Los problemas de la tortuga sulcata

Patología y medicina en reptiles. Patology and medicine of the reptils.


En pocos días hemos sido testigos de dos hallazgos radiológicos en sendas tortugas sulcatas

( Geochelone sulcata o tortuga de espolones africana ) que acudieron a la consulta de especialidad de exóticos reptiles por diversos motivos:

-La primera un macho de unos 6 kg de peso con presencia de un prolapso peneano de fácil reposición.

-La segunda, otro macho juvenil, este de 19 kg de peso, con problemas respiratorios de vías altas.

Como podemos comprobar en las imágenes radiológicas, ambas presentaban en su intestino estructuras metálicas: Una con restos de una pinza de colgar la ropa y algunos clavos y la otra dos perdigones de plomo y una pequeña estructura metálica anular, además de algunas piedras y otras estructuras de moderada radiodensidad, pudiendo causar con mucha probabilidad en los dos animales una obstrucción intestinal.

La pregunta en estos casos es qué alimentación están llevando estos reptiles y cuál es la correcta, por lo que se ha de tener en cuenta el posible desconocimiento por parte de sus propietarios de una correcta y completa alimentación, habiendo en estos casos un déficit de calcio, minerales y fibra vegetal, en animales de rápido crecimiento como estos y la posibilidad de que puedan ingerir cualquier cosa que los animales confundan en sus jardines o terrarios.

Las causas de esta -pica- o desorden que conlleva a la ingestión de cualquier cosa a su alcance puede radicar como hemos dicho en desequilibrios alimentarios como a la presencia de parásitos intestinales, meteorismo u otras alteraciones intestinales.

El tratamiento va encaminado a la corrección del problema alimentario, rediseñar el terrario, así como tratar la posible obstrucción intestinal con laxantes o incluso con cirugía.

Reptiles exóticos como mascotas: El Dragón de agua

Aquí os dejo la ficha por si hay algún interesado, con sus datos biológicos del Dragón de agua del sureste asiático…Exótico reptil que nunca se debe de confundir con la iguana común, que aunque tengan cierto parecido externo, son de hábitos, procedencia y características totalmente diferentes.

Este animal acudió a consulta con la enfermedad ósea metabólica, desnutrición, fracturas óseas…todo ello por un mal manejo en cuanto a su alimentación y cuidados por parte del propietario ( se mantenía casi como un herbívoro cuando como podeis leer es omnívoro….).

REPTILES CITES: Apéndice II
Especie: Physignatus cocincinus Nombre común: Dragón chino acuático o dragón verde.
CARACTERÍSTICAS BIOLÓGICAS:

DISTRIBUCIÓN:

Arbóreo tropical del sudeste asiático. ( Vietnam, Thailandia…)

ALIMENTACIÓN:

Omnívoro. Dieta a base de carne, insectos o pequeños vertebrados o roedores y algún vegetal tipo hoja o fruta.

Peso: Al nacimiento:  5-7 grs      Adulto: hasta los 1,2 kg
Longevidad: 10 – 15 años

Longitud: hasta 1 metro los machos y 60-80-90 cm las hembras  ( 2/3 corresponden a la cola).


DATOS ANATÓMICOS
:  Se puede confundir en aspecto con una iguana, pero son de hábitos, dieta y crecimiento diferentes.


DATOS REPRODUCTIVOS
:

–  Macho presenta poros femorales bien desarrollados
–  Madurez sexual:  Desde los 2 años o la hembra pese más de 250 grs
–  Puesta: 6-15 huevos de unos 2,5 cm.
–  Incubación:  60-75 días  a 25-31 º C    Humedad: 80-90 %
MANTENIMIENTO:
-Temperatura:   Rango de 28 a 35 ºC    Humedad: > 80%
-Terrario:  mínimo para un individuo: 1,5*0,8*1,5 m.  Recipiente grande con agua y ramas sobre ella.  Ventilación e higiene frecuente.
Pueden sufrir quemaduras por contacto con los calefactores ( hay que tener un mínimo de distancia al lugar donde reposan).  La luz es fundamental para su crecimiento correcto, bien la luz solar como la ultravioleta por lámparas especiales, más en animales jóvenes ( 10 horas en verano, 4 horas en invierno mínimo).

