Any animal new to your collection should be separated from the rest of your herps for at least 60 days (90 days is better). At least three fecal samples (taken in intervals of at least a week) should be taken to a veterinarian to be tested for infection. Any infection found must be treated completely, and kept in quarantine for at least a year (with tests every few months) before introducing the new animal to the rest of the collection.

The quarantine enclosure should be separated from the rest of your collection (preferably in a separate room, altogether), and should be as simple and sterile as possible. Consider paper towels, newspaper, butcher paper or indoor/outdoor carpeting as substrate, and overturned margarine or plastic food containers as hide boxes.

This enclosure should be monitored very carefully. The animal should be watched for any strange behaviour, ectoparasites (such as mites and ticks), and should be checked by a veterinarian (including the fecal examinations, as mentioned above). Special care should be taken when cleaning this enclosure; it should be cleaned last out of all of your collection to reduce the chance of transmitting infection.

With these precautions, coupled with routine examinations by a qualified reptile veterinarian, you should be able to prevent most disease and illness from infecting your reptiles and amphibians.

Last modified: Saturday, March 25, 2006

Sources:

• McKeown, S. 1996. "General Husbandry and Management" In: Mader, D.R. (ed.), Reptile Medicine and Surgery. Philadelphia: WB Saunders Company.