Download Housing reptiles and amphibians

Learning topic: Provide advice on housing and shelter
Housing reptiles and amphibians
Incorrect housing and environmental control is one of the main predisposing
factors to disease and injury in captive reptiles and amphibians.
Temperature
It is very important to have adequate temperature control and the
temperature should only fluctuate over a narrow range of 5 °C. The
preferred body temperature for the species should be in the centre of the
range.
Species
Preferred Body Temperatures (PBTs)
Common long necked tortoise
26
Saltwater crocodile
33
Children's python
30-33
Carpet python
29-33
Water python
34
Diamond python
29
Common tree snake
32
Blue tongue lizard
2 -32
Methods of providing heat
The cage temperature should be monitored constantly using a
maximum/minimum thermometer and heat sources thermostatically
controlled to prevent overheating.
The following list shows disease and injury problems related to temperature:

Sudden decreases in temperature—eg blackouts, cold snaps in
outdoor enclosures—can cause pneumonia.

A constant temperature with no gradient is very stressful and will
lead to disease.

Too low a temperature will cause anorexia.

Drops in temperature within 1-2 weeks of eating can cause digestion
to cease and food present in the gut to either be regurgitated or
decompose.
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
Thermal burns from being in contact with the heat source can be
seen in snakes that coil around light bulbs.

Electrocution from faulty heat sources can also cause injuries.
Cage rooms in cold climates can have the environment further controlled
using a reverse cycle air conditioner. Each individual enclosure also has a
heat source to provide the temperature gradient. The digital readout
measures the room temperature at 26.4 °C and the relative humidity at 50%.
The humidity in this room was provided by a bucket of water that was
allowed to evaporate.
Humidity
The ideal humidity ranges from 35% to 75% depending on whether the
reptile is an arid or tropical species.
Methods of providing humidity

Arid-temperate species: Dry cage with a shallow dish or pond for
bathing. The dish should be large enough for the animal to sit in it
completely without it overflowing. More humidity can be supplied
by a bucket of water in the cage room if the whole room is heated as
well as the individual cages.

Tropical species: Thick foliage which should be mist sprayed twice a
day. The reptiles themselves should be kept as dry as possible by
keeping the floor and perches dry.
If the humidity is too low, this can lead to:

problems with shedding the skin

chronic dehydration which can lead to gout caused by an increase in the
concentration of uric acid crystals in the blood and then in the joints.
This is because there is not enough water to allow the kidneys to work
properly.
If the humidity is too high and the cage floor constantly moist, this can
cause:
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Learning topic: Provide advice on housing and shelter

skin conditions, eg bacterial and fungal infections of the skin and shell.
Light
The photoperiod (periods of light compared to darkness) controls activity,
reproduction and physiology in reptiles and amphibians.
As our captive reptiles are mostly Australian natives, we should be able to
match the diurnal (daily) and annual rhythms of the species' natural
environment as closely as possible. You should:

use blue or red lights as heat sources so that the reptile is not
exposed to full light for 24 hours

use a light source that is either unfiltered, natural sunlight or a full
spectrum fluorescent light to supply the UV rays needed by the skin
to manufacture vitamin D—see the notes on nutrition for the
importance of this vitamin.
The following is list of disease problems related to lighting:

24 hour light is very stressful and will predispose the animal to
disease.

Lack of UV light will cause a vitamin D deficiency leading to
skeletal problems, especially in young, growing lizards and
chelonians.
Photoperiod
This is important for snakes, and captive snakes should be provided with as
close to normal photoperiod as possible. Constant light is very stressful so
light bulbs used for heat should be coloured, either red or blue.
Sunlight or UV light must be supplied as it is used in the manufacture of
vitamin D which is very important for the uptake of calcium from the diet.
Glass filters out UV so just having a glass fronted cage in a sunny room is
not enough.
When reptiles that are normally kept indoors are placed in direct sunlight
they will often become aggressive and active. Rain can also produce a
sudden burst of activity.
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A tortoise in the sun
Enclosure type housing
The decision whether to house your animal inside or outside depends on a
number of factors:

whether it is aquatic, terrestrial or arboreal

where it came from and where you wish to keep it. For example,
keeping a tropical species outside in Southern Tasmania would not
be suitable and would probably result in its death in the first winter.