COMPORTAMIENTO:

Aunque pueden mostrar agresividad, suelen ser tímidos y se caracterizan por su capacidad -escapista-  además de ser ágiles y buenos saltadores y nadadores o buceadores.

PATOLOGÍAS MÁS FRECUENTES:

Osteodistrofia durante el crecimiento. Respiratórias, cutáneas ( quemaduras, abscesos)  y posibles obstrucciones digestivas.

El camaleón español

Como sabemos existen multitud de especies de camaleón exóticas que son mantenidas como animales domésticos, animales atractivos por su variedad de colores, su docilidad y sus fáciles condiciones de manejo.  Pero mucha gente no sabe que tenemos nuestro propio camaleón, autóctono de la Península Ibérica. Aquí os dejo algunos datos de él para conocerlo un poco más, el Camaleón común (Chamaeleo chamaeleo).

REPTILES
Especie: Camaleón común

CITES: Apendice II. Anexo A. Protegida con varias normativas europeas. Prohibido su cautiverio
Nombre común: Chamaeleo chamaeleo

Distribución: Presente en todas las provincias costeras, cerca de playas de Andalucía, extendiéndose a otras zonas contiguas como Levante. Especie en periodo de expansión debido y gracias al control en el uso de pesticidas contra los insectos de los que se alimentan. Se han contado hasta un número de 10-25 animales / hectárea, habitando zonas arbóreas próximas a pinares, dunas de playa, huertos y jardines y zonas de cultivo de olivos y almendros o en matorrales como el tomillo y romero.

Alimentación: Diurno. Insectívoro, sobre todo insectos que habitan en árboles, insectos voladores principalmente: moscas, saltamontes, palomillas. Activo todo el año, salvo en meses muy fríos en los que se aletarga.

Peso: hasta 120 grs macho, 60 grs hembra Longevidad: 5-8 y hasta 12 años

Longitud: Macho hasta 40 cm incluyendo la cola, que suele medir lo mismo que la longitud ventral. 20-30 cm la hembra

DATOS ANATÓMICOS: Colores variables según estado fisiológico y temperatura, pero principalmente colores grises o marrones con un moteado negro u oscuro característico y tonos verdosos en época reproductora. Ojos desarrollados.

DATOS REPRODUCTIVOS Macho con borde occipital y cabeza algo más desarrolladas, prominencia hemipenes en ventral cola. Madurez sexual: A los 5-8 meses de edad y dependiendo del tamaño. Un solo ciclo reproductor al año. Un macho se suele aparear con varias hembras sucesivamente. Celo en agosto.
Puesta: Ovípara. 5-40 huevos, dependiendo del tamaño de la hembra, 25 días post monta, en huecos de los árboles cubiertos de hojas secas o enterrados en arena Incubación: 7 a 8 meses a 25º C o hasta 12 meses a menos temperatura.
MANTENIMIENTO: Temperatura: 18-20ºC noche y 25-28-35ºC día. Humedad: 50-90%
Terrario: Aunque están muy protegidos, si alguien los tiene en cautividad, requieren rociar o nebulizar el terrario para que beban de 1 a 3 veces al día. Un tronco y ramas donde subirse. Sustrato papel o similar para recoger excrementos. Esta especie sí suele bajar al suelo. La luz solar es la ideal. Importante la iluminación ultravioleta, sobre todo en jóvenes.

COMPORTAMIENTO: Muy tímidos y huidizos. Tienen posturas de amenaza y defensa abriendo la boca y produciendo bufidos característicos. Son más gregarios en invierno y territoriales en época estival. Sus depredadores son las culebras, algunas rapaces y roedores y los gatos ¡¡.

PATOLOGÍAS MÁS FRECUENTES: Parásitos intestinales, protozoarios principalmente. Problemas cutáneos, osteopatía metabóĺica, retención de huevos, prolapsos cloacales.

