Ambient Surrounding Temperature
The temperature of the air in a room.
Arboreal
Lives or climbs trees.
Aquatic
Lives totally or mainly in water.
Autotomy
The deliberate loss of a tail for defensive purposes.
Basking Light
An overhead light that is placed in the tank for reptiles to bask under.
Carapace
The top half of a turtle or tortoise shell.
CB (Captive bred)
This is the best animal to buy. They have normally been bred by small scale breeders who are most likely hobbyists. The animals should be free from the problems associated with wild caught animals and also it is much better from a conservation point of view.
CF (Captive farmed)
These are animals that are kept in units, normally in fenced of areas in their native land.
Although there are reputable farmers, the conditions these animals are kept in are quite often less than ideal.
Chelonian
A term used when referring to turtles and tortoises.
Cloaca
A passage that is used for excreting waste and reproduction.
Crepuscular
Active at dawn and dusk.
Diurnal
Active during the day.
Dorsal
Relating to the back of an animal.
Endemic
From a defined area, normally fairly small.
Fuzzies
Young mice that are just starting to grow hair.
Herpetology
The study of reptiles and amphibians. This derives from the Greek word herpeton, 'things that creep and crawl on their bellies'.
Herp
Refers to a reptile or amphibian.
Hoppers
Young mice that have weaned; juvenile locusts.
Insectivore
An insect eater.
LTC (Long term captive)
This is pretty self explanatory. This normally relates to a wild caught specimen and indicates that it has settled into captivity and should not have any problems associated with newly wild caught
animals, such as parasites.
Mandible
The lower jaw.
Maxilla
The upper jaw.
Morph
Relates to a particular color or pattern.
Nocturnal
Active during the night.
Omnivorous
An animal that eats both plants and animals.
Oviparous
An animal that reproduces by laying eggs.
Ovoviviparous
A reproduction technique where eggs are retained in the body and then either released when the young are ready hatch or hatch inside the mother.
Parthenogenic
Females who give birth without mating. The offspring are mainly females.
Pathogen
Disease-causing organism.
Photoperiod
The day/night cycle of light and dark.
Pinkies
Newly born mice.
Plastron
The bottom half of a turtle shell or tortoise shell.
Ventral
Towards the belly.
Viviparous
Gives birth to live young.
Temperature Gradient
The range of temperature a reptile needs to regulate its internal body temperature.
Terrestrial
Lives on land.
Thermoregulate
The ability to change body temperature by moving to warmer or cooler places.
Vestigial
Hardly remaining and performing no function.
WC (Wild caught)
As the name indicates, these are animals caught in the wild. As a general rule they should be avoided for both conservation and more practical problems
such as parasites and diseases they may be harbouring.
