REPTILE BASICS By Melissa Kaplan anapsid.org

Salmonella

Salmonellosis from reptiles is on the rise due to both the increased occurrence of reptiles as pets and because so many are not cared for properly. Owners are misled by the myth that reptiles are easy to care, and thus neglect to take proper steps to reduce risk of bacterial and parasite infection.

Salmonella and Other Zoonoses: The Basics

There is indeed a risk of contracting or causing others to contract a Salmonella infection from your iguana if you are not aware of the potential for infection and fail to take adequate means to avoid infection and transmission. But you are just as likely to get sick from other reptiles, other pets, and food-borne organisms and chemicals.

A Day in the Life of an Iguana

What fills an iguana's day? Warming up, getting rid of yesterday's food, getting and eating more food, basking, maybe going to eat some more, basking again, and going back to bed.

Abnormal Laboratory Values in Reptiles

Abnormal CPK, red and white cell counts, phosphorous, total protein. and other analytes may not signal illness in reptiles.

Abnormal Reptilian Test Results

Some things may lead to abnormal test results. Either that, or when the patient's values are outside of the norm, the range may not actually be indicative of illness.

Adenoviruses in Reptiles

Adenovirus in bearded dragons has become a growing problem over the past several years, as well as reports of adenovirus in some bearded dragon breeders' collections.

Affording Veterinary Care

People who can't afford veterinary care shouldn't get pets. But sometimes life circumstances change. If you financial circumstances have changed for the worse, you can still take steps to save money for veterinary services, because no no matter how well we care for them, at some point a medical situation will arise that requires urgent or emergency medical or veterinary intervention.

Basic Metabolic Rate for Reptiles

Every healthy body at rest expends a certain amount of energy just keeping the organs functioning and blood circulating. The amount of energy this requires is called the basal metabolic requirement (BMR).

Bathing and Swimming: Not Just a Bathroom Activity for Iguanas

Not only do most tubbed iguanas prefer to potty in the tub but the daily immersion helps improve the iguana's overall hydration status, a critical factor in kidney health. What should you know before your ig takes a dip in the swimming pool?

Change-related Stress in Green Iguanas and other Reptiles

There are essentially three types of stress: environmental, behavioral, and social. Unfortunately, an iguana doesn't hold up a sign or otherwise indicate which type is stressing him out at the moment, leaving you to figure out what is causing it and what if anything you can do about it.

Chelonian Shell Infections (Shell Rot)

If the area of infection has not yet eaten through the shell, you can try initially to treat it at home while at the same time assessing the care setup to figure out why the defect occurred that enabled the fungal or bacterial organisms to start.

Claw Trimming For Lizards and other Clawed Critters

Living with iguanas is much easier when their claws are regularly trimmed. When they are tiny, you can use people nail clippers but they soon outgrow these. Human clippers and the guillotine cutters for dogs should not be used.

Coprophagy: Feces Ingestion in Iguanas

Coprophagy is generally rare in reptiles. Adolescent and young adult iguanas have been observed to eat their own or other iguana feces. They generally ingest feces only a few times, and the inclination usually passes within a few weeks.

Cryptosporidium: Health Threat to Humans and Reptiles

Humans and captive animals can become infected when drinking contaminated water (and the majority of municipal water supplies do not eradicate or kill Cryptosporidium, nor do most water purification devices people attached to their faucets or main water lines).

Dealing with Iguana and Other Reptile Bites

What do you do when your reptile has just bitten you and won't let go? These techniques work with iguanas and other large, tenacious lizards and snakes. How to clean your own wound, and what to tell the doctor if you need to see one.

Dealing With Male Green Iguana Breeding Aggression

There is a way to deal with male breeding season aggression that does not include euthanasia, neutering or giving it away. It does include humans taking control, however! This article is about breeding aggression in male igs, but many of the techniques are suitable for use with just plain old aggressive (dominant to humans) igs.

Female Iguanas: Are they more Difficult to Tame?

It appears that males are more programmed to submit to a dominant force where it takes more than just alpha male craziness to get through to a female. It should be noted that many females become highly socialized, very comfortable with humans, including strangers, often becoming (at times, at least!) the essence of cuddly and sweet.

Finding Escaped Snakes in the House

As difficult as it may be, snakes can generally be found in the house after an escape from their enclosure. Somewhere. It may be nowhere you think it could be, but it is there, somewhere. The best way to find an animal is to think like that animal, to view the world from its point of view and perspective.

Fire Safety

Every year, homeowners, renters, businesses and schools lose property - and lives - due to electrical fires that should never have happened. Herpers are particularly susceptible to fires for several reasons.

Firefly Toxicity

Whether you call them fireflies or lightning bugs, these beautiful beetles are deadly to predators

First Aid For Reptiles

How are those non-emergency reptile wounds best treated? Owners can treat minor wounds themselves. Bandaging techniques used on lizards and chelonians are similar to those used on mammals and birds.