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Problemas respiratorios en tortugas

Los problemas respiratorios en los reptiles en general pueden ser muy variados tanto de vías altas (rinitis, conjuntivitis, etc.) como de vías bajas ( bronquitis, neumonías, etc.) y tener un origen infeccioso o no infeccioso, pero la mayoría de las veces es por un mal manejo, sobre todo por permanecer a temperaturas demasiado bajas. Debemos recordar que las tortugas acuáticas son casi todas tropicales y su temperatura óptima ronda más de los 22ºC, no estando adaptadas a nuestras temperaturas ambientales en nuestras latitudes. El tratamiento y el pronóstico por tanto cambia de un procoso a otro. A parte de los síntomas clínicos ( ruidos respiratorios, descargas mucosas, alteración en la flotabilidad en las acuáticas ), muchas veces necesitamos la realización de radiografías para valorar la extensión del proceso.

Problemas cutáneos en mi tortuga

La aparación de manchas tanto en el caparazón (parte superior) como en el plastrón ( parte inferior ) de los quelonios o tortugas abre muchas posibilidades en cuanto a las posibles causas. Solamente con la experiencia o el manejo clínico de estos reptiles sabremos diagnosticar el problema para un correcto tratamiento. En este caso nos remiten a nuestro hospital una Trachemys scripta scripta con problemas de dermatitis ulcerativa de plastrón. Remitió correctamente con antibióticos específicos así como con un correcto manejo de la higiene del agua del terrario.

Keeping pet reptiles (Part II)

This article continues this previous article on Keeping Pet Reptiles and deals with aspects like Diet and Humidity of reptiles.

This article continues this previous article on Keeping Pet Reptiles.

Humidity: Humidity in a reptile’s enclosure is important at all times. It can influence  appetite and shedding. Each species has its own level but most are like the tropical species  and prefer a humidity level between 65-90%. To humidify your terrarium,  vivarium or reptiles’ habitat and maintaining the correct level of humidity in the reptiles’   enclosure can be achieved by some simple arrangements within the pets’ home.

For snakes or large lizards a good and effective source of humidity can be created by  using a tub or a shallow ground pond that has a large surface area. Humidity in a  terrarium or vivarium can be created by having a full container of water placed upon the  roof. This reservoir of water will be used to create a large amount of humidity for the  reptiles’ enclosure. Pierce the bottom of the container with a very small hole and direct  the water drops onto your selected area within the terrarium, vivarium and reptile  enclosures. The flow of the water droplets should not create any large wet spots on the  reptile enclosure’s floor. Position on the floor of the reptiles’ habitat, terrarium or  vivarium a suitable escape or hide container filled with any natural water-retaining  material. Allow the retaining material to evaporate dry of moisture and then add more water. This will create humidity within a small area that your pet can retreat into.

VENTILATION: Vents that allow exchange of air over time without creating a wind  tunnel are recommended. Reptiles have fairly low metabolic rates so as long as the air is   replaced over time they seem to cope quite well. Also, the doors themselves let air in so   they inadvertently become part of the ventilation system.

TERRARIUMS: Can be designed to your individual taste and be made of all sorts of  different materials such as acrylic, glass, wood, aluminum etc. (acrylics have better solar light transmittance than glass).

The decor is very important – use branches, abrasives to promote shedding, shelters, waterfalls, streams, mirrors, dolls (to prevent aggression and self-mutilation), insects or moving objects to avoid boredom. Snakes like to be in a group, iguanas like tactile contact  at night, auditory stimuli as well as hygiene and cleanliness. For your pet to adjust to its  new environment it is advisable to create their terrarium as closely to their natural  habitat as possible.

BASE: Preferred materials are newspaper, artificial grass, peat, compost, bark or gravel  and stones of a size that cannot be swallowed.

DIET/NUTRITION: Variations in temperature play a key role in the metabolism of reptiles. This is a result of their ectothermic nature and their dependency on  environmental temperatures. A reptile’s metabolic rate determines the amount of food that it requires to live and move about. It is this dependency on environmental temperatures rather than an internal metabolism that creates a problem for most owners of captive reptiles. If a captive reptile is kept at sub-optimal temperatures and fed too much it may cause anorexia due to the reptile’s lack of activity caused by the cooler temperatures and lowered metabolic rate, which cause improper digestion while being maintained on a constant diet. The same is also true for reptiles that are kept under conditions that are too warm and are  under fed. These reptiles will continue to increase in movement as their metabolic rate  increases and continue to burn energy faster than it is being supplied. Illness, reproduction and growth may also equally effect metabolism.

