialized carnivore that feeds exclusively on insects
• ISIS – International Species Information System, tracks taxonomic and breeding information of all species, used extensively in zoos and aquariums
• Leucistic – Genetic mutation that causes the lack of dark colored pigment to be present, usually seen with blue eyes
• Marine – Spending time mostly in salt water (i.e. ocean) surroundings
• Melonistic – Genetic mutation that cause more dark pigment than normal to be present
• Nocturnal – Active primarily during night
• Omnivore – Feeding on both meat and plant material
• Photoperiod – Period of light and dark to simulate the natural day and night cycle, important for the health and well being of animals in captivity
• Pinhead – Small sized crickets
• Pinky – Baby new born mouse, is hairless and pink in color
• Plastron – Ventral portion of the shell on turtles and tortoises
• Salmonella – Bacteria that causes Salmonellosis, commonly found in poorly prepared poultry and occasionally found on herpetofauna (usually thought of with turtles)
• Salmonellosis – Bacterial infection caused by Salmonella that causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps for 4 to 7 days
• Semi-Aquatic – Spending time on both land and fresh water
• Substrate – The material used as a floor or bedding for your animal
• Taxonomy – The organization of all organisms into categories to better describe them
• Temperature Gradient – Temperature range provided for herpetofauna to thermoregulate
• Terrestrial – Spending time primarily on the land only
• Thermocouple – Used to measure temperatures accurately, especially one consisting of two dissimilar metals
• Thermoregulate – Process in which the animal will move to warmer or cooler places to regulate its body temperature and metabolism
• UV – Ultraviolet light, usually not visible to the naked eye and described as three different types
• UVA – Visible to the naked eye, responsible for inducing normal behavior such as feeding and mating; provides for mental well-being
• UVB – Not visible to the naked eye, gives humans sun tans, allows for synthesis of vitamin D3 which allows reptiles to process calcium to prevent bone disease
• UVC – Not visible to the naked eye, used in sterilizers and kills bacteria, extremely dangerous and can cause damage to DNA
• Ventral – Referring to the bottom or belly area of an animal, opposite of dorsal
• W. C. – Abbreviation for Wild Caught
• Warm Blooded – Body temperature and metabolism controlled internally and not dependent upon the external temperature, sell also endothermic
• Wild Caught – Caught or trapped in the wild, generally carriers of parasites and more prone to sickness due to stress of capture and shipping, abbreviated W. C.

Iguana Care Sheet

Iguana Care Sheet

The Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) is considered by many people a beginners pet...nothing is further from the truth. Iguanas require specialized care and management that is generally beyond the knowledge of most novices. It is because of this lack of knowledge that a majority of juvenile iguanas die prematurely. Iguana owners need to be aware of the specialized diet and housing requirements that the green iguana requires. If looking for a great beginner reptile or amphibian pet, consider a corn snake, milk snake, ball python, leopard gecko, bearded dragon, or pac man frog. All of these species are fun and a great way to begin in the hobby!

Native to: Central and South America. Imported iguanas are generally from Columbia, El Salvador, Honduras, Peru, Mexico, and Surinam.

Size: Adult iguanas range in size from four to six feet in length.

Life span: If properly cared for, iguanas should live more than 20 years in captivity.

Housing requirements:

• Enclosure: The enclosure for an adult iguana is very large. The enclosure should be at least six feet tall, about 1½ to twice the length of the iguana, and 2/3 to one full length of the iguana wide. For a six foot adult iguana, this is an enclosure that is 9 to 12 feet long, four to six feet wide, and at least six feet tall. Sufficient branches and shelves for climbing and lounging should also be provided. To give you perspective on the size of the enclosure, most small bedrooms are only 9 feet wide. This is why many owners dedicate a separate room as their "iguana room." Some owners also allow their iguanas to "free range" throughout the house. If you allow your iguana to live in its own room or free range, be sure the keep the area the iguana will frequent free of small objects that the iguana may accidentally ingest.
• Temperature: Iguanas come from a tropical climate and need to be kept warm. Daytime temperatures should be 80° - 85° F with a basking spot of 90° - 95° F. There should be a range of temperatures offered to the iguana to allow it to thermoregulate itself. Nighttime temperatures should be 75° - 80° F. All temperatures should be verified with a thermometer regularly.
• Heat/Light: Ultraviolet lighting providing UVA and UVB is required for proper calcium metabolism and skeletal development. Without the proper lighting your will become sick and die a very painful death. Proper lighting can be provided utilizing fluorescent tubes specially made for use by reptiles as well as mercury vapor bulbs that also provide some heat as well. Additional heat can be provided utilizing infrared ceramic emitters and incandescent basking bulbs. Hot rocks should never be used under any circumstance as they can severely burn your iguana.
• Substrate: Iguanas will often tongue lick their surroundings. Because of this most particulate substrate (wood shavings, mulch, sand, or powder types) are not appropriate for most iguanas. Newspaper with non-toxic ink, butcher's paper, paper towels, indoor/outdoor carpeting, or artificial grass all make excellent choices. If using indoor/outdoor carpeting or artificial grass please be sure that there are no dangling strings that could tangle in your iguana's nails. It's also recommended that you have multiple pieces so that you may replace the soiled pieces with the clean set and then clean and disinfect the current set to use for the next cleaning.
• Environment: Iguanas come from a tropical climate and require a humidity level of 65% to 75%. To achieve this may require several mistings a day. Many people opt to purchase an automatic misting system instead.

Diet: Iguanas are strict herbivores. Many older literatures will suggest feeding animal protein or even cat food. While some wild iguanas may ingest the occasional insect while eating leaves, it is not a significant portion on their diet. Iguanas that are fed too much animal protein will develop health problems and will die prematurely. A well balanced iguana diet will consist of about 40% to 45% greens (this includes, but is not limited to collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens (with flowers), escarole, and/or water cress), 40% to 45% other vegetables (this includes but is not limited to green beans, orange-fleshed squashes (butternut, Kabocha), snap or snow peas, parsnip, asparagus, okra, alfalfa (mature, not sprouts), onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, sweet potato, zucchini, yellow squash, and/or carrots), 10% or less of fruits (including, but not limited to Figs (raw or dried), blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, mango, melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon), papaya, banana, and/or apple), and less than 5% of other grains or commercial diets. Iguanas should never be rhubarb as it is toxic. Certain lettuces such as iceberg, romaine, and Boston butter lack sufficient nutrients and should only be fed occasionally. Acidic fruits (citrus, tomatoes, kiwi, pineapples, etc.) should also be only fed occasionally as well. Tofu can be occasionally offered as well for supplemental protein, though if too much is given it can lead to long term health issues. Wild plants and flowers are not recommended since they may be toxic to your iguana or may contain pesticides that could be toxic as well.

Maintenance: Cleanliness of the enclosure is essential. Waste products should be removed daily and the enclosure should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected regularly. A 5% bleach solution provides and excellent disinfectant. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the solution from the enclosure before placing the iguana back in. Fresh water should also be offered at all times. Always wash your hands after handling your iguana or any of your iguana's cage accessories.

Do you have an Iguana? If so, here is a great Iguana salad recipe CLICK HERE

Captive bred Vs. Wild Caught Reptiles

Wild Collared Lizard Shown

Question: Should I get a Wild Caught or Captive Bred Reptile? Answer: In short, captive bred is best, so if at all possible get a captive bred reptile as a pet. It is true that some species of reptile do not readily reproduce in captivity so for these you may need to get a wild caught reptile. However, for many commonly kept species, captive bred animals are quite readily available. If you can find a captive bred reptile this is the best option for a number of reasons:

• Captive bred reptiles are generally healthier than wild caught. The stress of capture and transport and adjustment to captive conditions is extremely stressful and leaves reptiles susceptible to illness. Wild caught reptiles also tend to carry very heavy parasite loads.

