Which Pets Are Considered Reptiles?
Reptiles are cold-blooded animals and are identified by their hard scales and their ability to lay eggs. The main categories of reptiles are kept as pets are snakes, lizards and turtles.
Which Pets Are Considered Amphibians?
Amphibians are cold-blooded animals. Amphibians live the first part of their lives in water and the second part on land. When amphibians hatch from their eggs, they have gills that help them breath underwater. Such animals slowly grow their legs and arms. The word amphibian itself means ‘two-lives’. Some examples of amphibians pets include frogs, salamanders and caecilians.
What Does It Mean To Be Cold-Blooded?
Cold-blooded means that the animal’s body does not automatically regulate their body temperature like a mammal’s body would. Such animals have to get warm or cool down using their surroundings. This is called ectothermy. Cold-blooded animals, unlike mammals, do not lose energy trying to heat themselves up.
Current Temperatures
Temperatures across the planet have been rising above 50 C°. This is not only a problem for humans but amphibians and reptiles, as well, who are finding it hard trying to regulate their temperature. A reptile can only survive at a temperature of 0 C° to 40 C°.
Reptiles and amphibians tend to survive well in cooler environments. Of course, some reptiles are desert-adapted but that doesn’t mean that they can take on the hottest of temperatures. Most amphibians tend to die when they are forced to endure hot temperatures.
Salamander
If you keep certain amphibians as exotic pets, keep in mind that warmer waters hold less oxygen which causes difficulty for the salamander larvae to breath. This can even cause them to suffocate or weaken their immune system.
Turtles
Turtles are active at very cool temperatures. They have much more immunity than other amphibians and reptiles to bear warmer temperatures. Such temperatures may not cause the turtle to die, rather it’d cause the turtle to contract health diseases. When keeping turtles, remember to always have a basking spot near a small pond they can soak in.
Snakes
Snakes are much more prone to drying out in the summer and always need an alternative to make themselves moist while lizards favour hot and dry temperatures. But even too hot temperatures can get the best of them. Because of higher and rising temperatures, it is estimated that such exotic pets and animals alike will exceed the limits of their abilities to adapt to climate change with higher metabolic rates. These effects will be irreversible.
Find the best exotic veterinarian service in Cockeysville at Hunt Valley Animal Hospital. Contact us today to book your exotic pet’s veterinary appointment!