The frequency of feeding depends greatly on the metabolic rate, as mentioned earlier. Active species, like garter snakes, will require more frequent feedings than will less active species, like boa  constrictors. The nutritional qualities of the foods being offered will also play a role in the required frequency of feeding. For example: Garter snakes and Racers may be fed once weekly, larger Lizards like the Gila monster and the Savannah monitor should be fed once or twice a week, whereas some species of Aquatic Turtles, while they may present the  appearance of a slow metabolic rate, actually have a higher rate and require feeding on a daily basis. There are four basic food preferences among the countless species of reptiles.  A carnivorous diet consists of meats, an insectivorous diet consists of insects, a  herbivorous diet consists of plant matter and an omnivorous diet may consist of a  combination of the other three groups. While each species has its own unique dietary  requirements, its preference for specific food items is largely based on its natural  geographic location and the types of food items that are readily available in that location. These four basic diets may be broken down into two separate groups. Those, which  consist of animal proteins and those that consist of plant proteins. In general, herbivores  must have 80% of vegetable + fruit (60-80% salad vegetables and 10-15% fruit, 10% or  once a week animal protein which can be dog food and another 10% of rabbit feed  (alfalfa), plus three times a week additional vitamin supplements.

This article was published in Costa Blanca News.

Keeping pet reptiles (Part I)

64% of all Spanish households own pets. Reptiles represent a total of 4% with demand increasing steadily.

About 64% of all Spanish households own pets. Reptiles represent a total of 4% with demand increasing steadily, especially for the more exotic and rare species (there are more than 8,100 species of reptiles). This makes customers more demanding in terms of ownership, maintenance and for veterinary expertise. Vets must be increasingly aware of all aspects of keeping and maintaining the different species.

This means we not only have to know about their condition and medicine but also their  management, biology, physiology, legal requirements and regulations (CITES) and everything to do with their world which is tremendously variable. 90% of disease in  reptiles are due to mismanagement at the place of origin or by the owner.

The variety of reptile pets assisted in our clinic is:
Turtle: 50% (40% land and 10% freshwater)
Lizards: 40% (30% Iguanas, Chameleons 3%, 7% other Lizards (Dragons, Geckos ….)
Snakes: 10% snakes (especially Pythons and Boas)
Crocodiles: 0.1%

In this article we will try and introduce the world of reptiles to you, albeit in a very concise and practical manner with emphasis on the most popular species.

HERPETOLOGY: the study of reptiles.
The Greek HERPETON: Reptile meaning: animal that creeps or crawls.
The fundamental characteristic of reptiles is that the animals have a body temperature
which is variable and dependent on external heat sources (wrongly called ‘cold-blooded’).
Before citing the most common species, it is important to briefly stress upon the most important points before purchasing and owning a reptile… which is how to have and design the best terrarium for them so to avoid as many pathologies as possible.

Faced with a huge choice, the decision factors besides the price should be knowledge about their requirements with regards to temperature and living space, what adult size  they reach and their temperament. Look out for: how the animal presents itself at the  time of acquisition: their colouring is very important if they are ill… the colour is off, the  eyes should be bright and clean, not watery, closed or sunk.

Ask if the animal has eaten before you buy, check the tail and legs to see if there are any obvious signs of mineral deficiencies. As with any pet you need to decide before  purchasing what you are looking for and what fits in with your live style. For example you  buy a very nice and small iguana one day which as a fully grown adult will be up to  two feet long and weigh eight kilos and has a life expectancy of some 30 plus years. There  are some turtles that bite, some that are very dirty and require water filters and a lengthier cleaning regime, as well as a whole host of different situations that one must be aware of in advance, as each species has unique needs and very different characteristics. Mismanagement of one or more of the following factors will determine if a reptile is best  suited or not.

TEMPERATURE: is the main factor to control because all of the animal’s vital functions  are dependant on it, such as immunity, wound healing, drug response, motor activity, neurological, reproductive, feeding, grasping capacity, digestion and enzyme activity (for example at 28° C it will take a snake five days to digest a rabbit and at 18º C 15 days. Reptiles have no temperature control so if kept too cold all functions such as digestion and nutrient absorption will slow down causing deficiencies or digestive fermentations and also predispose to immunosuppression, increasing susceptibility to infections and diseases of all types.

