Canadian Council on Animal Care , Gilman, J. 1984. Chapter III: Reptiles. In : Guide to the Care and Use of Experimental Animals, Volume 2 . Canadian Council on Animal Care (ed), 19-28. Canadian Council on Animal Care, Ottawa, Canada.

Excellent guidelines for the keeping of reptiles in the research laboratory setting. Following issues are dealt with: (1) Aquatic caging; (2) Terrestrial caging; (3) Foods and Feeding; (4) Health care; (5) Breeding; (6) Handling. Under captive conditions, reptiles must be provided with temperatures, humidity and a light that will allow normal physiological functioning and behavior of the species being maintained. Specific information on these requirements and the care of the particular species to be held in the facility must be obtained in advance by the investigator if successful maintenance and meaningful study is to be achieved. The diversity of adaptations and environmental requirements of reptiles dictates that this chapter be restricted to stating general principles and indicating the broad environmental conditions required in the laboratory use of reptiles. .. Reptiles, in general, are better able to prevent water loss from their bodies than are amphibians and can, therefore, withstand lower humidities. However, a low humidity can be hazardous for small individuals and those species adapted to humid, tropical conditions.Some means of control of air exchange within the terrarium, as well as the room as a whole, should be provided. Neither a completely open unit, such as a wire-mesh mammal cage, nor a tightly closed one is desirable. Ventilation ports must always be screen covered to prevent escape. Ports should also be easy to block, partially or completely as required, to assist in humidity regulation. .. Coarse, flat wood shavings, such as softwood planings, make a useful substrate for many species. Fine sawdust should be avoided as there is a risk with this, or any other small-particle substrate, that snakes, in particular, may ingest substrate particles with their food. This can cause serious mouth or internal injuries from wood slivers, and occasionally, a bowel obstruction when large amounts of substrate are ingested. .. Problems resulting from the excessive ingestion of particulate substrate by snakes can be countered, where the animal is feed on dead food, by providing a clean dish or other solid surface for the food. In species which must attack and kill prey, the location of the food cannot be regulated and prevention of the problem will require a change to a solid substrate. .. A platform just clear of the water surface should be provided as a resting board on which the turtles can haul out. A few species, such as the common snapping turtle, will usually not use a resting board. As turtles must be able to get a purchase with their claws in order to pull themselves out of the water, resting platforms are best made of wood. As wood resting platforms are more or less continuously water soaked, they are probably best left unsealed and replaced at intervals as required.