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Reptiles
Characteristics
Cold-blooded, possess lungs and breath air
Have bony skeleton, scales, or horny plates
that cover body
Have a heart with 2 auricles
About 6,500 species in 4 orders
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Testudines: turtles, tortoises, and terrapins
Serpentes: snakes, pythons, and boas
Squamata: iguanas and lizards
Crocodilia: crocodiles, alligators, caimans and
gharials
Characteristics cont.
Fossils date back 315-340 million yrs.
Have 3 body types
– Long and clearly defined tails like crocodiles and
lizards
– Long bodies that taper into tails like snakes
– Short, thick bodies encased in shells like turtles
and tortoises.
Limbs of crocodiles and lizards are usually
paired and attached to the body at right
angles; their limbs are strong and powerful
unlike most reptiles.
Snake-like reptiles have no limbs, they move
as a result of undulating movements.
Characteristics cont.
Some turtles and tortoises have limbs that
enable them to walk on land and swim in
water.
The skin of reptiles has a horny surface layer.
– For snakes, lizards, and some crocodiles and
alligators, the scales grow from underneath and
the outer layer gets shed for new growth.
– Turtles and tortoises don’t molt their thick skin, but
form a new layer beneath the old one.
– These scales or scutes, form rings that can be
counted to determine the age of the reptile.
Characteristics cont.
Snakes can’t close their eyes, but instead of
eyelids, they have a transparent layer called
brille.
This layer of the eye is shed during the
shedding process.
Lizards and snakes have teeth fused to their
jaw bone.
– In some species the poison glands are connected
to these teeth.
Turtles and tortoises don’t have teeth, but
sharp crushing plates.
The tongues of reptiles vary
– some can be long, slender, forked, etc.
Characteristics cont.
All reptiles have a three-cambered heart with
2 auricles and 1 ventricle.
The size of the heart reduces the metabolic
rate, which lowers the heat produced from the
reptile and allows the reptile to function in its
surroundings.
Tortoises, crocodiles, and many lizards are
oviparous= laying their eggs that hatch after
leaving the body.
Some species are ovoviviparous= eggs that
hatch within the body, with live young.
Hibernation
Reptiles live in temp zones from tropical to
polar
Must hibernate during winter in cold zones
– In order to survive they must be below frost line.
– Body temps drop to a point where their body
barely functions.
Captive temperate-zone reptiles should also
have a temp drop so they go through a
hibernation
– Reduce food amounts and slowly reduce
temperature
– Simply reverse steps to bring them out of
hibernation.
Classification
Turtles, terrapins and tortoises
– Turtles vary greatly including common snapping
turtles (12’’ &60lbs), Mud turtles, Red-eared
turtles(most common pet), Blandings turtle(found
in G.L. Region,7-8’’), Painted turtle, Box
turtles(domed shells).
– Terrapins- refers to turtles found in fresh and
brackish water and are considered excellent
eaters
• Typically 4-5’’males; 6-7’’females
– Testunidae: tortoises
• Terrestrial and primarily herbivores
• Vary from 6-50’’
Classification cont.
Classification of snakes, pythons, and
boas
– Range in size from 3’’-6’
– Found in both aquatic and dry terrestrial
areas
– Can be bright reds, yellows, and oranges
or drab greens and browns.
– Feed on termites and ants to rodents,
birds, and small mammals.
Family Boida
88 species, includes boas and pythons
Largest species of snakes
Up to 33’ and 400+lbs.
Vary in colors from yellow, red, bright greens
to drab colors
Boa constrictor is most popular boa.
Eat rodents, birds, and small mammals.
Boas lay eggs; pythons bear live young.
Iguanas and Lizards
Family Gekkonidae (Geckos)
– 800 species
– 4 limbs with 5 toes that have adhesive
pads(lamellae)
– Most are nocturnal and have vocal cords
– Don’t have eyelids
– Large, flat, fleshy tongue
– Most ear insects, some eat nectar, small
mammals, and birds.
Family Iguanidae
650 species
Range in the America’s
Active during day
Most lay eggs, few give birth to live
young
Consist of Anoles and Iguanas
Spiny Lizards
Consists of largest # of species
Spiny lizards, fence lizards and swifts
Most reach length of 10’’
found from Canada to South America
Have overlapping scales with a ridge that
ends in a sharp point or spine.
