Reptile & Amphibian Forums

could any one direct me to a site that would have the base vital values on some of the more common species of reptiles?
as a vet tech in training i need to learn the baseliones on several species. and by vitals i mean pulse, respirations, beats of the heart from the heart, normal weight ranges, etc

when taking pulse where do you feel for it in snakes, lizards, turtles, ect. or is it just best to take heart rate values and skip the pulse anyway it goes.

thanks

Ashley
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"I’m scared of those nasty big-eyed grey aliens, too. I think it’s that I don’t understand their motivations. I am confident of my ability to out-think, out-con, or if need be, tire-iron-upside-the-head demonic forces, ghosts and goblins, things that go bump in the night, etc. It’s the notion of something that doesn’t have any desire to talk to me except via anal probe that freaks me out"

"could any one direct me to a site that would have the base vital values on some of the more common species of reptiles?
as a vet tech in training i need to learn the baseliones on several species. and by vitals i mean pulse, respirations, beats of the heart from the heart, normal weight ranges, etc"

I don't know about any sites, but I highly recommend Reptile Medicine and Surgery (second edition, very new) by Dr. Mader. It's got pretty much whatever you could want on normal values, and a whole host of other useful stuff!

"when taking pulse where do you feel for it in snakes, lizards, turtles, ect. or is it just best to take heart rate values and skip the pulse anyway it goes."

Well... good luck feeling for it. To even find my rosy's heart on a routine exam (just looking for it to teach the students) they ended up using a doppler. Sometimes if they stretch out and hold still, you can see the heart beat but you won't be able to feel a pulse like with people. I imagine it's no easier on lizards, and turtles are probably waay out. Can't say as I've tried on either of those, though! Good luck,

-P
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1.0.0 Normal corn snake (Frito)
1.0.0 Creamsicle corn (Tang)
0.1.0 Ghost corn (Raynham)
1.1.2 Bay of LA rosy boas (Rivet, Cali, and Cali's unnamed babies)
0.1.0 Cape Gopher (Mole)
0.0.1 African House Snake (Casa)

thank you for your reply, i really do apprciate it ^_^

what is a Doppler? i know this may sound stupid, but i am in my first semester and i'm just looking up to get a head start.

thanks again

ashley
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"I’m scared of those nasty big-eyed grey aliens, too. I think it’s that I don’t understand their motivations. I am confident of my ability to out-think, out-con, or if need be, tire-iron-upside-the-head demonic forces, ghosts and goblins, things that go bump in the night, etc. It’s the notion of something that doesn’t have any desire to talk to me except via anal probe that freaks me out"