Fluids and Fluid Therapy in Reptiles

With reptiles, the fluid requirement issue becomes a bit more complicated as species are found in such a wide range of habitats and live a variety of life-styles. Know how to rehydrate a reptile.

For a Happier Holiday: A Note to Santa's Helpers

Are you considering giving a child that reptile she or he has been begging you for? Encourage them to talk to the parents first...and to encourage the parent to do some research into the suitability and care requirements before they approve of such a gift.

Giant Snake and Lizard Bites: Open Letter to Emergency Responders

There are alternatives to killing a reptile when it won't let go. Cutting their heads off is senseless. Reptiles can be easily encouraged to release their bite by pouring a small amount of alcohol into their mouths.

Green Iguana Head Bobbing

Green iguanas bob their heads for many reasons. Contrary to popular belief, females as well as males bob their heads. Males do it more frequently than do females, but bobbing itself cannot be used as a gender determinant.

Green Iguanas and Other Family Pets

Iguanas often do well when housed with other iguanas. Iguanas generally do not like dogs. Larger iguanas may get along fine with cats once they are big enough to teach the cat some respect. Very small birds, such as finches, may view iguanas with some alarm. While rodents are unlikely to be considered as a form of sushi on the run by a properly fed and raised iguana, mice may be stressed out by an iguana. There are always exceptions to the rules.

Handling Reptiles

Holding a reptile isn't much different than holding any other animal. Support its body weight so that it feels comfortable and secure. You may need to figure out just where to put that tail you're both comfortable. You may need one or two other people when safety concerns dictate that two or more of you hold a large boa, python, or monitor lizard.

Herp Societies and Rescues

The majority of herp societies are volunteer organizations. The cost of doing the rescue, rehab, maintaining and feeding the animals before they are rehomed is usually borne by those individuals doing all the work. In only a few cases do the herp societies fund their committee's rescue/rehab work.

Hormone Abnormalities as a Factor in Male Green Iguana Aggression

Some ideas to consider, based on what we know about hormone production, regulation and dysregulation in humans and other animals.

Human Health Concerns for Reptile Owners And Teachers

Accidents and injuries can happen, both to the reptile and the reptile handler. Not only can bites happen, but also there are diseases that can be transmitted between animals - and that means between reptiles and humans.

Iguana Breeding Season Basics

The biggest question in the minds of owners of male iguanas, especially male iguanas who get very aggressive and/or obnoxious during the season, is how long does breeding season last?

Iguana Feces and Urates

Most new iguana keepers have never had reptiles before, or have had omnivorous or carnivorous reptiles. While there are strong similarities, iguana poop (the technical term used by ig keepers) seems to confound new iguana keepers.

Iguana Skin Color

Color changes and variations in green iguanas can be confusing. Sometimes it's just the color the iguana is meant to be, sometimes it means the iguana is stressed or sick.

Iguana Spaying and Neutering...

We really have no clue about the long-term effects of spaying on green iguanas. We're still just scratching the surface of identifying and figuring out what to do to combat the long-term health problems in human females who are in natural or forced menopause.

Inclusion Body Disease

Inclusion body disease (IBD) has been increasingly diagnosed in boas and pythons (boids). The way it affects these two groups of snakes is slightly different but the long-term effects are the same: the disease is terminal in those animals who exhibit symptoms of the disease.

Interpreting Non-Breeding Behaviors in Green Iguanas

I often hear, "My iguana hates me!" Does the iguana really hate its owner? Does the iguana hate anything at all? Probably not. Does the iguana recognize that it can intimidate the owner? Probably. Most definitely, in many cases!

Kids, Reptiles, and Salmonella

Parents-to-be who have reptiles and learn about reptile-related salmonellosis often become understandably concerned. The most common question they ask is "should I keep my reptile?"

Killing Reptile Mites

Generally speaking, the mite treatment products available at pet stores are ineffective. There is no easy way to get rid of mites. It requires a two-pronged attack: you must aggressively treat the environment as well as the reptile.

Male Iguanas In Breeding Season and Human Females

Male iguanas know when human females are going through their monthly cycles. Iguana males attacking menstruating human females was first described in the literature several years ago by male veterinarians. The important thing to remember is that the tamer your iguana is before the start of his first breeding season, the easier it is going to be to deal with him during the season so long as you are aware of what to look for.

Metabolic Bone Disease

Signs of metabolic bone disease include hard knobs in the long bones of the legs, bumps along the vertebral column of the back and tail, bilateral softening or hard swelling of the lower jaw, and softening of the plastron or carapace. All of these signs may be felt before they can be seen, making a careful physical exam important.

Moving, Vacation and Boarding Stress for Iguanas

No matter how far you move the iguana nor how long it took to get it there, the iguana will be stressed. Older iguanas are creatures of habit; disturb their daily routine, and they will suffer.

Picking a Healthy Reptile

Most pet stores do not care for their reptiles properly. Many cannot even accurately species-identify their animals. Most imported animals are sick, scratched, and infested with parasites (not all of which may be seen without a microscope). How do you pick a healthy reptile?

Picking a Reptile Veterinarian

How do you pick a reptile veterinarian? Doing so can be tough because, if you don't know much about handling and care, how can you assess someone else's knowledge? Talk to the veterinarian's office and see how much of their practice is in herps, generally, and your type of reptile in particular.

Rattlesnakes!

A Homeowner's Guide to Urban Rattlers: Basic information on behavior and natural history, with precautions for human families and homes

Releasing Captive Reptiles and Amphibians

It is illegal to release non-native wildlife into any area. It is illegal to release native wildlife without a permit. Releasing long-term captives outside their normal range, even if it is in similar habitat, may also prove fatal as many of them fail to learn to feed, hide and generally survive.

Reptile and Amphibian Mythunderstandings

Snakes don't have bones? All toads are poisonous? It's okay to poke a hole in a turtle's shell and chain it so it won't escape from your yard? Read on to discern the truth about these and other mythunderstandings...uh, misunderstandings or myths.

Reptile Hearing

If you think your snakes recognize their names, you are probably right. Many "earless" reptiles can indeed "hear," though to varying degrees. There is a great variation in the tympanic membrane and sensitivity of the inner ear amongst those lizards and chelonians with tympanic membranes ("eared").

Reptile Mites

Mites are close relatives of fleas and ticks, and can infest your reptiles. The best way to get rid of them is to never get them. Unfortunately, every time you visit a pet store, reptile expo, herp society meeting, or interact with an infested herp, you risk unwittingly transporting mites into your reptile area.

Reptile Skin Shedding

All animals shed their skin. Some, like humans, do it relatively unobtrusively in an ongoing process. Others do it quickly and cleanly, like the one-piece sheds produced by snakes and tarantulas. Most lizards' skin comes off in patches. Some lizards are like snakes, tarantulas, and stick insects: they climb out of their old skin, leaving it behind in one piece.

Reptile Vision

What kind of vision do reptiles have? Can they see what we do in the way that we do?

Reptiles in Public Education

When live reptiles are used in an educational setting, they provide the opportunity for almost immediate personal growth and development. Besides the facts about reptiles, the learner begins to see how the animal functions as a member of an ecosystem.

Respiratory Tract Infection in Reptiles

In reptiles, respiratory tract infections (RTI) are caused by a bacterial infection in the lungs. RTI is generally related to improper environmental conditions. If the reptile is not otherwise being cared for properly, this can exacerbate the condition, making it more severe and prolonging recovery.

Rules of Thumb for Evaluating Pet Stores

If pet stores don't demand healthy, legal animals from their suppliers, the suppliers have no incentive to provide them. By the same token, if herpers don't demand healthy animals and clean, appropriate conditions, stores have little incentive to provide them.

Signs of Illness and Stress in Reptiles

If you don't know what a reptile needs to be maintained properly in captivity, it's going to be difficult to ensure you are providing a proper environment for it. If you don't know how a species should behave, you may miss the early signs of stress or illness, and thus not realize that something is wrong until the animal is very ill.

So, You Think You Want a Reptile?

For parents, spouses, partners and anyone who wants, or knows someone who wants, a reptile. I frequently get letters and phone calls from parents whose kids, and adults whose partners or spouses, want a reptile. I hear even more from parents whose kids (or spouses) got a reptile without realizing what they were getting into. In many cases, the reptile they chose was unsuitable for them. They often found that caring for reptiles is not as simple as it may appear.

Sunlight and Aggressive Behavior in Iguanas

Some iguana keepers report that their iguanas get aggressive when they are taken outside. What's going on is more psychological rather than physiological: iguanas, no matter how tame, are still wild animals who belong out-of-doors.

Tetany in Reptiles

One of the hallmarks of moderate to severe metabolic bone disease (MBD) in animals, including reptiles, is muscle twitching, typically seen in the toes and legs.

The Pitfalls of Breeding Reptiles for Release

There are insurmountable problems associated with putting a program like this into practice.

Tobago, A Visually-Impaired Vietnamese Leaf Turtle

He was 6 months old when I got him from the breeder in 1996. About the size of a quarter, his right eye was a bit foggy with a whitish cast over it, as it had been from the time he hatched out of his egg. It did not then appear to affect his ability to see and focus on prey.

Toxic Substances: Signs of Reptile Ingestion

Don't wait to see if the signs will abate - call your regular reptile veterinarian or emergency reptile veterinarian and let them know what the animal ate, what the signs are, and that you are on your way.

Use of Cedar as a Substrate

Despite its widespread use in the pet trade and for a variety of pet animals, there remains some confusion over the use of cedar as a substrate for animals, especially for prey animals and reptiles. The symptoms of cedar toxicity are similar to other common reptile ailments.

You Can Be Allergic to Your Reptiles

Investigation into cases of contact dermatitis shows that, rather than being allergic to the animal, the individuals are in fact allergic to something that they have introduced into their home along with the reptile.