Lizard and Snake Day to Day Practice

Day to day practice

Upon the entry into the quarantine area the keeping of records for individual animals should begin. Identification is extremely important for this to be successful.

Hygiene

Hygiene is probably the most important part of a preventive medicine program and includes attention to food and water, personnel and the environment. A food preparation area (especially one for humans!) should never be used cage cleaning. Maintaining personal hygiene will also help reduce the likelihood of a zoonosis. Sterilisation of the environment is not possible but the frequent use of disinfectants is extremely important in addition to the vigorous removal of faeces and other debris.

Vector control

Preventive medicine includes elimination of mechanical and biological vectors. For instance the snake mite has been incriminated in the spread of viral diseases and Aeromonas hydrophila. Flies, ticks and ants are potential vectors for disease. The eradication method must be effective against the vctor but safe for snake. For instance the vapours from dichlorvos strips can be potentially toxic to reptiles.

Formite control

When moving between cages or exhibitions it is possible to transfer organisms between snakes. Care must be taken to minimise transfer of disease by formites.

Prophylactic treatments

Prophylactic treatments are especially important in quarantine but may be useful on a regular basis. For snakes parasiticides are probably the most important.