Maintaining rear-fanged snakes for venom production: an evaluation of mortality and survival rates for Philodryas olfersii and P. patagoniensis in captivity
J. venom. anim. toxins incl. trop. dis
; J. venom. anim. toxins incl. trop. dis;18(2): 164-172, 2012. ilus, tab, graf
Article
em En
| LILACS
| ID: lil-639475
Biblioteca responsável:
BR68.1
ABSTRACT
This study evaluates the mortality and average survival rates of captive female Philodryas olfersii and Philodryas patagoniensis snakes maintained for venom production. Also, two factors likely to reduce captive survival were studied - body condition at admission and seasonality. Mortality peaks occurred during the second month in captivity. More than half the individuals were dead at the end of the third month. This suggests that the first three months in captivity are the most critical in terms of survival and adaptation. Females collected and admitted during spring and summer lived less time than those collected in autumn and winter. As gravidity and egg-laying occur during spring and summer, we suggest that the lower survival rates in these seasons may be due to high costs and stress involved in these reproductive events. Unexpectedly, body mass and body condition were poor predictors of survival in captivity. Our results have important implications in maintaining snakes for venom production. We propose some prophylactic measures to minimize the deleterious impacts of captivity during the adaptation period.(AU)
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
LILACS
Assunto principal:
Estações do Ano
/
Composição Corporal
/
Taxa de Sobrevida
/
Colubridae
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J. venom. anim. toxins incl. trop. dis
Assunto da revista:
TOXICOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2012
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Brasil