Agriculture and Nature Conservation › Nature Conservation

Basic Needs of Herpetofauna in Captivity Training

Name: Needs Herpetofauna Captivity Training
Price: 9400.0 ZAR
Availability: InStock

SAQA US 261577 | NQF 5 | Credits 4 | Duration 1 Day

From $508 per delegate

Description

This course equips learners with the foundational knowledge and practical skills to meet the basic needs of herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) in captivity. It covers habitat setup, nutrition, health monitoring, and ethical handling, ensuring the well-being of these animals in zoological, educational, or private collections.

Learning Outcomes

Identify and describe the biological and behavioral needs of common captive herpetofauna species.
Design appropriate captive environments that meet thermoregulatory, hydration, and security requirements.
Implement feeding regimes and nutritional plans suitable for different species and life stages.
Monitor and recognize signs of stress, illness, or injury in captive herpetofauna.
Apply safe handling and restraint techniques that minimize stress and risk to both animal and handler.
Evaluate and adjust husbandry practices based on observed animal condition and environmental parameters.

Target Audience

This course is ideal for zookeepers, wildlife rehabilitators, pet store staff, herpetology enthusiasts, and anyone responsible for the care of captive reptiles and amphibians.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment.

Course Outline

Day 1: Fundamentals of Captive Herpetofauna Care

Objectives:
• Understand the biological and ecological requirements of reptiles and amphibians in captivity.
• Identify key environmental parameters essential for herpetofauna health.
• Describe appropriate nutrition, hydration, and hygiene practices.
• Recognize common health issues and preventive measures.
• Apply ethical considerations and legal requirements for captive herpetofauna.

Topics:
• Introduction to herpetofauna: diversity and captive care principles.
• Enclosure design: size, substrate, hiding spots, and enrichment.
• Temperature and humidity regulation: heating, lighting, and monitoring.
• Water quality and hydration needs for aquatic and terrestrial species.
• Nutritional requirements: feeding schedules, prey items, and supplementation.
• Hygiene and disease prevention: cleaning protocols and quarantine.
• Common health problems: signs of stress, nutritional deficiencies, and parasites.
• Ethical and legal frameworks: welfare standards and permits.

Practicals

3 hours of practicals To be conducted online or on-campus or in-house

Overview

Practical sessions reinforce theoretical knowledge through hands-on activities. Learners will set up a basic enclosure, practice temperature and humidity monitoring, and demonstrate feeding and cleaning procedures under supervision.

Practical Activities

Enclosure Setup and Environmental Monitoring — Learners set up a simulated enclosure with appropriate substrate, hiding spots, and water dish, then use thermometers and hygrometers to achieve target temperature and humidity ranges. (1h)
Feeding and Hydration Techniques — Learners prepare appropriate food items (e.g., insects, vegetables) and water sources, and practice feeding and misting techniques for different herpetofauna types. (1h)
Hygiene and Health Check Procedures — Learners perform a simulated enclosure cleaning and conduct a basic health assessment, including visual inspection and handling techniques to minimize stress. (1h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total

Component	Out of	Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored)	100%	30%
Daily Average (multiple choice)	100%	20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice)	100%	50%
Final Total	—	100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Practicals 30% + Daily Average 20% + Final Test 50%).

How it works

Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.

Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.