There should be hot and cold zones within the terrarium thus allowing the animal to choose and achieve its optimal body temperature (TCO). It is important to avoid  hypothermia and heat stroke as they are very sensitive to the slightest increase of the  critical points (max. temp/ min. temp), especially the tropical or non native. Each species  has its own TCO which we need to be aware of and know how to adjust, we must also  know which species hibernates or not. TCO (optimal body temperature) is normally  between 26-29º C and TOP (optimal preferred zone) between 22 to 32º C depending on  the species. Nightime temperatures are usually less, ranging between 20-24º C. All of the  guidelines  are dependant on the nutritional and health status of the animal, sick animals often require an increase over baseline. There are various heaters available such as stone heaters, special spot lamps, heated blankets etc. which always need to be at a  distance to the animal or covered to avoid burning. Additional thermostats are also useful  for extra safety. Bulbs (incandescent lamps between 25-60W for a volume of 30 litres)  are placed at the top mostly for heating the area of branches (for tree species), in general  the heaters should only cover half or a max. of threequarters of the total area, allowing  space for cold spots. It is not advisable that the temperature is uniform and it’s best to  control each area with a separate thermometer. Blankets are good for quarantine, but not  for aquaterrariums. Keeping your home at a constant temperature of 22-25ºC is also helpful.

LIGHT: influences appetite, synthesis of vitamin D3 and calcium absorption, particularly in lizards and UVA rays (320-400nm) influence the behavior and psyche. Minimum photoperiod from nine hours daily, except for nocturnal species. In summertime 12-14 hours in light and 10-12 in darkness is advisable whereas in winter the light hours should  shorten to eigh-nine hours.

Recommended lights are neon or fluorescent lamps or better still direct sunlight, however the conventional fluorescent bulb is not sufficient and UVB lamps, the most similar to the  sun are expensive and must be renewed every 9-12 months to ensure their effectiveness.

This article was published in Costa Blanca News.

The benefits of owning a pet

Classically it has been said that having a dog or cat for company, offering their loyalty, love and trust to the family, improves your lifestyle. But now this concept of companion pets goes further. There is evidence to suggest that pets are a fundamental support for people living alone
or for single parents; a situation that is becoming more common. In some cases, the social support offered by an animal is greater than the support another human could offer. Several studies recommend pets for children and adults  with psychological problems, elderly people and many other groups of people. Stroking the  coats of cats and dogs has relaxing effects on humans. Pet ownership can teach us responsibility as we must provide the animals with veterinary care, food, walks and satisfy their physiological needs,  etc. A dog, for example, improves our sociability as we need to leave the house to take him for walks, which in turn tears us away from the TV, computer or work, encouraging us to make friends with other dog owners.  Our pets also invite us to play; both children and adults alike, bringing smiles to our faces and encouraging laughter – which in turn keeps us feeling  young.  Rare is the psychologist who fails to give this advice to his patient… «Buy your child a dog, a cat, a bird or an aquarium.» There are numerous foundations  with the slogan «pets benefit your health.» Scientific research testifies to this ‘pet ower’ and budgies, gerbils, rabbits, cats, dogs and fish all have their part to play. Contact with animals can
bring real physiological and psychological benefits: reducing stress, helping to prevent illness and allergies, lowering blood pressure and aiding recovery. In short, it is highly recommended to have a pet. You must however always try to find one that best suits your lifestyle.
Before bringing a pet into your life ask yourself the following questions:
■ Why do you want a pet?
■ Do you have time for a pet?
■ Can you afford a pet?
■ Are you prepared to deal with any special problems the animal may cause?
■ Can you have a pet where you live?
■ Is it the right time for you to get a pet?
■ Are your living arrangements suited to the animal you have in mind?
■ Who will care for your animal if you have to be away or die?
■ Are you able and prepared to care for and keep the animal for the rest of his life?