Primary terrestrial
Family Teiidae
Commonly called whiptails, race
runners, and tegus.
227 species
Found from northern parts of United
States to Central America.
Family Scincidae
Skins: more than 1,275 species
Most are small but some are 2’
Terrestrial and burrow into leaves and
debris on forest floor
Almost round
Very short limbs (some no limbs), some
can’t even move
Family Anguidae
Alligator Lizards
Some found in California region
Family Chamaeleonidae
True chameleons
Color may be controlled by
surroundings, temp, and mood
Tongues are long (5.5”) to catch insects
Classification: Crocodiles,
Alligators, and Gharials
Order Crocodilia consists of largest
reptiles
Crocodiles are semi-aquatic
– Large head and long jaws that are lined
with teeth
– Brown, olive-green, or black in color
– Body is covered with heavy, rough skin of
scales (scutes)
Family Alligatoridae
7 species of alligators and caimans
Different from crocs because of the way
their teeth fit in the jaws
4 teeth on lower jaw fit into sockets of
upper jaw
– When closed tooth is not visible
Housing and Equipment
Habitats for reptiles fit into 4
categories
1.
2.
3.
4.
Terrestrial
Semiaquatic
Aquatic
Arboreal (trees)
Housing and Equipment
Terraium is a cage used for keeping land or
terrestrial animals
Vivarium is a cage where it duplicates the
original environment as close as possible
Cage sizes vary greatly
– A land turtle needs a cage 5x length of shell
– Aquatic: is 5 times long x 3 times wide “
Housing and Equipment
Reptiles are ectotherms (can’t
generate their own body temp and take
in enviro’s temp)
– Incandescent light is needed
– Sun is also needed for calcium
metabolism, pigment, and Vit D
Feeding: Turtles
Aquatic turtles are carnivores and
omnivores
– Should be offered meat, liver, dog/cat food
– Offered food every day
Land turtles are herbivores
– Grasses and plants, spinach, lettuce
grapes (other fruit)
Feeding: Snakes
All snakes are carnivorous
– Captive snakes feed on earthworms,
mealworms, crickets, and/or baby mice
and rats, or frogs and toads
– If the snake doesn’t eat rodent within a few
minutes it should be removed
Feeding: Lizards
Most are insect eaters
– Crickets, worms
Iguanas and larger lizards eat meal
worms, lettuce, fresh fruit, ground meat
Handling: Turtles
Place fingers under the lower shell, and
thumbs on the top of the shell
Don’t be alarmed if they hiss
– Its just the air from their lungs as they suck
in their heads and legs.
Use caution with snapping and soft
shelled they can reach their head
around and bite you
Handling: Snakes
When handling a snake for the first time
(its first time), use gloves it might get
scared and bite you.
Use one hand to grasp firmly directly
behind the head
Let the snake come to you when
removing from cage
Transport in pillowcase
Handling: Lizards
Temperament varies greatly
Can be picked up with thumb and forefingers
behind the head and holding body
Be careful of large lizards they may bite and
not let go, where gloves
Clean immediately and have treated by
doctor
Never pick up by tail Why?
Diseases and Ailments
Bacterial Diseases
– Salmonella
• Watery, green, foul smelling diarrhea and anorexia.
• Can be transmitted to humans
• It’s important to wash hands after handling reptiles.
– Environmental Control
– Mouth Rot
External Parasites
– Mites and Ticks
Internal Parasites
– Roundworms and Tapeworms
Shedding
Shed their skin several times during the year.
Normally in one piece
The first sign of shedding is that the covering
of the eye becomes cloudy.
It starts at the snout
Should only take a couple of days
Moisture is needed for the skin to shed
Some reptiles require different environments
for shedding.
Reproduction
Turtles and most snakes lay eggs that hatch
later.
Most reptiles are oviparous, meaning they lay
eggs that later hatch.
Brood = stay with and incubate their eggs.
Reptiles can lay from 1 or 2 to more than 100
eggs.
The average incubation periods
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Turtles=60-90 days
Snakes= 40-90 days
Lizards= 30 days or less
Crocodilians= about 90 days