Discipline 01

Anatomy & Physiology

How reptiles are built and how their bodies function — skeleton, muscle, digestion, respiration, circulation, thermoregulation, senses, reproduction, skin, sheds, and venom systems.

Study

Discipline 02

Behavior & Handling

Reading reptiles accurately — body language, defense, stress, feeding response — and handling them safely and respectfully across species and temperaments.

Study

Discipline 03

Breeding

The full reproductive process from pairing strategy through neonatal care — conditioning, cycling, courtship, ovulation, eggs, incubation, and ethical production.

Study

Discipline 04

Conservation & Research

Connecting captive knowledge to real-world wildlife protection — habitat loss, field research, monitoring, relocation, coexistence, invasive species, partnerships, anti-poaching.

Study

Discipline 05

Crocodilians

Crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gharials as a subject in their own right — biology and behavior, water and thermal systems, enclosure and barrier design, capture and restraint, facility protocols, and the field and conflict work nobody teaches formally.

Study

Discipline 06

Education & Media

How reptile knowledge is taught, filmed, presented, and shared — public speaking, courses, demos, documentaries, social, podcasts, school programs, safety messaging, storytelling.

Study

Discipline 07

Genetics

Heredity, morphs, selective breeding, lineage, mutation expression, inheritance, and ethical decision-making — moving away from random pairings toward responsible genetic stewardship.

Study

Discipline 08

Husbandry

The complete care system that lets reptiles thrive in captivity — enclosure design, gradients, humidity, light, substrate, ventilation, hydration, cycling, enrichment, and daily observation.

Study

Discipline 09

Legislation & Policy

How reptile law is made, how it gets broken, and how keepers fight back. Legislation, government policy, regulatory frameworks, exposing inefficiencies, lobbying, and community organizing as a core discipline.

Study

Discipline 10

Nutrition

What reptiles eat, how they digest, and how diet shapes growth, reproduction, immunity, behavior, and longevity — as a biological system, not a routine.

Study

Discipline 11

Reptile History

Where reptiles come from and how humans have kept, feared, revered, and studied them — deep-time evolution and paleontology through the rise of modern herpetology and herpetoculture.

Study

Discipline 12

Socialization

The long-term relationship between keeper and animal — trust, consistency, desensitization, routine, and predictable low-stress interaction across high-response species.

Study

Discipline 13

Venomous & Toxicology

The responsible study, care, and management of venomous reptiles — venom biology, bite prevention, antivenom, lock systems, transport, emergency plans, legal compliance, public safety.

Study

Discipline 14

Veterinary Medicine

Health monitoring, prevention, treatment awareness, and partnership with qualified reptile veterinarians — quarantine, parasites, RI, mouth rot, wounds, sheds, emergencies.

Study

Discipline 15

Zoological Operations

Running collections, breeding facilities, education centers, zoos, sanctuaries — facility design, SOPs, biosecurity, inventory systems, staff roles, training, documentation.

Study

The fifteen disciplines of Citadel Culebra — the complete reptile-keeping curriculum

Anatomy & Physiology

Anatomy & Physiology

Behavior & Handling

Breeding

Conservation & Research

Crocodilians

Education & Media

Genetics

Husbandry

Legislation & Policy

Nutrition

Reptile History

Socialization

Venomous & Toxicology

Veterinary Medicine

Zoological Operations