No one wants to see an animal end up in a shelter or abandoned, or being abused and neglected. So before anyone rushes off to get a pet, all
the above questions should be answered as truthfully as possible. The next step is to carefully choose the type of pet most suited to the individual, and match up the right animal to the right owner. People wanting more security in their home has played a huge part in the popularity of guard dogs. And although very effective for this purpose, the downside of this trend has been the increase of pit-bulls or
rottweilers taught to frighten people. It is now fashionable to have ‘aggressive dogs’. Bites from dogs whose owners have not obtained a ‘guard dog  licence’ are becoming frequent.  It is also not uncommon is to find a neighbour who hates dogs and complains they leave
fur in communal areas, bark at night or that the elevator smells of dog. These people are precisely those who could most benefit from owning a pet! The benefits of pet ownership to society are far greater  than the problems it may cause – as this society is degenerating due to major stress which is often curable with owning a pet. So you know, own a pet and see society change!

This article was published in Costa Blanca News.

Keeping pet reptiles (part III)

There are about 7000 reptile species in the world which are divided into the following categories:Cocodrilya, Rhynchocephalia, Chelonia and Squamata

There are about 7000 reptile species in the world which are divided into the following categories:

  • Cocodrilya.
  • Rhynchocephalia.
  • Chelonia (turtles)
  • Squamata (lizards, snakes and Amfisbenidos).

Cocodrilya: covers 28 species in that family that includes 4 sub-families: alligator, crocodile, gharial, alligator. As the Caiman crocodile or little Cayman from South America only grows up to 2 meters it is the most popular species to keep as a pet. In general they are easy to breed but require huge terrariums and extreme handling. In captivity they usually feed every 3-7 days. They are very resistant to disease but if kept in  overcrowded conditions and mismanaged they may show signs of septicemia,  mycoplasmosis, chlamydia, fungal, virus and severe coccidiosis.

Rhynchocephalia: Therhynchocephalia also known as «beak headed» reptiles were once more common throughout the globe. Now though there is only one surviving family,  the sphenodontidae. And of it, only one surviving genus: Sphenodon. The Tuatara (spiny  back). Tuataras only live on the islands of New Zealand. Sphenodon punctatus has a gray   or olive color and is spotted to varying degrees over the body. They have large heads  compared to their bodies and can grow to a total of 60 centimeters.

Chelonia: Chelonia or Turtle (for all marine and inland aquatic and semiaquatic) and  Tortoise (for land). There are 2 suborders with about 300 species divided between 13 families.

Cryptodira: S vertical retractable neck. (10 families)
Pleurodira: neck retracts horizontally or snake-like. (3 families)

In general these are the most common types seen in the clinic, not including endangered sea turtles.

Land Turtles: All in the Testudinidae family: One difference to water turtles is that the skin is thicker, elephant-like. The most frequent visitors to the clinic are the genus  Testudo, or Testudo graeca (or tortoise) and Testudo hermanni (or Mediterranean  Tortoise) They are very similar and only differ by the presence of bone spurs at the back  of the leg and the flow scale which is unique (double in Hermanni). The caudal fins are  wider and the Mediterranean has hard scales at the end of the tail. The T.mora is not from Greece but North Africa, Western Asia and Southern Spain (more numerous in Almeria, Murcia and Doñana), with several subspecies.

The T. Mediterranean is spread throughout the Balkans, Italy, northeastern Spain and  the Balearics. They are easy to raise and maintain in simple terrariums but massive  exploitation has resulted in their protection by the CITES convention. They are  herbivorous, the only European phytophagous and will quite happily accept a good steak. They require a temperature of between 20-27 º C (although they can accept from 15 to  33 º C) and 30-50% humidity. They also need a sunny terrarium with shelters and should be left to hibernate from October to April. Sexual maturity is between 8-10years  of age in males and 10-14 years in the females. The age can be determined by the weight/ size index (Jackson) or roughly by counting the growth rings of the shell. They grow to 30  cm and live between 50-80 years. Illnesses: sensitive to rhinitisand respiratory infections, so give special attention to the lower temperature range. 38% of turtles in  general can carry Salmonella as a potential source of zoonoses.

Semi-aquatic Turtles:  The Emydidae family is the most common and includes freshwater turtles of the genera Trachemys, Mauremys, Emys, Terrapene (or box turtle), amongst others Graptemys, Chrysemys, Dermatemys The freshwater turtles  include the Trachemys, Trachemys scripta elegans (or redeared) and Trachemys scripta scripta (or yellow plastron) and Trachemys scripta troosti as well as another 14 subspecies and they originate from the Southeast USA. Their ideal habitat is near lakes,  rivers and thick vegetation zones. They require a temperature of betywen 22 to 32C and   60-80-90% humidity. And hibernate below 20 degrees and preferably in the water. They weigh 5grs at birth and grow to 20-30 cm, (10-23 male, 17-28 female), Adult weight is 1kg in males, 1.5kg in females. They darken with age and live to be 30-45 years.

Living requirements: Aquaterrarium resembling a pond or lake at least five times the  length of the tortoise and the depth greater than the width, in proportion threequarters water (50-70cm deep) plus one quarter earth (sand, ornaments.) separated by a ramp to climb, as well as a water filter, thermometers and pond plants. They are true omnivorous scavengers with a high requirement for additional vitamins and minerals. In captivity they can be given meat, fish, lettuce, apple slices and spinach. They need to eat one-fifth of their body weight daily and it is advisable to avoid excess prawns. Compared to other turtles they have a short digestive transit (1-2 days if the temperature is optimum). Sexual maturity is between 3-5 years (when they are about 16-19 cm) and they breed  from May to July and lay eggs from the age of 5. Females lay between 4-6 eggs that are buried in the sand and hatch after 8-12 weeks. Ilnesses: hypovitaminosis A, otic abscess, ulcerative skin disease.

Terrapins or Boxturtles: Terrapins are cold-blooded reptiles with a tough skin, they breathe through their lungs. Out of 350 turtle species throughout the world, only one  species of terrapin exists, which is further divided into 7 subspecies. Terrapins stay mostly in water and generally come out on land only to lay eggs and bask under the sun. The adult females lay eggs annually between April and July. During winter, they go into hibernation, and are active only when the weather is warm. These are the kind that are normally keeps as pets. The box turtle is the most common of all pet terrapins. They are very small (about six inches long) and thus easy to handle as pets. The male terrapins have longer tails than the female ones. They are omnivores and generally live close to the
places where they were born. They like to be out in the early morning and late afternoon
and they hibernate in winters.

Living requirements: ‘Terrapinarium’, a transparent water container made of glass. It should be roomy and the size should be bigger than a normal fish aquarium as terrapins grow at a high speed. An aquarium heater with thermostat to maintain the temperature at between 23.8 to 26.6°C is required. They often come out of water to get themselves  dried or to sunbathe, hence an easy to climb and elevated dry place (island) of flat stone  or rock should be provided. They can remain without water for sometime in the moderate sunlight or in the shade but not directly in hot sun. They are omnivorous, and so eat meat  that includes fish, crayfish, earthworms, turkey, and chicken. Also, they eat a lot of  vegetables and fruits. Illnesses: Terrapin health is largely related to its surroundings and feed. With incorrect keeping they may suffer from: sores of the oral-cavity, ear infections and severe respiratory infections. Blindness is another common ailment caused  by the lack of vitamin D, which they absorb from the sunlight.

This article was published in Costa Blanca News.

Reptils as pets: Snakes


By Jose V Griñan

Owning a snake as a pet obviously depends on the species (venomous or non-venomous), the size to which the reptile is expected to grow and the repercussions in terms of its feeding and maintenance.

It must be remembered that snakes are carnivorous and the bigger they get the harder they are to handle especially if you have other pets or small children in the home.

Apart from a few people who have a special interest in venomous snakes, the majority of pet snakes are pythons or non-venomous small snakes.

When it comes to pythons these can be broken down into types such as the Royal Python, the most docile, smallest and easiest to handle up to the largest piones molurus and the python reticulates which can grow to sizes in excess of five metres-long.

The last two groups vary in their level of aggressiveness and in the way they can be handled. These larger snakes are not always docile and they do have a painful bite and the power to constrict which they trend to do when they are handled.

Carnivorous reptiles, as their name indicates, have high protein diets. Their feed should live so that they maintain their hunting instincts. They can also be taught to eat meat that has been previously frozen.

The needs of each snake depend entirely on its size and feeding a 25 kilogramme python is far removed from feeding a 15 gram turtle.

Each snake has different requirements so varying the diet between live feed, tinned meat, dried food, pieces of liver, meat, fish and eggs is necessary.

Do not forget that the best food is the type they would find in their natural habitat such as all types of insects (worms and beetles) as well as seafood such as prawns.