Chelonians

Question 1

What animals classify as chelonians?

Answer 1

• Turtles
• Tortoises
• Terrapins

Question 2

What habitat does a tortoise live in?

Answer 2

Terrestrial - on land

Question 3

What habitat does a turtle live in?

Answer 3

Aquatic - may spend some time basking/laying eggs

Question 4

What type of habitat does terrapins live in?

Answer 4

Aquatic and terrestrial

Question 5

Combined surface of all turtles carapace should not exceed __% of floor space.

Answer 5

25%

Question 6

How deep should the water be in a turtle enclosure?

Answer 6

As deep as the width of the shell so the turtle can get upright if it flips over

Question 7

Define ectotherm

Answer 7

Body temperature changes in response to environmental temperatures

Question 8

How do turtles regulate their body temp?

Answer 8

By basking in heat when needed

Question 9

What does POTZ stand for?

Answer 9

Preferred
Optimal
Temp.
Zone

Question 10

What is the POTZ for a turtle?

Answer 10

75-82ºF

Question 11

The basking area or hot spot in a turtle enclosure should be __

Answer 11

90-100ºF

Question 12

How do you know how many inches the light should be placed above the basking area?

Answer 12

Read the manufactures instructions - varies for different products (good rule of thumb: 12-18 inches)

Question 13

If possible turtles should get ___min of sun __x a week.

Answer 13

20min, 3x

Question 14

The diet for a turtle is ____

Answer 14

Mostly omnivores
They can eat: fish, earthworms, chopped skinned mice, dark green leafy veggies
Commercial diets recommended - more balanced

Question 15

The POTZ for a tortoise is ____ if they’re being kept outdoors.

Answer 15

65-75ºF or above

Question 17

The POTZ for a tortoise being kept indoors is between ____ºF

Answer 17

75-90ºF

Question 18

List some acceptable substrates for tortoises

Answer 18

Cypress mulch, large conifer bark nuggets, alfalfa pellets, newspaper, indoor/outdoor carpet

Question 19

List the UNACCEPTABLE substrate types

Answer 19

Sand, fine gravel, cat litter, crushed corn cob, walnut shells, pine and cedar shavings

Question 20

What is another name for Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism?

Answer 20

Metabolic Bone Disease

Question 21

What is Metabolic Bone Disease?

Answer 21

• Abnormality in calcium metabolism
• Deformed shells and abnormal scute growth

Question 22

Understand how Calcium Regulation works

Question 23

How to treat a chelonian with vitamin A deficiency

Answer 23

Plan A: correct the diet
Plan B: vitamin A injections

Question 24

What will a chelonian will vitamin A deficiency look like?

Answer 24

Conjunctivitis (Pink eye), Blepharitis (swollen eyelid), nasal discharge, dyspnea, ear abscesses

Question 25

What are some signs that a chelonian might have vitamin A toxicity?

Answer 25

Dry flakey skin, sloughing of the skin, secondary bacterial infection

Question 26

Describe the difference between wet and dry shell rot

Answer 26

Wet form: hemorrhagic discharge between the scutes Dry form: more of a dry appearance

Question 27

What is shell rot also known as?

Answer 27

SCUD: Septicemic cutaneous ulcerative disease

Question 28

How would you treat shell rot?

Answer 28

Fix husbandry/sanitation issues Treat topically with betadine soak Sunlight also helps a lot

Question 29

What are some important things to remember when it comes to traumatic injuries?

Answer 29

- very commonly seen in practice - clean and debride - don’t rush in too soon to repair if possible - use antibiotics and wound care to treat the infection before closing over with epoxy - will take time to heal but don’t give up

Question 30

Overgrown beaks

Question 31

Respiratory diseases

Question 32

What can cause gout?

Answer 32

Diets too high in protein, kidney disease, dehydration

Question 33

What is gout?

Answer 33

Deposition of uric acid crystals in the visceral organs or the joints

Question 34

How do you diagnose gout?

Answer 34

Radiographs and cytology

Question 35

What does dystocia mean?

Answer 35

Difficulty giving birth

Question 36

What are some signs of dystocia?

Answer 36

Anorexia, lethargy, straining, sometimes bloody discharge from the cloaca