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Box B8 Training Reptiles in Zoos: A Prooessional Perspective 223

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Figure B8.3 An adult female alligator focused on her training target. This posture/behaviour allows the chin
and teeth to be observed for damage. Source: Auckland Zoo.

of venomous species) or even just the rattle (Bryant et al. 2016; see Figure B8.4), and liz-
of the keepers keys in the door. ards and even crocodilians have been reported
Snakes are not alone in offering food‐ to apparently take pleasure from and seek out,
reward related challenges in training. Reptiles human contact; itself a possible form of
as a group, owing to their ectothermic physi- enrichment (Melfi 2013).
ology, are highly prone to obesity in captivity, A further challenge in training reptiles,
either through the wrong quality of food or intimately linked to their physiology and nat-
too high a quantity of food. Dieting over- ural history and influencing their diet and
weight reptiles is very challenging since their food intake, is the importance of meeting
highly efficient metabolism uses so little their circadian, seasonal and reproductive
energy, and should be avoided at all costs. activity cycles. Being ectothermic, reptiles
Extra care must therefore be taken to ensure are greatly influenced by climate and their
that food‐based rewards for training are interest in training and indeed their ability to
carefully calculated as a part of the animals respond, are dependent upon them being in
overall nutritional intake. an appropriate physiological state. Correctly
One way to mitigate the disadvantage maintained reptiles experience temperature
imposed by irregularity of feeding in some (and other climatic component) variation on
reptiles is to consider alternate forms of circadian and annual seasonal cycles. These
reward. As described above, some snakes not only impact upon a reptile’s body tem-
quickly teach themselves a behaviour which is perature and resultant motivation to react to
rewarded by access to security and safety – that stimuli such as training and food, but also
of entering a hide box – and lizards can be stimulate a variety of behavioural and physi-
trained to find environmental shelters on cue ological conditions including brumation and
(Zuri and Bull 2000). Giant tortoises and other aestivation, and reproductive cycling (during
testudines, may respond well to touch, the which many species will cease to eat and may
erect posture of giant tortoises in response to behave very differently during part or all of
a scratch in the right place is well known the reproductive phase).