Reptiles and Common Parasites

Although we don’t often like to dwell on the thought, most animals are prone to parasites of one sort or another and reptiles are obviously no exception. The growth of captive breeding has helped to reduce much of the prevalence of parasites; wild-caught specimens – especially tortoises and snakes – …

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How Reptiles Reproduce

Reptilian reproduction forms one of the key turning points in evolution; when the first reptiles broke free from their amphibian ancestors’ dependence on water for breeding, their conquest of the land became complete – and ultimately allowed dinosaurs to rule the world for 120 million years. Today, modern reptiles follow …

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Understanding Thermoregulation

Leaving aside the debates about whether at least some of the dinosaurs were really warm-blooded, modern-day reptiles are certainly not, relying instead on their external environment to regulate their bodily temperature. That hardly comes as news to any reptile fan, but what we often forget is that there is more …

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The Dos and Don’ts of Diet

Few things cause so much anxiety and heartache amongst reptile keepers as a creature that staunchly refuses to eat. Getting the diet and feeding regime right depends on a lot of things, of course, and not least what kind of animal you’re dealing with, but many of the commonly encountered …

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The Top Five Destinations for Reptile Watching

Britain’s a great country, but it’s a little short on reptile watching opportunities. There aren’t many native species to begin with, and although conservation efforts are gradually turning the tide, habitat loss has taken its toll on populations over the last fifty years or so. It’s hardly surprising then, that …

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Conserving the Gharial: A Case Study

The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) has to be the most instantly recognisable crocodilian in the world – and also the most endangered, being the first one to be re-categorised as “Critical” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in 2007. With its characteristic long, thin snout, adorned in adult …

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Project Heloderma: Saving the Guatemalan Beaded Lizard

The story of Project Heloderma sounds like the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster; a young, idealistic scientist who teams up with a grizzled and cynical animal smuggler to bring a virtually unknown creature back from the edge of extinction. The difference is, this time it’s all true – and, incredibly, …

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Reintroducing Britain’s Rarest Snake: A Case Study

After an absence of more than half a century, Britain’s rarest reptile, the Smooth Snake ( Coronella austriaca) is set to return to Devon as part of a project undertaken by the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, the RSPB and the local conservation trust. These rare and secretive snakes were last …

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Common Health Problems

A sick pet is always a worry. Fortunately, modern veterinary science has a whole arsenal of products available to help ill reptiles, but as always, the sooner you can begin treatment, the greater the chances of a speedy and full recovery. That, of course, means that being aware of the …

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Five Health Threats You Might Not Know

Reptiles are susceptible to a wide range of diseases – some of them uniquely their own, while the others affect a much wider range of species. Anyone who has had anything to do with keeping reptiles can name most of the more common illnesses and ailments likely to afflict their …

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Reptile Expert