A persistent abnormal repetitive behaviour in a false water cobra (Hydrodynastes gigas)

Abstract

Stereotypies (a subset of Abnormal Repetitive Behaviour [ARB]) are characterised by an unchanging pattern of behaviour and in captive animals can be associated with poor welfare. Although well known in certain taxa, little is known about both welfare and ARBs in reptiles, especially snakes. We document an instance of an ARB in a captive snake species (Hydrodynastes gigas), set it in the context of husbandry in zoos, and assess efforts to reduce it. The stereotypy consisted of a fixed pattern of movement against the enclosures viewing window. Ethographic data were used to focally sample the animals behaviour over several months in the context of different enrichment interventions. Modified Spread of Participation Indices (mSPIs) were also calculated to quantify the evenness of enclosure use. The snake spent considerable portions of time (47 of observations) performing a behaviour that fulfils the criteria for stereotypy. mSPI data suggested a possible welfare impact of the behaviour on the snake. Zoos holding this species globally were surveyed about observations of similar behaviour and one other institution reported similar behaviour. Standard husbandry practice (A) was used alternately in an ABAC format with prey scent trails (B) and modified feeding schedules (C), representing enrichment types based on species natural history. Neither stereotyping frequency nor mSPI was found to be significantly affected by any of the enrichments. Our results, interpretation of which is limited by the paucity of data on snakes, uncover stereotypies in snakes and suggest that, as with other taxa, ARBs may be resistant to strategies employed to reduce them.

Effects of different heat and light sources on the behaviour of captive reptiles

“…Therefore, given that we do not understand the drivers behind the pattern of behavioural changes observed, it is difficult, too, to interpret the change in mSPI seen in the lizard. Although usually used to imply better welfare (Michaels et al, 2020), in this case mSPI changes were likely driven by the same forces that drove increased locomotion and should probably not be used to infer better welfare.…”

The Effect of Visitors on Zoo Reptile Behaviour during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Data were analysed using randomisation, which is suited to studies with small sample sizes, in order to avoid pseudo-replication [44,45]. A randomisation test with 10,000 iterations of simulated cases assigned randomly to open or closed categories in proportions reflecting the real dataset and using the residual of the baseline and treatment means as the test statistic was used to analyse the visibility scores, performed in Microsoft Excel ® for Windows 365 ® (following References [44][45][46]).…”

Utilization of Natural History Information in Evidence based Herpetoculture: A Proposed Protocol and Case Study with Hydrodynastes gigas (False Water Cobra)

“…This being said, when allowed to roam most animals were in perpetual motion for the duration of their room access, which mirrors several sources [26,27] observation that H. gigas are active snakes. Roaming grants snakes the opportunity to burn calories, and engages them mentally, and was used to extinguish a sterotypie that other H. gigas keepers had difficulty extinguishing [45]. The decision to allow animals this activity was derived entirely from the observations of biologists in the field [31], and is the tie in back to natural history information.…”