What is the cloaca?

In our reptile patients, there is one opening to the outside world, called the cloaca (or vent). There are three body systems that feed into the cloaca- the gastrointestinal tract (coprodeum), urinary tract (urodeum), and genital tract (proctodeum). This means that this one opening excretes products from each of these body systems (eg. fecal matter, urine).

INTRODUCTION

Why is vitamin A important?

Vitamin A is an essential, fat-soluble vitamin that is produced from carotenoids such as beta carotene. This vitamin plays an important role in the body including skin health, red blood cell production, antibody production, and immune responses to pathogens.

The Emperor scorpion, Pandinus imperatoris, is gaining popularity as a pet. Originating in African forests, Emperor scorpions are relatively docile and typically do no show signs of aggression unless threatened. 

Tegus are intelligent and curious lizards that can be tamed and trained with regular handling and interaction.The Salvator species are the most commonly kept Tegus in captivity and include the Argentine black and white tegu (Salvator merianae) and the Red tegu (Salvator refescens).

Most people never lose their fascination with and enjoy keeping insects, spiders, scorpions, and millipedes as pets. Atthough these are not cuddly pets, they can certainly be entertaining and educational. Before deciding on your new invertebrate pet, it is important to educate yourself on their captive care requirements as there are some critical factors you should consider before choosing.

Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are known for the hissing sound they make by forcing air through spiracles, or respiratory openings, on their abdomen. This hiss can be made because of different situations: disturbance, mating, and fighting, but only males use the latter two. Another distinction between the two genders is the thicker antennae found on males. Unlike most cockroaches, these are wingless. Despite this, they are very good at climbing and can even climb up smooth glass.