Husbandry Manual for Tiger Snakes Notechis spp (Peters 1861) sl Reptilia:Elapidae Author: John. J. Mostyn Date of Preparation: 2006 Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, Richmond Course Name and Number: Captive Animal Management 1068 Lecturer: Graeme Phipps / Andrew Titmuss/ Jacki Salkeld/ Elissa Smith © 2006 John J Mostyn 1 Occupational Health and Safety WARNING This Snake is DANGEROUSLY VENOMOUS CAPABLE OF INFLICTING A POTENTIALLY FATAL BITE ALWAYS HAVE A COMPRESSION BANDAGE WITHIN REACH FIRST AID FOR A SNAKE BITE 1) Apply a firm, broad, pressure bandage to bitten limb, and if possible, the whole length of limb, firmly. 2) The limb should be immobilized by a splint and kept as still as possible. 3) Keep the patient still and call for ambulance. Immobilization and the use of a pressure bandage reduces the movement of venom from the bite site. This restriction of venom will allow more time to transport the patient to hospital. The patient should remain calm and rest. If possible, transport should be brought to the patient, rather than patient to transport. Fig 1 (Mirtschin, Davis, 1992) 2 Tiger Snake Antivenom What is Tiger Snake Antivenom? Tiger snake antivenom is an injection designed to help neutralize the effect of the poison (venom) of the tiger snake. It is produced by immunizing horses against the venom of the tiger snake and then collecting that part of the horse’s blood which neutralizes this poison. The antivenom is purified and made into an injection for those people who may need it after being bitten by a tiger snake. Tiger snake antivenom is also the appropriate antivenom if you are bitten by a copperhead snake, a rough scaled snake or a member of the black snake family. When is Tiger snake antivenom used? Tiger snake antivenom is given to people who become ill after being bitten by a tiger snake. Not every one who is bitten needs to have the antivenom as some people have only mild effects from the bite, or none at all. However, some people can become extremely ill after being bitten and in these people it is essential to use an appropriate amount of antivenom to counteract the effects of the poison. Several people die in Australia each year from inadequately treated snake bite. Who should not have the antivenom? As there are sometimes unpleasant and dangerous reactions to the antivenom (See side effects of Tiger snake antivenom), it should not be given to people who have no effects from the bite. However, as tiger snake antivenom can be an emergency life- saving product, it should not be withheld from anyone who needs it. Before you have tiger snake antivenom Before you have the injection, you should tell the doctor if • You are an asthmatic • You suffer from hay fever • You suffer from any other allergies • You have ever received injections containing horse serum (snake bite and other antivenoms) • You had an anti-tetanus injection before 1974 • You are suffering from any other illness • You are taking any medicines and what they are • You are pregnant • You are breast feeding. When medicines are produced in animals and injected into you, it is always possible that viruses or other substances could be present in the medicine and cause an illness. These could be viruses or other infectious agents which have not yet been discovered. 3 SIDE EFFECTS OF TIGER SNAKE ANTIVENOM As with any medicine, some side effects may occur. As the injection is made from horse serum, side effects occur more commonly in those who have allergies, particularly if they have ever had injections before which were also prepared from horses. Allergic reactions such as rashes, low blood pressure, wheezing and palpitations occur commonly. Headaches and fever are also common. Less commonly, localized swelling, muscle and joint pains, abdominal pain, vomiting, chest pain and blue discoloring of the skin can occur. These allergic reactions can be very severe and can cause death, but these complications can be treated by a doctor. An illness consisting of a rash, swollen glands, joint pains and fever may occur about a week after the injection. Always tell your doctor if you have any unpleasant effects after receiving the injection. THE DOSE OF TIGER SNAKE ANTIVENOM The dose for both adults and children is one vial (3,000 units) which is considerably diluted and given slowly as a drip into a vein. The dose can be repeated as necessary. Your doctor will take precautions to counteract any allergic reactions if they should happen. OVERDOSE There is no information on overdose. WHAT DOES TIGER SNAKE ANTIVENOM CONTAIN? Tiger snake antivenom contains 3,000 units of antivenom in about 10 mL of liquid. Each injection also contains phenol as a preservative, sodium chloride and substances found in horse blood. The Australian Registration Number is Aust R 74895 HOW TO STORE TIGER SNAKE ANTIVENOM TIGER SNAKE ANTIVENOM SHOULD BE PROTECTED FROM LIGHT AND STORED AT 2-8ºC (IN THE REFRIGERATOR). IT MUST NOT BE FROZEN. It should not be used after the expiry date. This information comes with each vial of tiger snake antivenom (CSL Limited, 2000) 4 Fig 2 (Sutherland, S.1995) Zoonotic Hazards People working with reptiles should be aware of Zoonotic Hazards. Zoonosis is diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. These can include: • Bacteria •Protozoa •Fungi •Viruses • Parasites, internal and external. Ways of contacting Zoonotic diseases are: • Reptile skins, feathers from feed animals. • Excreta (faeces/urine), bodily discharges, vomit. • A body part or sample taken from a reptile, eg, swab, blood or tissue sample. • Equipment or bedding that has been in contact with a reptile, eg, needle, hoop bags, jiggers and substrate. • During medical procedures, eg, blood, wastes, bodily fluids. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................... 9 2 TAXONOMY .................................................................................................................................... 10 2.1 NOMENCLATURE........................................................................................................................ 11 2.2 SUBSPECIES................................................................................................................................11 2.3 RECENT SYNONYMS................................................................................................................... 11 2.4 OTHER COMMON NAMES ........................................................................................................... 12 3 NATURAL HISTORY ..................................................................................................................... 13 3.1 MORPHOMETRICS....................................................................................................................... 13 3.1.1 Mass And Basic Body Measurements ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.1.2 Sexual Dimorphism.................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. 3.1.3 Distinguishing Features........................................................................................................ 24 3.2 DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT ..................................................................................................... 25 3.3 CONSERVATION STATUS ............................................................................................................ 28 3.4 DIET IN THE WILD ...................................................................................................................... 26 3.5 LONGEVITY ................................................................................................................................28 3.5.1 In the Wild ............................................................................................................................ 28 3.5.2 In Captivity ........................................................................................................................... 28 3.5.3 Techniques Used to Determine Age in Adults....................................................................... 28 4 HOUSING REQUIREMENTS........................................................................................................ 29 4.1 EXHIBIT/ENCLOSURE DESIGN .................................................................................................... 29 4.2 HOLDING AREA DESIGN............................................................................................................. 31 4.3 SPATIAL REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................... 32 4.4 POSITION OF ENCLOSURES ......................................................................................................... 33 4.5 WEATHER PROTECTION.............................................................................................................. 33 4.6 TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................. 33 4.7 SUBSTRATE ................................................................................................................................35 4.8 NESTBOXES AND/OR BEDDING MATERIAL ................................................................................. 36 4.9 ENCLOSURE FURNISHINGS ......................................................................................................... 37 5 GENERAL HUSBANDRY..............................................................................................................