Getting It Straight: Accommodating rectilinear behavior in captive snakes—A review of recommendations and their evidence base

C. Warwick; R. Grant; C. Steedman; T.J. Howell; P.C. Arena; A.J.L. Lambiris; A-E Nash; M. Jessop; A. Pilny; M. Amarello; S. Gorzula; M. Spain; A. Walton; E. Nicholas; K. Mancera; M. Whitehead; A. Martínez-Silvestre; V. Cadenas; A. Whittaker; A. Wilson

doi:10.3390/ani11051459

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Getting It Straight: Accommodating rectilinear behavior in captive snakes—A review of recommendations and their evidence base

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

Getting It Straight: Accommodating rectilinear behavior in captive snakes—A review of recommendations and their evidence base

C. Warwick, R. Grant, C. Steedman, T.J. Howell, P.C. Arena, A.J.L. Lambiris, A-E Nash, M. Jessop, A. Pilny, M. Amarello, …

Animals, Vol.11(5), Article 1459

2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051459

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Abstract

Snakes are sentient animals and should be subject to the accepted general welfare principles of other species. However, they are also the only vertebrates commonly housed in conditions that prevent them from adopting rectilinear behavior (ability to fully stretch out). To assess the evidence bases for historical and current guidance on snake spatial considerations, we conducted a literature search and review regarding recommendations consistent with or specifying ≥1 × and <1 × snake length enclosure size. We identified 65 publications referring to snake enclosure sizes, which were separated into three categories: peer-reviewed literature (article or chapter appearing in a peer-reviewed journal or book, n = 31), grey literature (government or other report or scientific letter, n = 18), and opaque literature (non-scientifically indexed reports, care sheets, articles, husbandry books, website or other information for which originating source is not based on scientific evidence or where scientific evidence was not provided, n = 16). We found that recommendations suggesting enclosure sizes shorter than the snakes were based entirely on decades-old ‘rule of thumb’ practices that were unsupported by scientific evidence. In contrast, recommendations suggesting enclosure sizes that allowed snakes to fully stretch utilized scientific evidence and considerations of animal welfare. Providing snakes with enclosures that enable them to fully stretch does not suggest that so doing allows adequate space for all necessary normal and important considerations. However, such enclosures are vital to allow for a limited number of essential welfare-associated behaviors, of which rectilinear posturing is one, making them absolute minimum facilities even for short-term housing.

Details

Title: Getting It Straight: Accommodating rectilinear behavior in captive snakes—A review of recommendations and their evidence base
Authors/Creators: C. Warwick (Author/Creator) - Emergent Disease Foundation, Suite 114, 80 Churchill Square Business Centre, King's Hill, Kent ME19 4YU, UK.
R. Grant (Author/Creator) - London South Bank University
C. Steedman (Author/Creator) - Emergent Disease Foundation, Suite 114, 80 Churchill Square Business Centre, King's Hill, Kent ME19 4YU, UK.
T.J. Howell (Author/Creator) - La Trobe University
P.C. Arena (Author/Creator) - Murdoch University
A.J.L. Lambiris (Author/Creator) - Emergent Disease Foundation, Suite 114, 80 Churchill Square Business Centre, King's Hill, Kent ME19 4YU, UK.
A-E Nash (Author/Creator) - Colorado Reptile Humane Society, 13941 Elmore Road, Longmont, Colorado, CO 80504, USA.
M. Jessop (Author/Creator) - Swansea University
A. Pilny (Author/Creator) - Arizona Heart Hospital
M. Amarello (Author/Creator) - Advocates for Snake Preservation, P.O. Box 2752, Silver City, NM 88062, USA.
S. Gorzula (Author/Creator) - Freelance Consultant, 7724 Glenister Drive, Springfield, VA 22152, USA.
M. Spain (Author/Creator) - Zoo Miami
A. Walton (Author/Creator) - Ducks Unlimited Canada
E. Nicholas (Author/Creator) - Notting Hill Medivet, 106 Talbot Road, London W11 1JR, UK.
K. Mancera (Author/Creator) - Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
M. Whitehead (Author/Creator) - Veterinary Medical Center
A. Martínez-Silvestre (Author/Creator) - Catalonian Reptiles and Amphibians Rescue Centre (CRARC), 08783 Masquefa, Spain.
V. Cadenas (Author/Creator) - Generalitat de Catalunya
A. Whittaker (Author/Creator) - The University of Adelaide
A. Wilson (Author/Creator) - Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine, 562 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10024, USA.
Publication Details: Animals, Vol.11(5), Article 1459
Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Identifiers: 991005539995707891
Copyright: © 2021 The Authors
Murdoch Affiliation: Vice Chancellery
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.35 Zoology & Animal Ecology; 3.35.683 Reptile Ecology
Web Of Science research areas: Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science; Veterinary Sciences; Zoology
ESI research areas: Plant & Animal Science