• Captive bred reptiles are generally less skittish and easier to handle than wild caught.

• Captive bred snakes accept pre killed prey more readily than wild caught snakes (especially true for ball pythons).

• Buying a captive bred reptile helps to maintain wild populations. For every wild caught reptile that makes it to a pet store and into a home, many more die from stress, injury, and/or illness related to capture, transport, overcrowding, etc.

Unfortunately it is often less expensive to buy a wild caught reptile over a captive bred one. However, when you consider the rates of illness and parasitism in wild caught reptiles as well as the rates of mortality, it is often much less expensive over the long run to purchase captive bred than to treat or replace a sick wild caught reptile.

Chime in on this topic in our forum, www.TheReptileKing.net

Arachnid as Pets

Why Choose and Insect or Spider? Insects and spiders can be fascinating to watch. They are extremely quiet, clean pets that do not need much room to live. Insects and spiders also require little attention or socialization (in fact, they generally do best with little interaction). However, before deciding on an insect or spider as a pet, look at your reasons for wanting this kind of pet. If you are just looking for a pet that is unique or "cool," or for a pet to impress or shock your friends, think again. Insects and spiders are unique and while they are not overly demanding in their care, you must make the same level of commitment to caring for them as any other pet. Too many owners get pets on impulse and once the novelty wears off they tire of caring for them.

Choosing the Right Pet If you are just starting out with an insect or spider, you are best off choosing a species that is neither delicate nor dangerous. Perhaps the ultimate beginner insect would be the hissing cockroach - they are easy to care for and as a rule are pretty docile and lack serious weapons (not venomous, don't sting, etc.). Some tarantulas are also acceptable for beginners, such as the Chilean rose, Mexican Redleg, or Costa Rican Zebra. These species are not terribly venomous and are fairly docile compared to some other tarantulas (their venom is akin to bee venom, perhaps, although the venom [u]can[/u] provoke an anaphylactic reaction). Stick and leaf insects and mantids are a little more fragile, although they are quite easy to maintain and are quite popular in the UK. Keep in mind that if you have children, most insect pets fall into the "look but don't touch" category, mostly because they are too fragile for all but the most gentle handling (clearly, venomous creatures are also inappropriate for children to handle). Hissing cockroaches are a good exception to this rule, since they are large enough to handle and are pretty sturdy and docile. The traditional ant farm is often interesting for kids too, although kids may lose interest since they cannot interact with the ants, (and an escaped ant colony is a risk!).

What You Need to Consider before Deciding on a Insect or Spider

• Check with local, county and state government agencies regarding legality. There may be regulations in some areas.

• Find out about the care (housing, environment, diet) needed for the pet you are considering. While many insects and spider pets are inexpensive to obtain, providing the right environment can be tricky for some species, especially for the more exotic tarantulas. As a general rule, you want to mimic their natural environment as much as possible. Find out what is needed for food and consider if you can provide the proper diet. For example, hissing cockroaches are easy to feed, whereas stick insects need fresh vegetation and tarantulas need prey insects. Will you be able to provide and and be comfortable feeding the necessary items?

• Check into the life span. Most insect pets are pretty short lived, but some tarantulas can live for 20-30 years (and females are much longer lived than males).

• Find out how to properly handle the pet. While this obvious for venomous animals, it is very important for all insects and arachnids as they can be injured by improper handling.

• Find out, from a reputable source, the exact species of insect or spider and if it is venomous. Keep in mind that even a mildly venomous tarantula can cause a great deal of pain, and tarantulas have special hairs on their abdomen which they shed if threatened and which can be extremely irritating (and dangerous if they get in the eyes). If you are getting a tarantula, make sure you find out how best to avoid bites, but also how to deal with bites if they should happen, and what to do if exposed to their irritating hairs.

The Reptile King Forum has more information on Arachnids if you are interested, Click Here for more