Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Reptile and Amphibian. Javier G. Nevarez

      Introduction to Reptile Medicine

      Captive reptiles can be found in zoological institutions, the pet trade, commercial farming, universities, and laboratory animal facilities. Along with the prevalence of captive reptiles, there is a higher demand for improved welfare and veterinary care. As veterinarians, it is our duty not only to provide high‐quality medicine but also to serve as a source of reliable information and education for reptile owners and keepers. Veterinary care of reptiles must include education on proper husbandry and nutrition, two critical factors that influence the health of reptile patients. To be successful in this endeavor, we must understand the reptile market and the demographics of reptile owners and keepers. According to a 2019–2020 report by the American Pet Products Association, reptiles comprise approximately 4.5% of the pets owned by households in the United States. The Federation of British Herpetologists claims that the number of pet reptiles in the United Kingdom may surpass that of dogs and cats, but it is difficult to find supporting data for these claims across European countries. Nonetheless, it is well known that the reptile trade is strong and thriving in Europe as well as in the United States. Of interest is the age distribution of reptile owners in the United States. Fifty‐three percent of reptile owners are in the “gen Y” (1994–1980) generation followed by 26% “gen X” (1979–1965), 19% “baby boomers” (1964–1946) and 2% “builders” (1945–1920).

      Not surprisingly, the majority of reptile owners rely on the internet to obtain information about reptile care. The second most common source of information is pet store employees, while only 21% rely on veterinarians. This should be a clear indication that veterinarians need to be more proactive in reaching out a to the reptile‐owning generations in ways that they can relate to so they can build up clientele and improve the welfare of captive reptiles. This requires a paradigm shift in which veterinarians seek out promoting and advertising opportunities to make the public aware of their services. Many reptile‐owning individuals are not even aware of all the veterinary services available for reptile species. If these individuals were more aware and developed a relationship with veterinarians, we would be more likely to have a positive impact on the captive care and welfare of reptiles. While there may be varying degrees of the bond that humans form with reptiles, most reptile owners are very appreciative of veterinarians willing and able to care for their pets. Veterinarians should offer the same standard of care to reptiles as they do to other species and charge accordingly for their time and services.

      With over 10,000 species of reptiles, it is impossible to know the proper care for all species. Instead, the focus should be placed on becoming knowledgeable about the more common species that one will be working with in the course of practice. The commonality of species may vary with geographical location; nonetheless, some species such as bearded dragons, ball pythons, and sulcata tortoises are overrepresented in the pet trade.

      The first approach to learning about reptiles is to think in terms of their biology. Reptiles are not domesticated species and still retain many of the behaviors observed in their natural environment. Being familiar with their natural history and biology will facilitate their captive care and treatment. In order to understand reptiles, one must be able to correctly identify the

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