# Starting a glossary of terms



## dmmj (Jul 14, 2012)

So I decided to start a glossary of terms used commonly here on the forum, so I don't have to type respiratory infection a million times.
So feel free to list them here and then I will compile them into a thread and then sticky it for future reference. Final decisions will be left up to the mods, but I don't see there being much arguments about it. So feel free to start listing them and make sure you provide the explanations as to what they mean.


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## Tom (Jul 14, 2012)

RI or URTI- respiratory infection or upper respiratory tract infection
MBD- metabolic bone disease
Gpp- Geochelone pardalis pardalis
Gpb- Geochelone pardalis babcocki
RT- Russian tortoise
EBT- Eastern Box Turtle
RES- Red eared slider
DBT- Diamond back terrapin
TTBT- three toed box turtle
UV- Ultra Violet
MVB- mercury vapor bulb
CHE- ceramic heating element
CB or CBB- captive bred or captive born and bred
WC- wild caught
CDT- CA desert tortoise


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## dmmj (Jul 14, 2012)

All good ones tom, thanks. No rush people I will do it (make the list that is) in the next day or so and I can always add to it later.


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## Yvonne G (Jul 15, 2012)

steppe tortoise - Russian or Horsefield's tortoise


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## Laurie (Jul 15, 2012)

Some terms I came across when I started here that I didn't know what they were...

Hypo
Screamer


I'm sure I will think of more...


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## Jacqui (Jul 15, 2012)

Oops one of my projects that got put onto a back shelf.  This was one of my rough drafts I started when doing my glossary. It's not the last one, but I can't quickly find it for some reason this am. :

_{I've added some definitions in italics where Jacqui did not have one. Mark}_

Captive born (CB): _Hatched or born while in captivity. Captive born animals should have fewer parasites than wild-caught, and also reduce the stress on wild populations.However, you will not know positively the sex nr the looks when it reaches adulthood._

Wild caught (WC): _Captured in the wild. WC animals often carry parasites and have been exposed to significant stress by getting caught, then shipped wherever. Some species have become endangered because of wild populations being collected for the pet trade. However for some species, this may be their only chance to survive. _

Scutes: the sections covering the carapace and plastron.

Split Scutes: _Scutes that are abnormally divided, usually while developing in the egg. They are usually oddly-shaped as well. A somewhat extreme version is the 'zipper back', where most of the veterbal scutes are split._

Anal scutes: the scutes located at the rear (two of them)

Beak: _The hard upper and lower sharp, toothless jaw of a chelonian._

Bridge: part of the shell that connects the carapace to the plastron.

Carapace: the top shell. Depending on species this may be hard or soft/leathery (such as on a seaturtle)

Carnivorous: feeds upon protein, usually the bodies of other animals.

Chelonian: general term to cover all turtles, terrapins, and tortoises.

CITES: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. A group of over 100 countries that oversee the trade, monitoring or banning the trade of endangered or soon to become endangered animals including turtles and tortoises. 

Cloaca: the opening on the tail thru which bowel movements, urinary waste and reproduction (breeding and eggs) take place. It's location on the tail can also be used to help determine gender (closer to the body is a sign of a female).

Concave: when the plastron curves inward. Often seen on males to aid in breeding.

Copulation: breeding

Gular: _The front pair of scutes on the plastron. Some species have gulars that project in front of the carapace and are used by males in courtship and/or combat._

Hibernate a period of inactivity or rest during the winter. _Also called 'brumate' or 'brumation'._

Hybrid: the offspring resulting from the cross between two animals of different species.

Inbreeding: crossing animal which are related to each other. Such as a mother to a son.

Nares: the pair of openings into the nasal cavity.

Nocturnal: active at night.

Plastron: the bottom shell

Scale: the covering often appearing like a shield that covers legs and head.