security and value of the animal(s)

space and money available.
A reptile enclosure
Terrestrial reptiles
Here are some housing options with considerations that should be taken into
account:
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Learning topic: Provide advice on housing and shelter
Glass aquarium with a mesh lid
The heat lamp should be suspended over or through the lid. One
disadvantage is that they tend to lose heat through the lid and glass walls
which makes it difficult to maintain a constant temperature gradient.
Wooden box with glass/perspex front hinged lid
They should be varnished or painted for waterproofing and hygienic reasons
(see picture below). Heat can be provided by thermostatically controlled
heat lamps or underfloor heat mats.
Outdoor pits
These open topped enclosures have smooth, free standing walls that the
reptile cannot climb or burrow under. There is usually no artificial heating
so these sorts of enclosures should only be used for reptiles from similar
climates unless a heat source is provided. Artificial heat can be provided
using 'hot rocks' or heated 'houses' for reptiles. The enclosure should have
areas where they can bask in the sun and shelter areas too.
Predation by birds and cats can be a problem. The hiding places do make it
difficult to see the reptiles on a daily basis to check on them.
Chicken wire must never be used as reptiles tend to rub their noses on it
which can result in severe injuries.
Aquatic reptiles and amphibians
Glass aquarium with lid
These should be set up with water on one end that is deep enough for
the animal to submerge completely and with turtles so that they can turn
themselves back over if upside down. They also need a land area at the
other end that is large enough to walk around on and dry out
completely. What do you think of the tank in the photo below?
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Water quality maintenance is a prime consideration and the water
should be changed two to three times a week, with all uneaten food and
faeces removed daily. Filters do help but are not designed for the large
volumes of faeces produced by aquatic reptiles.
Heat is provided by an aquarium heater—the ideal water temp = 22-25
°C) and a light globe over the basking end. The temperature below the
globe should be 25-30 °C.
Housing together
To minimise stress, reptiles should be kept out of sight of the same or
similar species, if possible. All reptiles should be provided with some sort of
hide box. Providing a snake, lizard or chelonian (turtle or tortoise) with a
secure, dark place to hide is ideal for making them feel secure.
Snakes should be housed alone. They should only be placed together for
breeding. Larger snakes may consume smaller ones. Two snakes in the same
container could both strike at a prey item and both may start eating it from
opposite ends, with the larger snake ending up eating the smaller one along
with the prey item.
Geckos are an exception regarding housing. It’s common practice to house a
group of females with one male, for breeding purposes. But, it’s still poor
practice to house several males together as they can fight and cause injury to
each other.
Water turtles may be housed together successfully if they’re all close to the
same size and a few aren’t nipping at the others. A general rule is that all the
residents’ shells shouldn’t exceed 25% of the cage floor surface. Aggressive
species should only be housed with similar species of the same size.
Land tortoises can often be housed in groups of similar species. If several
are kept together, the cage should be as large as possible. Land turtles and
tortoises are usually quite gentle and don’t harass each other. However,
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Learning topic: Provide advice on housing and shelter
observe them closely for any signs of negative interactions and remove the
aggressive ones.
Water
Fresh drinking water must always be present. This can be provided in a
shallow dish or bath that is cleaned and refreshed daily as many reptiles will
use the dish to lie in on hot days. Some species will only lap water off
vegetation so for these you must supply foliage and mist spray it twice a
day. Gout can occur if reptiles do not have adequate access to water.
Producing your own food
The live foods that can be produced easily by a reptile keeper are rodents,
earthworms and insects like wood roaches, crickets, mealworms and
maggots.
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