The centre is the only facility of its kind in the UK that is working directly with a land-based educational provider to promote reptile husbandry and welfare. Students at the College have been able to benefit from a range of learning opportunities over the last couple of years. Students have had many opportunities to engage with the NCRW via lectures, work placements and research projects.
Corn snakes are a very popular pet reptile species in the UK, but little data is available on what the optimum level of enrichment when keeping such reptiles in captivity. Robyn’s project is comparing how behaviours vary between two different types of enclosure set-up - two corn snakes are being housed in a vivarium which contains a range of enrichment items such as branches for climbing, numerous hiding spaces and plastic plants and the others are being housed a basic set-up, with less enrichment, which represents a ‘simple’ home setup.
Robyn is recording this research by using Wi-Fi-operated cameras that can record data continuously, enabling the behavioural repertoire of each animal streamed remotely. The eight cameras were kindly supported by the Cantagrian’s Garner Fund, which provides grant support to Higher Education students studying at the College.
Chris Newman, Manager of the NCRW said, “Over the last three decades reptiles have become increasingly popular as pets, today they are the third most kept species behind cats and dogs. As our knowledge and understanding of their husbandry has advanced significantly, it is largely anecdotal. Surprisingly, little evidenced-based reached has been done on the husbandry and welfare of captive reptiles.’
He continued, “A key reason for the NCRW establishing a partnership with Hadlow College is to facilitate such research with projects, like Robyn’s. The NCRW takes in over 1,000 animals a year and since opening has seen over 250 species of reptiles and amphibians arrive at the centre, thus giving students’ unparalleled access to a wide variety of species.”
Robyn is hoping that the findings of her dissertation research can lead to further work on studying the behaviour of reptiles in the captive setting. For more information about degree programmes like Robyn’s, visit the University Centre at Hadlow