UVB: _Middle-range ultraviolet light. UV light is divided into A, B, and C based on the wavelengths. A has several benefits, but the top group of wavelengths in the B range is what is needed to help the body convert the light energy into vitamin D in the blood. It is produced naturally by the sun (although it does not penetrate glass or plastic well) and by specially-made bulbs labeled as 'UVB'._

Calcium (Ca): _A mineral available in many foods, like dark greens, that is use by the body to make bones, nerves, and muscle. It is used in a ratio of between 2 to 1 and 1 to 1 with phosphorous to make strong bones._

Phosphorus (P): _A mineral needed by bones to keep them from getting too brittle, but too much (more than the available calcium) makes bones soft. Available in most foods to some extent._

Soft Shell Disease: _see Metabolic Bone Disease._

Upper Respiratory Infection (URI): _A viral disease similar to flu in humans. Causes runny noses, distressed breathing, etc. Can be serious, even fatal._

Dremel: _A hand-held power tool with exchangeable bits or tips for grinding, cutting, polishing, etc. Used by many to trim beaks on tortoises._

Overbite: _When the front tip of the beak overgrows and overlaps the lower beak more than it should. Untreated, this can result in problems eating. Often caused by a diet that does not let the beak wear naturally._

Underbite: 

Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD): _A catch-all term for several diseases or problems that can affect the bone development. The most common is the result of a poor balance of UVB or vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorous.
_

Keratin: _The material that makes up the scutes and scales. It is basically the same thing as a fingernail._

Tortoise/Turtle/Terrapin: _A shelled reptile. Often called 'chelonians' in general. Usage varies by region, although in general 'tortoise' is used for dry land animals and 'turtle' for aquatic. Terrapin is used in Europe for basking or pond turtles and in the US for brackish water species or edible turtles (in the South). Scientifically, 'turtle' is a shelled reptile and a 'tortoise' is a member of the family 'Testudindea'._

Substrate: _The material used at the bottom of a cage or habitat.
_
Humid hide: _A shelter in which an effort has been made to raise the humidity above that of the rest of the habitat._

Straight line measurement: _The length of a chelonian's back shell, from just behind the head to above the tail- but measured in a straight line, not along the curve. _

Micro-environments: _The climate in a small place, like a hide or burrow, o0n a pile of rocks, etc. Micro-climates are often much different than the ambient climate._

Soaking: _Partially immersing a tortoise in water to allow it to absorb fluids in the cloaca to help treat or prevent dehydration._

Babyfood soaks: _Adding nutrients (babyfood pumpkin or carrots very often) to a soak so the tortoise can get benefits from them if it drinks. Some nutrients may be absorbed by the cloaca as well._

Ambient temperatures: _The overall temperatures of an area, most often used for the room a tortoise habitat is in._

Ambient lighting: _The lighting of an overall area, most often used for the room the room the reptile is in._

_Ambient humidity: The overall humidity of an area, most often for the room the animal is kept in._

Surface temperatures: _The temperatures on the surfaces an animal can sit, walk, or rest on. They are usually hotter or cooler than the ambient temps._

Basking: _aka 'sunning'. Reptiles bask to warm up. This boosts their metabolism and helps them get over a cool period, digest foods, recover from illness or injury, etc. They also get a dose of UVB and vitamin D._

Dry docking: _Keeping an aquatic or semi-aquatic species in a dry cage. Most often used to help it get over an illness or injury._

Protein: _A nutrient used to build muscles and other tissues. Proteins can come from plants or animals- although some of the amino acids in the proteins are different between the two. _


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## Laurie (Jul 15, 2012)

I also didn't know what hardware cloth was


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## dmmj (Jul 15, 2012)

Anyone who wants to add to it feel free, and if you can define any of the ones jacqui left blank feel free to do so.


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## Laurie (Jul 15, 2012)

dmmj said:


> Anyone who wants to add to it feel free, and if you can define any of the ones jacqui left blank feel free to do so.



I'm not home right now (on phone), but if I get a chance tomorrow, I can probably type something up with some help on some o the definitions.


