Utilization of Natural History Information in Evidence based Herpetoculture: A Proposed Protocol and Case Study with

摘要

Many reptile and amphibian husbandry practices today are based on entrenched dogma, and not necessarily science. Folklore husbandry is animal care based on this dogma, where science does not drive the advancement of herpetoculture, and the adage, “this is the way we’ve always done it” does. Though not a novel concept, a resurgence in evidence-based husbandry approaches has infiltrated recent herpetoculture practice in direct response to folklore husbandry, challenging long standing practice. Herein, natural history information, in particular, diet, habitat, climate, behavior in the field, including spatial use and reproductive biology, serve as a primary source of information in evidence-based husbandry. With widespread availability through the internet, this information that once was difficult to attain is now accessible to the masses. A theoretical framework and protocol are presented that enable anyone who has internet access the ability to address key natural history questions directly allied to herpetoculture to determine thermal husbandry, food types and feeding frequencies, enclosure size and design, and breeding protocols for amphibians and reptiles in human care. A case study and assessment protocol for efficacy is provided for false water cobras to demonstrate this method.