Herp Housing &
Handling
Herpetoculture
Pensacola Jr College
Housing Herps
Background
Information
w Where in the wild does the
species live?
w When it is active?
w What are its habits and
lifestyle?
w What are the legal
maintenance requirements?
Use background knowledge
to determine:
w Enclosure size, shape, and
materials
w Enclosure habitat setup
w Whether to include multiple
individuals or mixed-species in enclosure
Enclosure
Materials
w No wire cages for herps,
why?
Thermal needs
Injuries from rubbing,
climbing, etc
w Solid tanks for aquatics and
semi-aquatics
w Glass, plexiglass, yards,
etc
Enclosure Size
Guidelines:
w Snakes:
LxW = ½ x ½ body lengths
H = full length up to 8 feet
if arboreal
w Lizards:
LxW = 3 x 1 body lengths
H = 2 x length if arboreal
Enclosure Size Guidelines:
w Turtles:
LxW = 5 x 3 body lengths
H = 2 x length to prevent
escapes (plus one foot above water for aquatic enclosures)
Habitat Setups
w
Quarantine enclosures
w
Terrestrial enclosures
w
Scansorial enclosures
w Fossorial enclosures
w Arboreal enclosures
w Semiaquatic enclosures
w Aquatic enclosures
Quarantine
enclosures
w For new specimens
w Artificial habitats with
maximum simplicity, not natural materials (why??)
w Meet needs for lighting,
security, thermoregulation, humidity, etc.
Quarantine
Terrestrial
enclosures
w For some toads and
salamanders, tortoises, many lizards and snakes
w Simple but with variety
w Irregularities (caves,
rocks, shelves) provide different microclimates to allow for thermoregulation
Terrestrial
Scansorial
enclosures
w For lizards living in rocky
crevices
w Need rocks with caves and
crevices, cement together with non-toxic silicone
w Anchor to prevent toppling
w Heat/light elements high
enough to prevent burning
Scansorial
Fossorial
enclosures
w For burrowers some snakes,
lizards, turtles, amphisbaenians, caecilians
w Need several inches of
burrowable substrate over a drainage layer
Fossorial
Arboreal
enclosures
w For tree-dwellers some
lizards, snakes, and frogs
w Sturdy branches or shelves
securely fastened
w Shielded lighting and
heating elements
Arboreal
Semiaquatic
enclosures
w For some frogs, snakes,
turtles, and crocs
w Consider dimensions of
aquatic and dry land regions based on biology of species
w Secured heating and lighting
elements (so they wont fall into water)
Semiaquatic
Aquatic enclosures
w For some frogs, newts,
turtles, snakes, and gharials
w Large bodies of water
w Filtration
w Haul out areas if needed
w Strong waterproof enclosure
w Secured heating / lighting
Aquatic
Putting herps
together?
w Natural temperment of
species
w Individual personalities
w Space requirements
w Do species share habitats in
nature?
w Potential predator-prey
relationships
Mixed Species
Exhibit
Herp Handling
Principals of
Handling
w Body support:
Front and rear support
Some turtles by rear of
shell
Small snakes with snakehook
w No tail handling in species
with caudal autotomy
w Control of head in species
with biting potential
w Venomous snakes: review