Keeping reptiles and amphibians as pets: challenges and rewards

Burghardt, Gordon M.

doi:10.1136/vr.j4912

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Regarding species groups, mammals followed by reptiles were the biggest groups received during the study period at the UNAM-EPWTH. This matches with previous reports made by Jenkins, (16) and by Burghardt, (17) where the demand for some species of reptiles and exotic mammals has been increasing in the United States since the 1980s. They proposed these species were compatible with the modern lifestyle and the desire to keep a companion animal.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…In this study, three more species were considered due to the number of consultations, however, the 5 mentioned for Hernández above continue to be among the most frequent. The number of rabbits received as patients has increased in percentage and total numbers over time, probably because it meets all the characteristics previously described by Jenkins, (16) and Burghardt, (17) in addition to being an animal that is considered adorable, with a considerably low cost, it makes sense that it is quite popular.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

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Identity and frequency of non-traditional companion animals presented at a university teaching hospital: a retrospective study (2009–2019)

Ángeles-Torres

Ducoing-Watty²,

Silva-Castillo³

et al. 2023

Vet Mex OA

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This study describes the diversity of the species received for medical evaluation at the Exotic Pet and Wildlife Teaching Hospital in Mexico; identifying the most common non-traditional companion animals owned, the frequency of the species received along the years, and which of those correspond to native Mexican wildlife. This retrospective descriptive study comprised 8 619 patient records from 2009 to 2019. During the period analyzed, 129 species were identified, 60 of these being native Mexican wildlife. Most of the patients received were mammals (56.36 %) followed by reptiles (38.73 %), and 4.91 % remaining were composed by birds, amphibian, fish and invertebrate species. Eight species contributed to the highest percentage of the records (79.88 %), being the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) the most common (18.71 %). The number of annual records varied through the period with a trend for increased demand recently. It was possible to identify changes in the frequency of visits of different species over the study period, which allowed us to determine that the preference for the maintenance of some species in captivity has decreased. Commonly received species identification allows veterinary medicine students to specialize and develop the required species-specific medical competencies.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Identity and frequency of non-traditional companion animals presented at a university teaching hospital: a retrospective study (2009–2019)

Ángeles-Torres

Ducoing-Watty²,

Silva-Castillo³

et al. 2023

Vet Mex OA

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“…Keeping reptiles as pets has become increasingly popular [ 1 , 2 ]. Still, knowledge on the optimum husbandry, including nutrition, for many reptilian species is limited and often based on experience.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical composition of snakes

et al. 2022

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The present study was carried out to provide insight into the body composition of snakes, which is an important basis for determination of nutrient requirement and physiological processes. Carcasses of 86 captive snakes (31 pythons, 32 colubrids and 23 boas) were available for analysis. Skins and vertebrae bones of 11 snakes and livers of 64 snakes were analysed separately from the carcasses. Crude nutrients, major minerals and trace elements were investigated. The content of crude nutrients of the whole body was similar to those of mammals and birds. Relatively high contents of copper, zinc and especially of iron (up to 23,973 mg/kg dry matter) were found in the body, particularly in the liver. There was an increase of the iron content of the whole body over age.

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“…Their popularity has been attributed in part to their docile nature, long lifespans and small size, deemed by some as suitable for terrariums [12,13]. Consequently, Ball pythons are often referred to as great 'beginner' exotic pet snakes that are relatively easy to care for in captivity [14,15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blind Trading: A Literature Review of Research Addressing the Welfare of Ball Pythons in the Exotic Pet Trade

Green¹,

Coulthard

Megson

et al. 2020

Animals

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Extensive numbers of Ball pythons are caught, bred, traded and subsequently kept in captivity across the world as part of the exotic pet industry. Despite their widespread availability as pets, relatively little is known about the potential welfare challenges affecting them. We reviewed the literature for research focused on the health and welfare of Ball pythons in the international pet trade. From a total of 88 articles returned from the search criteria, our analysis showed that very few actually focused on trade (10%) or animal welfare (17%). Instead, the majority (64%) of articles focused on veterinary science. There was a considerable bias towards physical health, with most studies neglecting the four other domains of animal welfare (behaviour, nutrition, environment and mental health). Furthermore, very few studies considered Ball pythons prior to resulting pet ownership, during wild capture and transportation or captive breeding operations. Our review demonstrates that our current understanding of welfare for Ball pythons traded as exotic pets is limited. We recommend that future research should focus on aspects of the industry that are currently overlooked, including the potential consequences of genetic selection during captive-breeding and the conditions provided for snakes prior to and during international transportation.

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Keeping reptiles and amphibians as pets: challenges and rewards

Cited by 14 publications

References 7 publications

Identity and frequency of non-traditional companion animals presented at a university teaching hospital: a retrospective study (2009–2019)

Identity and frequency of non-traditional companion animals presented at a university teaching hospital: a retrospective study (2009–2019)

Chemical composition of snakes

Blind Trading: A Literature Review of Research Addressing the Welfare of Ball Pythons in the Exotic Pet Trade

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