1. Exotic Animal Restraint
Course Work 107
CW Chapter 4:
Exotic Animal Restraint

2. I. Restraint of Exotic Animals
Course Work 107
I. Restraint of Exotic Animals
A. Small Mammals
1. Many can be scruffed.
a. Mice, ferrets, guinea pigs, rats.
2. Their rear ends should always be supported.
3. Larger animals should be held with
two hands.
4. Restraint techniques are similar to
cats.

3. I. Restraint of Exotic Animals
Course Work 107
I. Restraint of Exotic Animals
B. Small Lizards(leopard geckos)
1. Restrain the head with your index finger and middle finger.
2. Use your thumb, ring, and little finger to encircle the body.
3. Take care not to grab the tail. It can fall off.

4. I. Restraint of Exotic Animals
Course Work 107
I. Restraint of Exotic Animals
C. Large Lizards (Iguanas)
1. Have one hand holding the lizard under the
thorax (pinning the legs back), while the other hand is supporting the rear legs (pinning them against the tail).
2. Use your elbow to pin the tail against your body.
3. If you are hit with the tail, it can cause whelps.
4. Some lizards can be wrapped in a towel.
5. The best restraining technique for iguanas is to hold the animal in a baseball grip over the top of the pectoral and pelvic region.
6. Again, use your elbow to support the tail.

5. I. Restraint of Exotic Animals
Course Work 107
I. Restraint of Exotic Animals
D. Snakes
1. ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO
HANDLE A SNAKE!
2. To restrain a snake, get control of the head first. Grab it at the base of the head. (If you control the head,
you control the snake.)
3. Support the body as the animal is lifted off the table or
moved to another area.
4. A good rule of thumb is one person for every 3 feet of snake to restrain for procedures.

6. I. Restraint of Exotic Animals
Course Work 107
I. Restraint of Exotic Animals
5. There are Plexiglas tubes that can be used to assist with restraint.
i. Usually these are used with venomous reptiles.
ii. They allow for visualization but greatly impede
palpation.

7. I. Restraint of Exotic Animals
Course Work 107
I. Restraint of Exotic Animals
E. Turtles/Terrapins & Tortoises
1. Most turtles are fairly easy to handle, but some do bite.
2. You can also use the towel to assist in holding the head still.

8. II. Removing Exotic Animals from a Container
Course Work 107
II. Removing Exotic Animals from a Container
A. Box Turtles:
1. Fairly easy to do. Simply pick up from inside the box or tote.
2. Will usually hide in their shell (have hinged shell & are very hard to “open”).
B. Sliders, Cooters, Map Turtles etc.
1. Grasp turtle about half way down the back of the shell (can reach around & bite).
2. Can’t hide as well, no hinge.

9. II. Removing Exotic Animals from a Container
Course Work 107
II. Removing Exotic Animals from a Container
C. Snapping Turtles
1. Grab & hold by tail.
2. Support plastron on larger turtles.
3. WATCH THE MOUTH!!
4. You can use a towel to cover the head so that the turtle
cannot see, then you can grab the turtle by the back of the shell or tail.

10. II. Removing Exotic Animals from a Container
Course Work 107
II. Removing Exotic Animals from a Container
D. Lizard in a tote:
1. A towel may be useful.
2. Grab the front of lizard over the front legs & shoulders with dominate hand.
3. Grab the back legs with other hand & lift out of the tote.

11. II. Removing Exotic Animals from a Container
Course Work 107
II. Removing Exotic Animals from a Container
E. Lizard in a crate
1. Use a towel to cover the head if facing front.
2. Hold towel with non-dominate hand & slide other hand in to grasp front legs & extract the lizard from the crate.
3. Wrap in the towel as it comes out to prevent escape.

12. II. Removing Exotic Animals from a Container
Course Work 107
II. Removing Exotic Animals from a Container
F. Snakes in a tote
1. Try to visualize through container. (Make sure it’s what the owner says it is.)
2. Try to visualize the head.
3. Use the top of the tote as a distraction or shield.
4. Quickly (he who hesitates is lost) grab
the head.
5. Support the body as you lift animal
from tote.

13. II. Removing Exotic Animals from a Container
Course Work 107
II. Removing Exotic Animals from a Container
G. Snake in a pillowcase
1. BEFORE you untie, lay pillowcase on table top & watch.
2. Untie knot but hold closed. Isolate head & grab from
outside of bag.
3. Reach into the bag & grasp snake head with the other hand.
4. Uncover the rest of the snake.