Health and Welfare of Captive Reptiles

This extensively revised and expanded new edition offers concepts, principles and applied information that relates to the wellbeing of reptiles. As a manual on health and welfare in a similar vein to volumes addressing the sciences of anatomy, behaviour or psychology, this book thoroughly examines the biology of reptile welfare and is about meeting biological needs. The editors, acknowledged experts in their own right, have once again drawn together an extremely impressive international group of contributors. Positive and negative implications of general husbandry and research programs are discussed. In addition to greatly revised original content are nine new chapters offering readers novel insight into: . sensory systems. social behaviour . brain and cognition . controlled deprivation and enrichment .effects of captivity-imposed noise and light disturbance on welfare. spatial and thermal factors. evidential thresholds for species suitability in captivity. record keeping as an aid to captive care . arbitrary husbandry practices and misconceptions The authors have adopted a user-friendly writing style to accommodate a broad readership. Although primarily aimed at academic professionals, this comprehensive volume is fundamentally a biology book that will also inform all involved in captive reptile husbandry. Among others, zoo personnel, herpetologists, veterinarians, lab animal scientists, and expert readers in animal welfare and behavioural studies will benefit from this updated work.

Autorentext

Clifford Warwick is an independent human medical scientist and reptile biologist. He holds several advanced professional qualifications specializing in reptile science, as well as a PhD in reptile welfare biology. He has produced approximately 150 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and books, mostly concerning the biology and welfare of reptiles, with a focus on anthropogenic impacts.

Phillip C. Arena is an awarded educator and functional morphologist specialising in reptile biology, health and welfare. He has published material on the anaesthesia, anatomy and physiology of reptiles and contributed to key investigations on the impact of farming and recreational practices on the lives of reptiles, including rattlesnakes, marine turtles and crocodiles.

Gordon M. Burghardt is Alumni Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee. He has published widely on reptile behaviour, behavioural development and evolution, captive animal issues, animal play and conceptual and historical aspects of animal ethology and comparative psychology.

Inhalt

Section 1 Introduction(1) Clifford Warwick, Phillip C Arena and Gordon M Burghardt Section 2 Environment (thermal/temperature, spatial issues, habitat, enrichment etc)(2) Controlled deprivation and enrichment (Robert Mendyk, Laura Augustine) (3) Ethologically informed design (Neil B Greenberg) (4) Effects of captivity-imposed noise and light disturbance on welfare (Karen Mancera, Clive Phillips) (5) Diurnal, nocturnal, crepuscular, and circadian considerations (Phillip C Arena, Clifford Warwick, et al.) (6) Spatial and thermal considerations (Phillip C Arena, Clifford Warwick, et al.) Section 3 Physiology and anatomy (metabolism, nutrition, stress, immunity, form, structure, function, live feeding in etc) (7) Physiology and functional anatomy (Harvey B Lillywhite) (8) The Brain and cognition (Enrique Font, Gordon M Burghardt, Manuel Leal) (9) Sensory systems of reptiles (Jenna Crowe-Riddell, Harvey B Lillywhite) (10) Nutrition (Michael Maslanka, Fredric Frye and Lauren Augustine) (11) Biology of stress (Neil Greenberg, Eric Gangloff) Section 4 Behaviour & psychology (normal and abnormal behaviours, states etc)(12) Normal behaviour (James C Gillingham) (13) Sociality (Sean Doody) (14) Individual personality & temperament (Gordon M Burghardt) (15) Psychological and behavioural principles and problems (Clifford Warwick) Section 5 Husbandry, management and miscellaneous(biology, handling, restraint, veterinary/clinical, genetics, record-keeping, etc anything majorly relevant)(16) Historical and current approaches to husbandry; the good, the bad, and the indifferent (Jesus A Rivas, Gordon M Burghardt) (17) Effects of ontogenetic processes and rearing conditions (Gordon M Burghardt, et al.) (18) Evidential thresholds for species suitability in captivity (Mike Jessop (vet), Anthony Pilny (exotics vet), Clifford Warwick and Martin Whitehead (exotics vet)) (19) Veterinary perspectives and techniques in husbandry and research (David L Williams) (20) Naturalistic versus clinical environments in husbandry and research (Clifford Warwick, Catrina Steedman) (21) Record keeping as an aid to captive care (Robert Mendyk, Matt Evans, Judith Block) (22) General and professional ethical considerations (Clifford Warwick) (23) Miscellaneous factors for health and welfare (Phillip C Arena and Clifford Warwick) Section 6 Summary and conclusion(24) Summary of fundamental principles for health, welfare and husbandry (Clifford Warwick, Phillip C Arena and Gordon M Burghardt)