Reptiles

Reptile Classification  Lizards and Snakes  Crocodiles and Alligators  Turtles and tortoises  hoosing-a-reptile.shtml hoosing-a-reptile.shtml hoosing-a-reptile.shtml

Characteristics  Dry scaly skin  Cold-blooded - Ecothermic  Most lay eggs  Lungs to get oxygen from the air

Housing Terrestrial habitats for reptiles that live on land  Semi aquatic habitats for reptiles that live on land but spend part of their time in water  Aquatic habitats for reptiles that live primarily in the water  Arboreal habitats for reptiles that live in trees  pets.petsmart.com/guides/reptiles/terrarium-set-up.shtml

Equipment  Tank large enough for adult size  Basking area, cooling area (heat one area so reptiles body temp reaches optimum level and then they need to move to cooler area)  Rocks, plants, branches  Heat lamp / heat rock  Thermometer  UV light – to absorb UV rays that are needed in calcium metabolism and vitamin D synthesis.

Feeding  Turtles  Aquatic turtles – carnivore/omnivore – turtle food/feeder fish/meat  Land tortoise – herbivore – grasses and plants – lettuce spinach, fruit  Snakes – carnivores, insects – small animals  Lizards – insects – lettuce, fruit and vegetables

Handling  a. Turtles/Tortoises – both hands (fingers on plastron and thumbs on top shell) picking up shell behind front legs  b. Snakes – behind the head, support the body, never put your hand in front of snakes face when going to pick up  c. Lizards  1. Small – thumb and forefinger behind head, rest of hand around body  2. Large – Same as small, use other hand to support body  3. Large Iguanas – one hand to grasp around neck and other hand to support the mid and rear section of the animal. The tail can be held close to the body with the arm and elbow.

Diseases  Salmonella - bacteria that may appear normally in the digestive tract of a reptile. Can be transmitted to humans  Mouth rot – fungal infection associated with open wounds or sores in the mouth  Shedding- snakes usually shed in one piece, lizards in patches. A reptile that does not shed properly may have a problem  Parasites –  external – mites and ticks  internal – roundworms and tapeworms  Vitamin deficiencies

Reproduction  Turtles –  lay eggs  Male – tail thicker and longer then female, cloacal opening is further down the tail on the male  Snakes –  Most lay eggs, some give birth to live young  Females have shorter tails, Males have bigger spurs  Lizards and Iguanas  Most lay eggs  Females have thinner tail base, males may have femoral pores on inside of thighs

Name: _____________________ 1.List the 3 groups of reptiles: _________ ___________________________________ 2.What is Ecothermic -__________________ ___________________________________ 3.How do you create a temperature gradient? __________________________________ 4.Why do reptiles need a UV light? _______ _____________________________________ 5. Name a disease that can be transmitted to humans by reptiles. ____________________