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## Yvonne G (Jul 17, 2012)

David:

Once you have the thread set up like you want it, it would be good to put it in alphabetical order.


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## dmmj (Jul 17, 2012)

Good idea


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## Nixxy (Jul 17, 2012)

RF for Redfoot, YF for Yellowfoot. CH for Cherryhead?


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## Laurie (Jul 18, 2012)

Here is this list so far of acronyms/abbreviations. I will have time later to setup the definitions of what is already listed here if nobody minds.

Ca- Calcium

CB/CBB- Captive bred/Captive born and bred

CDT- California Desert Tortoise

CH- Cherry Head

CHE- Ceramic Heat Element

CITES- Convention on International Trade in Endagered Species

DBT- Diamond Back Terrapin

EBT- Eastern Box Turtle

GpB- Geochelone Paradalis Babcocki

GpP- Geochelone Paradalis Paradalis

MBD- Metabolic Bone Disease

MVB- Mercury Vapor Bulb

Pa- Phosphorous

RES- Red Ear Slider

RF- Red Foot

RI - Respiratory Infection

RT- Russian Tortoise

TTBT- Three toed box turtle

URI- Upper Respiratory Infection

UV- Ultra violet

WC- Wild Caught

YF- Yellow Foot


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## Tillasaurus (Jul 18, 2012)

This will be a great resource. Thank you for setting it up.


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## Laurie (Jul 18, 2012)

Lol, looks like Jacqui beat me to all the definitions.... I look forward to seeing it when it's done.


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## Madkins007 (Jul 18, 2012)

Just FYI- the chemical abbreviation of phosphorus is just P, not Pa (there is not even an 'a' in it). The list of abbreviations and terms should also include:

Ca: P- Calcium to phosphorous ratio. We want the average ratio to be somewhere between 2:1 and 1:1, meaning that there is somewhere between equal amounts or twice as much calcium.

Aestivation- a sort of dormancy usually triggered by hot, dry weather. it is not as deep as hibernation/brumation but deeper than sleeping.

x:y:z- when three numbers are listed with a colon between them, it refers to the genders of the animals- the number of males, females, and unknown. So, a herd of 2 males, 7 females, and 66 unsexed hatchlings or yearlings would be 2:7:16

Dormancy- a general term for any sort of metabolic slow-down an animal undergoes, such as aestivation or brumation.

Brumation- the reptile version of hibernation. True hibernation has slightly different metabolic processes.



And I cannot tell you how happy I would be to see 'CH' for cherry-head replaced with BRF or ERF for Brazilian or Eastern red-footed! Hopefully by then we will also routinely be using NRF, SRF, and so on as well.


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## Laurie (Jul 18, 2012)

Madkins007 said:


> Just FYI- the chemical abbreviation of phosphorus is just P, not Pa (there is not even an 'a' in it). The list of abbreviations and terms should also include:
> 
> Ca: P- Calcium to phosphorous ratio. We want the average ratio to be somewhere between 2:1 and 1:1, meaning that there is somewhere between equal amounts or twice as much calcium.
> 
> ...



Thanks madkins! I think I had a typo.


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## Jacqui (Jul 18, 2012)

Laurie said:


> Lol, looks like Jacqui beat me to all the definitions.... I look forward to seeing it when it's done.



Mark added some.


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## dannel (Oct 2, 2012)

I dont know if its on yet but LTC- Long term captive


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## SDDTMama (Oct 4, 2012)

'Over-winter'


Please and thank you.


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## Jacqui (Oct 5, 2012)

David, I had taken my list of terms and added the new ones suggested to make a list for my own use else where. Since it is already alphabetized, I thought it might save you some time and trouble if you used it as your next rough draft of terms. I placed a copy in the sticky. 

Folks thanks for giving us more terms and if you do check the list, please feel free to point out all my typos.  Even for my use, it is still only in a rough draft stage I have not checked for spelling and such.


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