What the researchers found was something I think a lot
of snake breeders will appreciate. Staggeringly, snakes
from enriched environments grew much quicker than
those in standard conditions. On top of this, snakes from
enriched environments were shown to exhibit less stress
in unfamiliar situations or environments and had superior
problem-solving abilities. These findings have wide-
ranging implications: breeders can reduce growing times
by enriching a snake’s environment, whilst those with pet
snakes can enrich their animals’ enclosures to limit stress
-related behaviours such as non-feeding or cage-
defensiveness (as it is commonly called). The researchers
also concluded that feeding live prey didn’t increase the
prey handling capacity of the snakes (in terms of missed
strikes, handling time, swallowing time, etc.).
was a turtle mutilating itself, the researchers gave it a ball
and some pipe to play with, and….voilà! No more self-
mutilation. The greater conceptual finding was that the
turtle displayed a behavioural profile that indicated it was
‘playing’ with the objects it had been provided. I guess
the real take-home message is that if you have an animal
that is injuring itself, maybe a potential solution is to
offer it enrichment opportunities (whether they be puzzle
feeders, play objects, etc.) to stimulate its mind and end
that repetitive behaviour.
‘Snakes from enriched
environments grew much
quicker , exhibited less stress and
had superior problem
problem- -solving
abilities.’
A comment on the case studies and some
tools for your kit.
Turtle ‘play’ reduces self-mutilation.
Burghardt, G. M., Ward, B. & Rosscoe, R., 1996.
Problem of reptile play: Environmental enrichment and
play behavior in a captive Nile soft-shelled turtle,
Trionyx triunguis. Zoo Biology, 15, 223-238.
This final study is a homage to turtles, an often-forgotten
taxon of herpetoculture (not as bad as blind snakes
though!). The study was very simple at its core – there
Top left: blue-tongue lizards
will sometimes repeatedly
attempt to climb the edge of an
enclosure in captivity. Image
by fivespots.
Middle left: Leopard Gecko.
Image by Dobermaraner.
Bottom left: Steppes Ratsnake.
Image by Vitalii Hulai.
Above: Nile Soft-shelled
Turtle. Image by vblinov.
Right: water dragons may rub
their noses in enclosures until
they get oozing abrasions.
Image by Jason Sulda.
So there is measurable evidence to suggest that improv-
ing reptile welfare through environmental enrichment has
benefits including enhanced behavioural complexity and
growth. Just as importantly, in my opinion, this presents
an ideal avenue to advance the public image of captive
keeping. Those that have tried to describe rack systems to
non-reptile keeping friends may be familiar with the
common comparison lay people draw of a puppy farm. I
mean it basically makes sense to the everyday person;
keep them in a small area and breed them for babies to
sell. Remember, this is about public perception – I’m not
attacking your keeping style, just trying to get you
thinking!
The final section of this article will provide you with
some ideas on how you can offer enrichment opportuni-
ties to your animals that replicate some of the challenges
or stimulation that they may encounter every day in a
wild setting: