Oct 27, 2023
Version 2
Husbandry guidelines for the safe brumation of two lacertid lizard species (Iberolacerta monticola and Podarcis lusitanicus) in laboratory conditions V.2
- Frederico M Barroso1,2,3
- 1CIBIO, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, Vairão 4485-661, Vila do Conde, Portugal;
- 2BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal;
- 3Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
Protocol Citation: Frederico M Barroso 2023. Husbandry guidelines for the safe brumation of two lacertid lizard species (Iberolacerta monticola and Podarcis lusitanicus) in laboratory conditions. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.5jyl8p1p9g2w/v2Version created by Frederico M Barroso
Manuscript citation:
Frederico M. Barroso, 2023. Husbandry guidelines for the safe brumation of two lacertid lizard species (Iberolacerta monticola and Podarcis lusitanicus) in laboratory conditions. protocols.io.
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working
Created: October 27, 2023
Last Modified: October 27, 2023
Protocol Integer ID: 90000
Keywords: brumation, reptile husbandry, lacertid, lizard, reptile
Funders Acknowledgement:
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Grant ID: SFRH/BD/147535/2019
Abstract
Lacertid lizards are often used for a range of laboratory studies in reptile behaviour, physiology, ecology etc. However, there is a distinct lack of primary information regarding the husbandry of these animals under captive, laboratory conditions. This lack of information is even more apparent when looking for standard husbandry best practices for the brumation of small lizards in a captive setting. Hence, when faced with the need to overwinter captive populations of two lacertid lizard species from a montane environment (Iberolacerta monticola and Podarcis lusitanicus), the need arose to establish a conservative protocol that would allow the animals to safely go through their seasonal activity cycle (and brumate) in a controlled laboratory environment. This protocol therefore addresses that gap as it aimed to simulate a simplification of the conditions thought to be experienced by these animals while brumating. Ultimately, through this protocol, these species were successfully overwintered in a laboratory setting without any casualties (during the brumation period) and with no significant effect on the body condition of the animals. Hence, this protocol hopes to provide a baseline framework, on which other studies may capitalise, build upon or adjust, for the safe brumation of lizards in a laboratory setting.
Attachments
Image Attribution
All images taken/produced by Frederico M. Barroso