{"topic_id":"exotic_husbandry_reptile","category":"exotic-pet-husbandry","context":"---\ntopic_id: exotic_husbandry_reptile\ncategory: exotic-pet-husbandry\ntitle: \"Reptile husbandry — class-level general rules (temperature, UVB, humidity, hides/enrichment, cohabitation)\"\nlang: en\nsource: \"Derived from exotic_environment_ball_python, exotic_environment_leopard_gecko, exotic_environment_bearded_dragon, exotic_environment_corn_snake, exotic_environment_boa_constrictor, exotic_environment_green_iguana, exotic_environment_red_eared_slider, exotic_environment_red_footed_tortoise, exotic_environment_greek_tortoise (C1-verified topics)\"\nsource_file: web/topics/exotic-pet-husbandry/exotic_environment_bearded_dragon/01_exotic_environment_bearded_dragon.md\ndate_parsed: 2026-08-16\ntokens_estimated: 320\nverified: true\nverification: derived\nsource_document: \"Reptile husbandry — class-level general rules — derived class-level overview\"\ncitation:\n  authority: \"Derived layer (via source topics)\"\n  title: \"Reptile husbandry — class-level general rules (temperature, UVB, humidity, hides/enrichment, cohabitation)\"\n  url: \"\"\n  retrieved: \"2026-08-16\"\n  ref: \"derived from exotic_environment_ball_python, exotic_environment_leopard_gecko, exotic_environment_bearded_dragon, exotic_environment_corn_snake, exotic_environment_boa_constrictor, exotic_environment_green_iguana, exotic_environment_red_eared_slider, exotic_environment_red_footed_tortoise, exotic_environment_greek_tortoise\"\n  doc_type: \"derived plain-language summary\"\n  needs_review: true\nlicense: derived\n---\n\n# Reptile husbandry — class-level general rules\n\n**This is a derived class-level overview.** Every factual statement below is a verbatim quote from C1-verified per-species environment topics (paraphrased from Merck Veterinary Manual per COPYRIGHT_POLICY §3); it adds no new facts.\n\nTemperature and humidity targets are species-specific, so there is no single \"reptile setting\": `Bearded dragons are terrestrial desert lizards; recommended 25–32°C (77–90°F) at 20–30% relative humidity.` whereas `Boa constrictors are terrestrial snakes of rainforest (semi-arboreal/aquatic); recommended 28–31°C (82–88°F) at 70–95% relative humidity.` Aquatic turtles add a water/land requirement: `Red-eared sliders are temperate-to-subtropical aquatic turtles; minimum water depth 30 cm (12 inches) with a land area about one-third of the tank, recommended 22–27°C (72–81°F).`\n\nLighting: `UVB light (290–300 nm) is especially important for most day-active lizards and chelonians for vitamin D3 synthesis and calcium regulation.` Even where no special lighting is required, `All reptiles, including nocturnal and crepuscular species, benefit from broad-spectrum lighting; unfiltered sunlight is best, with artificial UVB bulbs as a useful alternative.`\n\nHumidity detail: `Humid microclimates are often critical for arid species (e.g. tortoises, leopard geckos) to reduce shell pyramiding and abnormal sheds.`\n\nFurnishing: `Essential cage items include a water bowl large enough to bathe in and hiding places (e.g. cardboard boxes, cork bark, shredded paper).` Cohabitation: `Most non-breeding pet snakes and aquatic turtles are best kept alone, because feeding injuries are common when housed together.`\n\nScope note: these source topics do not cover new-animal quarantine protocols for reptiles; the amphibian manual's quarantine topic documents that protocol for amphibians.\n\nSource topics: `exotic_environment_{ball_python,leopard_gecko,bearded_dragon,corn_snake,boa_constrictor,green_iguana,red_eared_slider,red_footed_tortoise,greek_tortoise}` (all C1-verified, paraphrase mode).\n\n## Claims (verified as substrings of the C1-verified source topics)\n- `Bearded dragons are terrestrial desert lizards; recommended 25–32°C (77–90°F) at 20–30% relative humidity.`\n- `Boa constrictors are terrestrial snakes of rainforest (semi-arboreal/aquatic); recommended 28–31°C (82–88°F) at 70–95% relative humidity.`\n- `Red-eared sliders are temperate-to-subtropical aquatic turtles; minimum water depth 30 cm (12 inches) with a land area about one-third of the tank, recommended 22–27°C (72–81°F).`\n- `UVB light (290–300 nm) is especially important for most day-active lizards and chelonians for vitamin D3 synthesis and calcium regulation.`\n- `All reptiles, including nocturnal and crepuscular species, benefit from broad-spectrum lighting; unfiltered sunlight is best, with artificial UVB bulbs as a useful alternative.`\n- `Humid microclimates are often critical for arid species (e.g. tortoises, leopard geckos) to reduce shell pyramiding and abnormal sheds.`\n- `Essential cage items include a water bowl large enough to bathe in and hiding places (e.g. cardboard boxes, cork bark, shredded paper).`\n- `Most non-breeding pet snakes and aquatic turtles are best kept alone, because feeding injuries are common when housed together.`\n","sources":["exotic-pet-husbandry — Reptile husbandry — class-level general rules (temperature, UVB, humidity, hides/enrichment, cohabitation) (retrieved 2026-08-16)"],"source":{"authority":"exotic-pet-husbandry","title":"Reptile husbandry — class-level general rules (temperature, UVB, humidity, hides/enrichment, cohabitation)","url":"","retrieved":"2026-08-16","ref":"","doc_type":"official source","source_document":"Reptile husbandry — class-level general rules — derived class-level overview","verification_file":"web/topics/exotic-pet-husbandry/exotic_environment_bearded_dragon/01_exotic_environment_bearded_dragon.md"},"source_document":"Reptile husbandry — class-level general rules — derived class-level overview","source_file":"web/topics/exotic-pet-husbandry/exotic_environment_bearded_dragon/01_exotic_environment_bearded_dragon.md","trust":{"authority_tier":"ungraded","fidelity":"verbatim","license":"derived","display_grade":"pending"},"tokens_estimated":400,"generated_at":null,"tip":"Use /api/v1/topics to discover more topics. /api/v1/nutrient for precise single-point queries. /api/v1/cross_compare for 2-3 standard comparisons."}