VHO terms

Namespace https://vho.bio/ns/core# · ontology version 0.3.2 · Turtle

Classes (161)

Acrylic vho:Acrylic

Cast or extruded poly(methyl methacrylate) sheet. Transparent like glass; lighter and less brittle; scratches more readily and discolours over years of UV exposure.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnclosureMaterial
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Activity Pattern vho:ActivityPattern

A quality describing the diel timing of an organism's activity peaks (crepuscular, nocturnal, diurnal, cathemeral). Drives the photoperiod and lighting regimes a species expects to encounter in captivity.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Quality
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diel_vertical_migration
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Air Exchange Level vho:AirExchangeLevel

A categorical level of passive air exchange an enclosure provides, determined by the size, number, and placement of its ventilation openings relative to enclosure volume.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Airflow Pattern vho:AirflowPattern

A spatial arrangement of ventilation openings that determines how air moves through an enclosure, independent of how much air is exchanged.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Ambient temperature vho:AmbientTemperature

Temperature of the air inside an enclosure. Bearer of the vho:ambientTemperature numeric value used in care regime constraints.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnvironmentalTemperature
equivalent to
obo:ENVO_09200001
also known as
air temperature
source
obo:ENVO_09200001
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Amphibia vho:Amphibia

Class of ectothermic tetrapod vertebrates characterised by a typically biphasic life cycle (aquatic larva, terrestrial adult) and a permeable, mucous, scaleless integument that functions in cutaneous gas exchange and osmoregulation. Contains all vivarium-kept frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Animal, vho:Chordata
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_8292
source
obo:NCBITaxon_8292
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Anatomical Trait vho:AnatomicalTrait

A trait reflecting structural anatomy (e.g., tarsal claw, permeable skin, gape size).

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Trait
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Animal vho:Animal

A living animal kept in a vivarium.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Organism
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Anura vho:Anura

Order of amphibians comprising tail-less adults with elongated hind limbs adapted for jumping. Bearer of vho:PermeableSkin and vho:ThinIntegument universally: the dorsoventral skin functions as a respiratory and osmoregulatory surface and is mechanically vulnerable.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Amphibia
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_8342
also known as
frogs and toads
source
obo:NCBITaxon_8342
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Aquarium vho:Aquarium

An enclosure whose interior is fully aquatic. The resident occupies the water column and surface; no terrestrial substrate is present.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Enclosure
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquarium
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Arachnida vho:Arachnida

Arthropod class containing spiders, scorpions, and related lineages. Members typically bear eight legs and lack antennae.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Arthropoda
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_6854
source
obo:NCBITaxon_6854
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Araneae vho:Araneae

Order of arachnids characterised by silk-producing spinnerets and a body divided into a cephalothorax and abdomen.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Arachnida
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_6893
also known as
spiders
source
obo:NCBITaxon_6893
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Arthropoda vho:Arthropoda

Invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton, segmented body, and jointed appendages. Phylum containing all vivarium-kept invertebrates other than gastropods and annelids.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Metazoa
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_6656
source
obo:NCBITaxon_6656
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Background Role vho:BackgroundRole

Played by an EnclosureBackground or by content positioned to function as a visual background.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Ball Python vho:BallPython

Small, heavy-bodied, terrestrial nonvenomous python native to the grasslands and forests of West and Central Africa. Adults reach 109–136 cm total length; named for its habit of coiling into a ball when threatened. The most widely-kept pet snake, prized for its docile temperament and modest size.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Python
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_51751
also known as
Python regius, royal python
source
obo:NCBITaxon_51751
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Band Role vho:BandRole

The kind of claim a source makes about a numeric band. A band carrying no band role states required provision; a band carrying one is a different kind of claim, such as a field-observation statistic, that informs provision without stating it. What to conclude from such a band is the judgement of whoever applies it.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Basking Surface vho:BaskingSurface

A surface where an organism warms via radiated or conducted heat.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:ThermalRole
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Behavioural Trait vho:BehaviouralTrait

A trait reflecting behaviour (e.g., burrowing-required, arboreal-preference). Distinct from vho:Temperament: traits gate capacity realization; temperament is a quality.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Trait
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Body length vho:BodyLength

Linear extent of an organism's body. Abstract parent of the conventional body-size descriptors (vho:SnoutVentLength, vho:TotalLength, vho:DiagonalLegSpan, vho:CarapaceLength, vho:PlastronLength), each of which fixes the axis along which a clade's body size is measured.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Quality
equivalent to
obo:PATO_0000122
source
obo:PATO_0000122
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Body mass vho:BodyMass

Mass of an organism's body. Used for individual measurements and for species-level typical-adult ranges (vho:typicalAdultMassRange).

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Quality
equivalent to
obo:PATO_0000125
source
obo:PATO_0000125
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Body measurement vho:BodyMeasurement

A measurement of a body-size descriptor. The node names the descriptor it measures with vho:measuredAs and its unit with vho:unit. A measurement of an individual organism carries a single vho:value; a species-typical measurement instead carries vho:minInclusive and vho:maxInclusive in the manner of a vho:Range.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Brumation exit vho:BrumationExit

A husbandry action sequence that brings a resident out of brumation: progressive restoration of temperature and photoperiod, gradual reintroduction of food.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:HusbandryAction
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Brumation initiation vho:BrumationInitiation

A husbandry action sequence that prepares a resident for brumation: progressive reduction of temperature and photoperiod, cessation of feeding, increased hydration.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:HusbandryAction
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Brumation maintenance vho:BrumationMaintenance

Husbandry checks during an active brumation period: temperature monitoring, hydration checks, weight checks. No feeding.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:HusbandryAction
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Brumation period vho:BrumationPeriod

A seasonal phase of metabolic slowdown observed in many temperate reptiles and amphibians during cooler months. Temperatures, feeding, and lighting are progressively reduced over the entry phase, held minimal during the maintenance phase, and gradually restored during the exit phase.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:SeasonalPeriod
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dormancy#Brumation
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Burrow Site Role vho:BurrowSiteRole

Played by substrate (or, less commonly, hardscape with a pre-formed cavity) deep, structured, and stable enough for a resident to construct or occupy a permanent burrow. Distinct from vho:Hide: a hide is an above-substrate concealment surface, while a burrow site provides excavated underground residence. For fossorial and opportunistic-burrower species (theraphosids, fossorial reptiles), the burrow site is the primary day-time residence.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Calcium carbonate vho:CalciumCarbonate

Calcium salt CaCO₃. In vivarium husbandry, served as a calcium supplement dusted onto feeders or provided in dish form; also incorporated into some substrate blends for pH buffering and incidental calcium availability.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Supplement
equivalent to
obo:CHEBI_3311
source
obo:CHEBI_3311
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Calcium supplement vho:CalciumSupplement

A powdered dietary supplement whose primary mineral is calcium (typically calcium carbonate, CHEBI:3311), used to correct the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of insect feeders. May or may not include vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol, CHEBI:28940) depending on whether the enclosure provides UVB.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Supplement
source
https://reptifiles.com/crested-gecko-care/crested-gecko-food/
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Calcium supplement with D3 vho:CalciumWithD3

Calcium supplement that also contains supplemental vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Appropriate when the enclosure does NOT provide UVB lighting: the dietary D3 substitutes for the D3 the resident would otherwise synthesise via UVB exposure.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:CalciumSupplement
also known as
Ca + D3
source
https://reptifiles.com/crested-gecko-care/crested-gecko-food/
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Calcium supplement without D3 vho:CalciumWithoutD3

Calcium supplement that does NOT contain supplemental vitamin D3. Appropriate when the enclosure provides UVB lighting: the resident synthesises its own D3 from UVB, so additional dietary D3 risks over-supplementation.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:CalciumSupplement
also known as
Ca only
source
https://reptifiles.com/crested-gecko-care/crested-gecko-food/
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Capacity vho:Capacity

What a continuant in a vivarium is capable of doing.

Top-level class for the capacity continuant. Specific types of capacity (e.g., vho:FeedingCapacity, vho:CleaningCapacity) are subclasses.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Carapace length vho:CarapaceLength

Linear extent of a dorsal shield along its midline. Abstract parent of the conventional carapace-based body-size measures, used directly for crustaceans and specialised by the chelonian straight and curved measures.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:BodyLength
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Care Axis vho:CareAxis

A curatable dimension of husbandry knowledge about a taxon, such as humidity provision or diet. An axis names the question a curator answers, not the answer; each axis links to the assertion properties that answer it via vho:coversProperty, and taxa state which axes are meaningful questions for their members via vho:applicableAxis and vho:inapplicableAxis.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Care Guide vho:CareGuide

A sectioned prose document describing how to keep a species in captivity. Wraps human-readable husbandry narrative around explicit pointers to the ontology axioms that back each claim.

The CareGuide carries document-level metadata (title, creator, source, date) via Dublin Core. It is the round-trip bridge between hobbyist-facing prose and machine-readable axioms: each section names which species class and which properties on that class it describes, so a renderer can walk from prose to axiom and back.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Care Guide Section vho:CareGuideSection

A single section of a CareGuide. Carries prose for one topical cluster (e.g., enclosure, diet) and links to the axioms it describes via vho:describes.

Sections are the atomic prose units. A section is expected to bear exactly one rdfs:label (the section title), one dcterms:description (the prose body), one vho:sectionOrder (for stable rendering), and one or more vho:describes edges to the species class and/or to specific property URIs on that class.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Care Regime vho:CareRegime

A bundle of husbandry value constraints (humidity, temperature, photoperiod, feeding, supplementation) scoped to a period.

Attached to a species (or other organism class) via vho:hasCareRegime; scoped to a vho:Period via vho:duringPeriod.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Chordata vho:Chordata

Phylum of animals possessing a notochord at some life stage. Contains all vivarium-kept vertebrates.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Metazoa
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_7711
source
obo:NCBITaxon_7711
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Cleaning action vho:CleaningAction

A husbandry action that removes waste, uneaten food, shed skin, or biofilm from the enclosure. Distinct from substrate change: cleaning does not replace the substrate medium.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:HusbandryAction
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Cleanup Crew Role vho:CleanupCrewRole

Played by detritivores (isopods, springtails) maintaining bioactive substrate.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Climbing Structure vho:ClimbingStructure

A continuant providing arboreal traversal surfaces for an organism.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Coco coir vho:CocoCoir

Fibre and pith milled from the husks of coconut palm fruit. Widely used as the bulk component of tropical bioactive substrates: holds water without becoming anaerobic, supports microbial colonisation, and resists decomposition over typical enclosure timescales.

Property values are for fine-pith form (the most common form in vivarium use); coarse-fibre forms drain faster and retain less. Refine per form when species encoding requires the distinction.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:SubstrateComponent
also known as
coconut fibre, coir pith
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coir
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Commercial Food vho:CommercialFood

A material entity that is manufactured and sold as food for an organism in a vivarium.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Foodstuff
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Comparator vho:Comparator

The direction in which a vho:SizingConstraint bounds its quantity.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Constraint Basis vho:ConstraintBasis

The reason a vho:SizingConstraint exists and the weight a breach carries. The evaluation shape enforces only binding bases; non-binding bases inform presentation.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Correlophus vho:Correlophus

Genus of New Caledonian geckos containing the crested gecko (C. ciliatus), Sarasin's giant gecko (C. sarasinorum), and the eyelash gecko (C. belepensis).

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Diplodactylidae
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_1479064
source
obo:NCBITaxon_1479064
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Crested gecko vho:CrestedGecko

Arboreal, crepuscular-to-nocturnal gecko endemic to southern New Caledonia. Bears soft adhesive setae on the toe pads, a frilled crest of dermal projections from the head along the back, and an autotomous tail that does not regenerate after loss.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Correlophus
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_143539
also known as
Correlophus ciliatus, eyelash gecko
source
obo:NCBITaxon_143539
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Crested gecko axanthic morph vho:CrestedGeckoAxanthic

Recessive colour morph of Correlophus ciliatus lacking yellow and red carotenoid pigmentation. Visually distinct (grayscale phenotype) but otherwise broadly similar in husbandry to wild-type. The morph class exists to demonstrate the morph-override pattern in the ontology; species-level regimes inherit unchanged where the morph does not override.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:CrestedGecko
also known as
axanthic crested gecko
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/reptifiles

Decor vho:Decor

Passive non-structural items, typically synthetic, placed in an enclosure primarily for aesthetic or visual-barrier purposes.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnclosureContent
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Dendrobatidae vho:Dendrobatidae

Family of small, predominantly diurnal Neotropical frogs known for aposematic colouration and (in many genera) cutaneous alkaloid sequestration derived from a wild arthropod-prey diet. In captivity, individuals raised on fruit flies and springtails do not produce these alkaloids and are non-toxic.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Anura
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_43469
also known as
poison dart frogs
source
obo:NCBITaxon_43469
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Deposition Site Role vho:DepositionSiteRole

Played by a continuant on or in which a species deposits eggs. For dendrobatid frogs this is typically a bromeliad axil, a film canister, a moist sphagnum-lined leaf, or a similar water-holding or moisture-retaining geometry. Distinct from vho:Hide: a deposition site must hold moisture at the deposition geometry but need not provide visual concealment.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Derived Enclosure Quantity vho:DerivedEnclosureQuantity

A quantity computed from an enclosure's dimensions (and, where relevant, its substrate) and bounded by a vho:SizingConstraint. The computation for each quantity is fixed in the evaluation shape; the quantity term is the parameter that selects it.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Design vho:Design

A specific configuration of an enclosure, its contents, environmental state, and resident organism(s), described as a coherent unit.

Names one vivarium configuration so its constituents can be referred to together: which enclosure, which contents, which environmental measurements, which resident organisms, and which period is current. Applications that assess a configuration against a species' requirements do so over Design instances, under criteria those applications publish themselves.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Design Condition vho:DesignCondition

A condition of an enclosure design, such as the presence of live plantings, that a care requirement may be restricted to via vho:appliesWhen. Whether a given design satisfies the condition is judged by the tool or keeper applying the requirement; the vocabulary defines only what the condition means.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Diagonal leg span vho:DiagonalLegSpan

Distance from the tip of the first leg to the tip of the diagonally opposite fourth leg with the legs extended. The conventional body-size measure for spiders, including theraphosids, where the span of the extended legs, rather than the length of the body, determines the floor space the animal needs and the fall distance it can survive.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:BodyLength
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Diel Period vho:DielPeriod

A period scoped to a recurring daily cycle (e.g., Daytime, Nighttime, Crepuscular).

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Period
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Diplodactylidae vho:Diplodactylidae

Family of geckos endemic to Australia, New Caledonia, and New Zealand. Includes the New Caledonian giant geckos and the crested gecko.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Gekkota
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_311552
source
obo:NCBITaxon_311552
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Door vho:Door

A movable structure that forms an entrance of an enclosure in a vivarium.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnclosurePart
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Drainage Layer Role vho:DrainageLayerRole

Played by whatever structure beneath the substrate bed lets irrigation water pass out of the bed and collect below it rather than waterlogging it. A layer of coarse free-draining aggregate such as expanded clay is the typical player; a raised false bottom plays the same role.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Enclosure vho:Enclosure

A structure that contains an organism in a vivarium.

Top-level class for the enclosure continuant. Specific types of enclosure (e.g., vho:Terrarium, vho:Aquarium) are subclasses.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Enclosure Background vho:EnclosureBackground

A structure that forms a background of an enclosure in a vivarium.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnclosurePart
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Enclosure Content vho:EnclosureContent

A material entity that is contained in an enclosure in a vivarium.

Top-level class for the enclosure content continuant. Specific types of enclosure content (e.g., vho:Substrate, vho:Decor) are subclasses.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Enclosure material vho:EnclosureMaterial

Class of materials used to construct enclosure parts. Material is attached to a vho:EnclosurePart individual via vho:material; it is a property axis distinct from the part class.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Enclosure Part vho:EnclosurePart

A part of an enclosure in a vivarium.

Top-level class for the enclosure part continuant. Specific types of enclosure part (e.g., vho:Wall, vho:Door) are subclasses.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Endorsement vho:Endorsement

A review of the published effective record of a species or morph class, at a stated release, that concluded with the reviewing agent endorsing the record's content as sound husbandry guidance. Names the reviewed class via vho:endorsedSubject and the release-stamped record document via vho:endorsedRecord; the reviewing agent and the completion date are stated with prov:wasAssociatedWith and prov:endedAtTime. An endorsement may scope itself to particular care axes via vho:reviewedAxis; absent that, it covers the whole record. Reviews that did not conclude in endorsement are not recorded.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
prov:Activity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Environment vho:Environment

The set of ambient conditions inside an enclosure at a given time. Bearer of qualities such as temperature, humidity, photoperiod, and airflow.

Environment is the dynamic state inside an enclosure; Enclosure is the physical container.

Top-level class for the environment continuant.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Environment Zone vho:EnvironmentZone

A spatially-distinct region inside an enclosure whose ambient conditions differ enough from the bulk that they must be evaluated independently. Subclass of vho:Environment. Bearer of the same per-axis measurement properties that sit directly on a vho:Design for single-environment cases (vho:ambientHumidity, vho:ambientTemperature, vho:baskingTemperature, vho:waterTemperature, vho:baskingUvi).

Used for paludarium-style enclosures where a water area and a land area have substantially different ambient conditions inside the same enclosure. Regimes scope to a zone class via vho:scopedToZone; the generic regime-vs-measurement SHACL shape walks that link to the matching zone in the design. Single-environment designs (terrestrial cases) need not assert any zones; the shape's design-level branch applies.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Environment
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Environmental temperature vho:EnvironmentalTemperature

Temperature quality inhering in an environmental material: air, water, soil, or other substrate of an enclosure interior. Parent class for the material-specific temperature qualities used by VHO care regimes.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Temperature
equivalent to
obo:ENVO_09200000
source
obo:ENVO_09200000
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Equipment vho:Equipment

An active or functional item placed in an enclosure, typically powered or mechanical, providing or regulating an environmental condition.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnclosureContent
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Feeding action vho:FeedingAction

A husbandry action that offers a foodstuff to a resident organism. Pairs with vho:performedOn (the recipient) and vho:involvesFoodstuff (the food item).

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:HusbandryAction
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Foodstuff vho:Foodstuff

A material entity that is used as food for an organism in a vivarium.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Front opening vho:FrontOpening

A vho:Door installed on a vertical face of the enclosure. Subsumes swing-door and sliding-door variants.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Door
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Gecko commercial diet vho:GeckoCommercialDiet

Powdered commercial diet formulated for arboreal frugivorous geckos (Correlophus, Rhacodactylus, Mniarogekko, similar New Caledonian lineages). Typically a nutritionally-complete blend of fruit powders, insect protein, vitamins, and minerals; reconstituted with water to a viscous paste at feeding time. Brands include Pangea, Repashy, Arcadia, Black Panther Zoological, Leapin' Leachie, Zoo Med (new formula), Lugarti, and Blue River Diets.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:CommercialFood
also known as
CGD, crested gecko diet
source
https://reptifiles.com/crested-gecko-care/crested-gecko-food/
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Gekkota vho:Gekkota

Infraorder of squamates containing geckos and pygopods. Members are widely kept in vivaria across crepuscular, nocturnal, and diurnal lineages.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Animal, vho:Squamata
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_8560
also known as
geckos
source
obo:NCBITaxon_8560
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Glass vho:Glass

Soda-lime or low-iron glass used for transparent walls, doors, and lids. Holds heat well, blocks UV-B, fragile under impact.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnclosureMaterial
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Grammostola vho:Grammostola

Genus of heavy-bodied, slow-growing, long-lived terrestrial tarantulas native to South America (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay). Includes the widely-kept beginner-friendly species G. pulchra (Brazilian black) and G. pulchripes (Chaco golden knee). Adult females typically exceed 10 g and persist for decades in captivity.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Theraphosidae
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_29014
source
obo:NCBITaxon_29014
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Brazilian black tarantula vho:GrammostolaPulchra

Slow-growing, heavy-bodied terrestrial tarantula endemic to grassland and pampas habitat in southern Brazil and Uruguay. Adults are jet-black with iridescence; adult females reach 13–17 cm diagonal leg span and 15–25 g body mass, with captive lifespans of 25–30 years.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Grammostola
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_1826295
also known as
Brazilian black, Grammostola pulchra
source
obo:NCBITaxon_1826295
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Habit vho:Habit

A quality describing the macrohabitat or substrate-stratum an organism predominantly occupies (arboreal, terrestrial, saxicolous, fossorial, aquatic). Drives enclosure-orientation and structural-content requirements.

Habit is the gross stratum preference. Finer microhabitat preferences (thin-branch preference, leaf-litter preference, bromeliad axils) are not modeled at this level.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Quality
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habit_(biology)
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Hardscape vho:Hardscape

Passive structural material (typically natural wood, rock, or similar) placed in an enclosure to provide habitat structure or play roles such as hide, climbing structure, or basking surface.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnclosureContent
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Heating equipment vho:HeatingEquipment

Equipment whose primary function is to raise the temperature of the enclosure, its substrate, or its occupants. Includes radiant heat lamps, ceramic heat emitters, deep heat projectors, heat mats, and radiant heat panels.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Equipment
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Hide vho:Hide

Provides visual cover and a sense of enclosure to a target organism.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:ShelterRole
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Hinged lid vho:HingedLid

A top opening with a hinge along one edge.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:TopOpening
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Humidity vho:Humidity

Quality inhering in air by virtue of the partial pressure exerted by the bearer's water vapour content. The relative-humidity value referenced by VHO care regimes (vho:humidityRange, vho:ambientHumidity) is a measurement of this quality.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Quality
equivalent to
obo:PATO_0015009
source
obo:PATO_0015009
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Husbandry Action vho:HusbandryAction

An action that is performed in a vivarium for the purpose of husbandry.

Top-level class for the husbandry action process. Specific types of husbandry action (e.g., vho:FeedingAction, vho:CleaningAction) are subclasses.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Land Zone vho:LandZone

The terrestrial region of a paludarium or other partly-aquatic enclosure. Bearer of the standard ambient-air measurements (vho:ambientHumidity, vho:ambientTemperature) and the standard basking measurements where applicable. Distinct from vho:WaterZone within the same enclosure.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnvironmentZone
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Leaf Litter Role vho:LeafLitterRole

Played by a layer of loose dried plant material, typically hardwood leaves, spread over the substrate surface. Provides ground-level concealment, humidity buffering, egg-deposition microsites for some species, and habitat for detritivore microfauna.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Lepidosauria vho:Lepidosauria

Superorder of reptiles containing Squamata (lizards, snakes, amphisbaenians) and Rhynchocephalia (tuatara). The nearest ancestor of Gekkota above Squamata.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Chordata
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_8504
source
obo:NCBITaxon_8504
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Lid vho:Lid

A movable structure that forms a cover of an enclosure in a vivarium.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnclosurePart
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Life Stage Period vho:LifeStagePeriod

A period scoped to a developmental stage (e.g., Hatchling, Juvenile, Adult).

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Period
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Lighting equipment vho:LightingEquipment

Equipment whose primary function is to deliver light to the enclosure across some part of the visible, UVA, or UVB spectrum. Includes daylight bulbs, plant grow lights, and UVB tubes. Distinct from vho:HeatingEquipment: lamps emit both heat and light but are typed by their primary intent.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Equipment
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Linoleum substrate vho:LinoleumSubstrate

Substrate composed of vinyl flooring, shelf liner, or linoleum sheet. Off-gasses plasticisers and adhesive residues at vivarium temperatures and humidities. Sometimes used as a cheap floor covering; not safe.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Substrate
also known as
shelf liner substrate, vinyl flooring substrate
source
https://reptifiles.com/crested-gecko-care/crested-gecko-substrate-options/
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Live Feeder vho:LiveFeeder

A living animal that is used as food for an organism in a vivarium.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Foodstuff
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Mesh vho:Mesh

Woven metal or synthetic mesh used for high-ventilation walls, doors, or lids. Allows airflow and UV-B transmission; bears vho:MeshTopEntanglement when used as a lid.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnclosureMaterial
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Mesh lid vho:MeshLid

An enclosure lid constructed from woven or perforated mesh. Provides high ventilation but bears vho:MeshTopEntanglement; unsafe for any resident carrying vho:TarsalClaw.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Lid
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Metazoa vho:Metazoa

Multicellular animals. Root of the animal taxonomic chain referenced by VHO.

type
owl:Class
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_33208
source
obo:NCBITaxon_33208
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Misting action vho:MistingAction

A husbandry action that applies water as fine droplets to the enclosure interior, raising humidity and (for many species) providing drinking water as droplets on surfaces.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:HusbandryAction
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Mygalomorphae vho:Mygalomorphae

Infraorder of spiders characterised by paraxial chelicerae (fangs swinging in parallel rather than opposed), two pairs of book lungs, and (in most lineages) a long-lived, slow-growing life history. Contains the Theraphosidae (true tarantulas), Atypidae (purse-web spiders), and other lineages.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Araneae
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_6894
also known as
mygalomorph spiders
source
obo:NCBITaxon_6894
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

No requirement vho:NoRequirement

A sourced statement that a care axis needs no provision for members of a class: the axis was considered and the cited source states none is required. Names its axis via vho:onAxis and carries source or contributor provenance like any assertion. Distinct from an axis nobody has curated yet, which carries no statement at all.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Occupant Role vho:OccupantRole

Played by the resident organism(s) of a design.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Orchid bark vho:OrchidBark

Coarse milled bark (typically of Douglas fir, white fir, or redwood) sold for orchid potting. Used in vivarium substrate blends as the drainage and aeration component: low water retention, high drainage, slow decomposition.

Values are for medium-grade (10–20 mm) chunks. Fine-grade bark behaves closer to coir; large-grade behaves more like drainage layer than substrate component.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:SubstrateComponent
also known as
fir bark
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchid#Cultivation
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Organism vho:Organism

A living thing in a vivarium. This includes both animals and plants.

VHO scopes Organism to species kept in a vivarium. Livestock, companion mammals, and birds are out of scope.

Top-level class for the kept-species continuant.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

PVC vho:PVC

Polyvinyl chloride sheet, typically used for opaque rear and side walls of large reptile enclosures. Excellent thermal insulation; rigid; not transparent.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnclosureMaterial
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Paludarium vho:Paludarium

An enclosure containing both water and land in fixed proportions. Distinguished from an aquarium (no land) and a riparium (water with shallow margins, but the residents are aquatic).

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Enclosure
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paludarium
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Period vho:Period

A temporal phase to which one or more care regimes scope. Abstract parent of diel, seasonal, reproductive, and life-stage periods.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Physiological Sub-Period vho:PhysiologicalSubPeriod

A transient period that can co-occur with a life-stage or seasonal period. Distinct from vho:LifeStagePeriod (exclusive, monotonic, advances once) and vho:SeasonalPeriod (exclusive, cyclic, advances annually): a physiological sub-period rides on top of the current stage and reverts. Bearer of moult-cycle sub-periods (PreMoult, Moulting, PostMoult), feeding sub-periods (post-feeding, fasting), and reproductive sub-periods of the per-event kind (gravid, post-clutch).

A design may assert vho:currentPeriod for both a LifeStagePeriod and a PhysiologicalSubPeriod simultaneously: the two are orthogonal axes, not alternatives. vho:ReproductivePeriod remains a sibling subclass of vho:Period; new reproductive sub-states should consider PhysiologicalSubPeriod instead.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Period
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Physiological Trait vho:PhysiologicalTrait

A trait reflecting physiology or biochemistry (e.g., calcium-deficiency susceptibility, elevated cortisol sensitivity).

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Trait
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Pine substrate vho:PineSubstrate

Substrate composed of pine or cedar shavings, chips, or pellets. The aromatic oils characteristic of these conifers (phenols, abietic acid derivatives) off-gas at room temperature and act as neurotoxins on reptiles and amphibians. Universally contraindicated in vivarium use.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Substrate
also known as
cedar substrate
source
https://reptifiles.com/crested-gecko-care/crested-gecko-substrate-options/
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Plant vho:Plant

A living plant kept in a vivarium.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Organism
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Plant Matter vho:PlantMatter

A material entity that is derived from a plant and is used as food for an organism in a vivarium.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Foodstuff
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Plastron length vho:PlastronLength

Straight-line distance from the anterior margin to the posterior margin of a chelonian plastron, measured along the midline. Used alongside carapace length to size chelonians and to track growth.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:BodyLength
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Prey Role vho:PreyRole

Played by a foodstuff (including a live feeder animal) during a feeding event.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Python vho:Python

Genus of constricting pythons native to sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Includes the ball python (Python regius), the most widely-kept pet snake.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Pythonidae
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_37579
source
obo:NCBITaxon_37579
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Pythonidae vho:Pythonidae

Family of nonvenomous constricting snakes native to Africa, Asia, and Australia. Includes the ball python, the most widely-kept pet snake.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Serpentes
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_34984
also known as
pythons
source
obo:NCBITaxon_34984
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Quality vho:Quality

A quality of a continuant in a vivarium.

Top-level class for the quality continuant. Specific types of quality (e.g., vho:Temperature, vho:Humidity) are subclasses.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Range vho:Range

An inclusive numeric range with optional unit. Used by care-regime value constraints (humidity range, temperature range, feeding frequency).

Carries vho:minInclusive, vho:maxInclusive, and optionally vho:unit.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Ranitomeya vho:Ranitomeya

Genus of small Neotropical dendrobatid frogs (typical adult SVL 14–25 mm) characterised by arboreal habit, phytotelm-rearing reproductive ecology, and substantial intraspecific colour-pattern variation across geographic locales. Resurrected from Dendrobates in 2006.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Dendrobatidae
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_1004436
also known as
thumbnail dart frogs
source
obo:NCBITaxon_1004436
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Mimic poison frog vho:RanitomeyaImitator

Small Neotropical dendrobatid frog (typical adult SVL ≈ 17–22 mm) endemic to lowland and pre-montane primary and secondary forest of San Martín department, Peru. Notable for Müllerian mimicry of sympatric Ranitomeya species and for biparental care: males transport tadpoles to phytotelmata (typically bromeliad axils or arboreal pools) and females provision tadpoles with trophic eggs.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Ranitomeya
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_111125
also known as
imitator, Ranitomeya imitator
source
obo:NCBITaxon_111125
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Reproductive Period vho:ReproductivePeriod

A period scoped to reproductive state (e.g., Gravid, Postpartum, BreedingIntroduction).

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Period
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Reptile carpet substrate vho:ReptileCarpetSubstrate

Substrate composed of looped or napped synthetic fibre marketed as 'reptile carpet'. The fibre loops catch and snag the fine toe structures of adhesive-pad geckos and other small-bodied lizards. Off-gassing is not the primary concern with this product; toe trauma is.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Substrate
source
https://reptifiles.com/crested-gecko-care/crested-gecko-substrate-options/
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Role vho:Role

A role that a continuant in a vivarium can bear.

Top-level class for the role continuant. Specific types of role (e.g., vho:OccupantRole, vho:CleanupCrewRole) are subclasses.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Role Requirement vho:RoleRequirement

A requirement that a role be played in a design, stating the role and optionally how many distinct players it needs (vho:minRoleCount), how binding the requirement is (vho:basis), and the condition under which it applies (vho:appliesWhen). Asserted on an organism class via vho:roleRequirement; asserting one entails the role is required just as vho:requiresRole does, with the stated parameters attached.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Seasonal Period vho:SeasonalPeriod

A period scoped to an annual season or dormancy cycle (e.g., Brumation, ActiveSeason, DrySeason).

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Period
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Serpentes vho:Serpentes

Suborder of squamates comprising the snakes: limbless, elongate carnivores that locate, subdue, and swallow prey whole. Contains all vivarium-kept snakes.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Animal, vho:Squamata
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_8570
also known as
snakes
source
obo:NCBITaxon_8570
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Sharp-edged decor vho:SharpEdgedDecor

Decor whose surface or perimeter presents sharp, fractured, or otherwise abrasive edges to the enclosure interior. Includes cut acrylic, broken or chipped ceramics, and rigid moulded plants with thin, unfiled leaf tips. Bears vho:SoftTissueLaceration.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Decor
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Shelter Role vho:ShelterRole

Abstract role for any continuant whose function is to provide shelter, cover, or perceived safety.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Sizing Constraint vho:SizingConstraint

A floor or ceiling on a derived enclosure quantity, expressed either as a multiple of a body-size descriptor (vho:relativeTo and vho:multiple) or as a fixed dimension (vho:absoluteFloor), in a direction given by vho:comparator and for a reason given by vho:basis. Optionally restricted to residents bearing a quality or trait via vho:appliesWhen.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Sliding door vho:SlidingDoor

A front-opening door that translates horizontally along a track.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:FrontOpening
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Snout-vent length vho:SnoutVentLength

Linear distance from the snout tip to the anterior margin of the vent, measured along the ventral midline. The conventional body-size measure for lizards and for tail-bearing amphibians, preferred over a snout-to-tail measure because it is unaffected by tail loss or tail regeneration.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:BodyLength
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Sphagnum moss vho:SphagnumMoss

Dried fibrous tissue of Sphagnum mosses. Acidic and antimicrobial; used as a top-dressing or major component where extreme moisture retention is required (e.g., dart frog vivaria, humidity-sensitive incubation). Hold capacity is exceptional: dried sphagnum can absorb 15–20 times its dry mass in water.

Values are for long-fibre (whole-strand) sphagnum; milled sphagnum behaves more like coir.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:SubstrateComponent
also known as
long-fibre sphagnum
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphagnum
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Squamata vho:Squamata

Order of reptiles containing lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Animal, vho:Lepidosauria
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_8509
also known as
scaled reptiles
source
obo:NCBITaxon_8509
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Straight carapace length vho:StraightCarapaceLength

Straight-line distance from the anterior margin to the posterior margin of a chelonian carapace, taken with calipers rather than over the curve of the shell. The conventional body-size measure for turtles and tortoises and the basis on which their enclosures are sized.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:CarapaceLength
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Substrate vho:Substrate

The medium covering the enclosure floor, composed of one or more components contributing to drainage, water retention, and bioactive viability.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnclosureContent
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Substrate change action vho:SubstrateChangeAction

A husbandry action that replaces some or all of the enclosure substrate. Disruptive to bioactive setups, which favour spot-cleaning over substrate changes.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:HusbandryAction
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Substrate Component vho:SubstrateComponent

A constituent material of a substrate blend (e.g., coco coir, sphagnum, orchid bark). Component classes carry intrinsic property values (water retention, drainage, particle size) that compose into substrate-level derived properties via SHACL Rules.

Used as the type of the blank-node or named-individual components reached via vho:hasComponent on a vho:Substrate.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Substrate temperature vho:SubstrateTemperature

Temperature of the substrate (soil, coco coir, sand, or other floor medium) inside an enclosure. Relevant to bioactive viability, burrower comfort, and incubation conditions.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnvironmentalTemperature
equivalent to
obo:ENVO_09200012
also known as
soil temperature
source
obo:ENVO_09200012
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Supplement vho:Supplement

A material entity that is used as a dietary supplement for an organism in a vivarium.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Foodstuff
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Swing door vho:SwingDoor

A front-opening door hinged at one vertical edge.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:FrontOpening
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Tadpole food vho:TadpoleFood

Powdered or pelleted commercial diet formulated for anuran larvae. Typically a high-protein blend of fish meal, algae, and supplemented micronutrients; reconstituted with rearing water or fed as a sinking pellet. Brands include Repashy SuperVite tadpole formulas, Sera Micron, Aquatic Foods tadpole bites, and Josh's Frogs tadpole food. Distinct from adult anuran diets: tadpoles are typically aquatic herbivores or microphagous omnivores, whereas post-metamorphic adults are insectivores.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:CommercialFood
also known as
tadpole bites, tadpole diet
source
https://www.thejunglevault.com/items/ranitomeya-imitator-care-and-breeding
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Tadpole Nursery Role vho:TadpoleNurseryRole

Played by a water-holding continuant in which tadpoles are reared. Typically a phytotelm (e.g., bromeliad-leaf axil), a film canister filled with water, or a dedicated rearing cup. Distinct from vho:DepositionSiteRole: deposition is where eggs are laid; rearing is where the resulting tadpoles develop. For Ranitomeya imitator the two roles may be co-located in the same phytotelm but remain conceptually distinct.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Temperament vho:Temperament

A quality that describes the temperament of an organism in a vivarium.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Quality
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Temperature vho:Temperature

Quality of the thermal energy of a system. Abstract parent of the material-contextualised temperatures used in care regimes (ambient, substrate, water).

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Quality
equivalent to
obo:PATO_0000146
source
obo:PATO_0000146
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Theraphosidae vho:Theraphosidae

Family of large, typically long-lived mygalomorph spiders kept widely in vivaria. Members carry paired tarsal claws used for clinging.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Animal, vho:Mygalomorphae
equivalent to
obo:NCBITaxon_6895
also known as
true tarantulas
source
obo:NCBITaxon_6895
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Thermal Role vho:ThermalRole

Abstract role for any continuant whose function is to provide a thermal effect on an organism (basking, cooling, gradient anchor).

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Top opening vho:TopOpening

A vho:Lid that provides access by opening upward.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Lid
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Total length vho:TotalLength

Linear distance from the snout tip to the tail tip, measured along the body. The conventional body-size measure for snakes and for elongate tailed amphibians such as newts and salamanders, whose usable space scales with the length they can stretch out to.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:BodyLength
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Trait vho:Trait

An anatomical, physiological, or behavioural feature of an organism that participates in capacity realization.

Abstract parent for trait categories. Domain content adds specific trait individuals.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Unguarded heat lamp vho:UnguardedHeatLamp

A radiant heat lamp installed without a protective cage around the bulb. Bears vho:HeatElementContact; unsafe for any resident carrying vho:ClimbingAbility.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:HeatingEquipment
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Unit vho:Unit

A unit of measurement. Specific units (vho:Celsius, vho:Gram, vho:Centimetre, vho:Month, vho:Year, vho:PerDay) are individuals of this class.

type
owl:Class
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Untreated tap water vho:UntreatedTapWater

Water drawn directly from a municipal supply without dechlorination or aging. Bears vho:ChloramineExposure: residual chlorine and chloramines cross a permeable amphibian integument and disrupt cutaneous gas exchange and osmoregulation. Distinct from treated water (dechlorinated, RO-remineralised, or aged 24 h under aeration), which does not bear this capacity. Modelled as a vho:Substrate subclass so it participates in the capacity-realisation pattern alongside other unsafe substrates, rather than as a vho:Foodstuff or a dedicated vho:WaterMedium class.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Substrate
also known as
raw tap water, unfiltered tap water
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

UVB lamp vho:UvbLamp

A lighting fixture emitting in the UV-B band (280–315 nm) at intensities relevant to reptile and amphibian D3 photosynthesis. Includes Arcadia ShadeDweller / Forest / Desert tubes, Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 series, and equivalent compact fluorescent or T5 fluorescent products. Naked-bulb installation is required, since UVB is blocked by glass and most plastics.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:LightingEquipment
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Vent vho:Vent

A structure that forms an opening for air circulation in an enclosure in a vivarium.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnclosurePart
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Visual Barrier vho:VisualBarrier

Breaks line-of-sight, contributing to perceived safety; distinct from a full hide because it need not enclose.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:ShelterRole
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Vitamin D3 vho:VitaminD3

The inactive form of vitamin D, hydroxylated in the liver to calcidiol and further in the kidney to calcitriol (the active hormone). In vivarium husbandry, supplied either directly as a dietary supplement or generated endogenously in the keeper organism via UV-B exposure.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Supplement
equivalent to
obo:CHEBI_28940
also known as
calciol, cholecalciferol
source
obo:CHEBI_28940
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Wall vho:Wall

A vertical structure that forms part of an enclosure in a vivarium.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnclosurePart
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Water change action vho:WaterChangeAction

A husbandry action that replaces some or all of the water in an aquatic or paludarian enclosure, or in a water dish. Critical for aquatic setups to maintain nitrogen-cycle stability.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:HusbandryAction
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Water Source Role vho:WaterSourceRole

Played by an entity providing water an organism can drink from or soak in: a water dish, a pool or stream section of a water zone, or foliage and decor surfaces that collect misting droplets for species that drink droplets rather than standing water.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Water temperature vho:WaterTemperature

Temperature of liquid water inside an enclosure: water dish, pool, or fully aquatic enclosure body. Distinct from vho:AmbientTemperature because water and air at the same notional ambient can differ substantially in actual temperature.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnvironmentalTemperature
equivalent to
obo:ENVO_09200014
source
obo:ENVO_09200014
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Water Zone vho:WaterZone

The water-filled region of a paludarium or aquarium. Bearer of vho:waterTemperature, the at-surface vho:ambientHumidity (typically ≈ 1.0), and water-quality properties (pH, hardness, nitrogen-cycle compounds). Distinct from vho:LandZone within the same enclosure.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnvironmentZone
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Web Anchor Role vho:WebAnchorRole

Played by structure offering attachment points for silk, letting a web-building organism anchor tube webs, retreat webbing, or moult mats. Cork bark, branches, and textured backgrounds are typical players.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Whole Prey vho:WholePrey

A dead animal that is used as food for an organism in a vivarium.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Foodstuff
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Wood vho:Wood

Solid or panel wood (plywood, MDF, hardwood) used for opaque walls of custom enclosures. Excellent thermal insulation; requires sealing for humid setups.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:EnclosureMaterial
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Wood-chip substrate vho:WoodChipSubstrate

Substrate composed of coarse hardwood or bark chips (other than fine-grade orchid bark used as a blend component). Particles are large, hard, and irregularly-shaped, posing an impaction risk if ingested by a small-bodied animal.

Distinct from vho:OrchidBark used in fine-grade form as a substrate blend component. The relevant capacity here is impaction from ingested coarse pieces; ingestion of fine-pith blend components is not the same hazard.

type
owl:Class
subclass of
vho:Substrate
also known as
bark-chip substrate
source
https://reptifiles.com/crested-gecko-care/crested-gecko-substrate-options/
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Object properties (74)

age at sexual maturity range vho:ageAtSexualMaturityRange

Relates an Organism class to a vho:Range describing the typical age at which members reach sexual maturity, in months (vho:Month).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Organism
range
vho:Range
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

ambient temperature range vho:ambientTemperatureRange

Ambient-temperature range required by a care regime, expressed as a vho:Range.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
range
vho:Range
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

applicable axis vho:applicableAxis

Asserted on a taxon or species class to state that the named care axis is a meaningful husbandry question for its members, whatever the answer turns out to be. Applicability accumulates down the taxonomic chain and is removed only by an explicit vho:inapplicableAxis assertion on a nearer class.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
range
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

applies when vho:appliesWhen

Restricts a vho:SizingConstraint or vho:RoleRequirement to the circumstances in which it applies. The guard value is either a trait or quality individual (for example vho:FallRisk or vho:Fossorial), tested through vho:hasTrait or vho:hasQuality on the resident or its class hierarchy, or a vho:DesignCondition individual (for example vho:BioactiveConfiguration), whose satisfaction is judged by the tool or keeper applying the requirement against the design. A requirement with no guard applies to every resident of the asserting class in every design. Multiple guard values on one node are conjunctive: the requirement applies only when every guard holds; alternative conditions are stated as alternative requirement nodes.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

asserts no requirement vho:assertsNoRequirement

Relates an organism class to a vho:NoRequirement stating that a care axis needs no provision for its members: the axis was considered and the cited source states none is required. The statement shadows any ancestor bands on the axis and is reported as a sourced none, visibly distinct from an axis nobody has curated yet.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Organism
range
vho:NoRequirement
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

band role vho:bandRole

The kind of claim the source makes about this band. A band with no band role states required provision; a roled band, such as vho:AverageFieldExposure or vho:MaximumFieldExposure, is an observational claim that informs provision without stating it. Parallel bands on one axis, each with its own role and provenance, stand together; what to conclude from an observational band is the judgement of whoever applies it.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Range
range
vho:BandRole
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

basis vho:basis

How binding a requirement is and how strongly a breach weighs: vho:WelfareMinimum for a binding wellbeing floor, vho:RecommendedProfile for a non-binding aspirational value, vho:SurvivalFloor for a hard lower limit. Carried by vho:SizingConstraint nodes, vho:RoleRequirement nodes, and vho:CareRegime nodes; on a care regime it qualifies every value the regime asserts, and two bands of differing bindingness on one axis are stated as two regimes.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
range
vho:ConstraintBasis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

basking temperature range vho:baskingTemperatureRange

Relates a care regime to the inclusive temperature range required at the design's basking surface during the regime's period, in degrees Celsius (vho:Celsius). Distinct from vho:ambientTemperatureRange: the basking-surface range is a location-scoped requirement reflecting the local hot spot, not the bulk ambient air. Validated against vho:baskingTemperature on the design.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
range
vho:Range
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

comparator vho:comparator

The direction of a vho:SizingConstraint: vho:AtLeast for a floor, vho:AtMost for a ceiling.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:SizingConstraint
range
vho:Comparator
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

component type vho:componentType

Relates a component blank node (or named individual) to the class of substance or part it instantiates (e.g., vho:CocoCoir).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

constrains vho:constrains

The derived enclosure quantity a vho:SizingConstraint bounds (vho:Height, vho:Clearance, vho:FloorLongAxis, vho:FloorShortAxis, vho:FloorDiagonal, vho:SubstrateDepth, and similar).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:SizingConstraint
range
vho:DerivedEnclosureQuantity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

current period vho:currentPeriod

The period currently active for a design (e.g., Daytime, Brumation, Hatchling). Determines which care regime applies.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Design
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

describes vho:describes

Relates a care guide section to a class or property it discusses. Targets are typically the species class (whole-section subject) and one or more specific property URIs on that class (per-paragraph anchors).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareGuideSection
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

during period vho:duringPeriod

Relates a care regime to the period during which it is active (e.g., Daytime, Brumation, Hatchling).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
range
vho:Period
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

enclosure sizing constraint vho:enclosureSizingConstraint

Relates an Organism class (a species or higher taxon) to a vho:SizingConstraint declaring a floor or ceiling on a derived enclosure quantity, either as a multiple of a body-size descriptor or as a fixed dimension. Resolved by consumers together with the resident's body measurement.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Organism
range
vho:SizingConstraint
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

endorsed record vho:endorsedRecord

The release-stamped record document a vho:Endorsement reviewed. The value is the record document IRI, which fixes exactly which published content the endorsement covers; later releases carry the endorsement forward with its original target, and how a previous-release endorsement is presented is the judgement of the tool displaying it.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
subproperty of
prov:used
domain
vho:Endorsement
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

endorsed subject vho:endorsedSubject

The species or morph class whose record a vho:Endorsement reviewed. The value is a class IRI used as a class-level reference.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Endorsement
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

feeding frequency vho:feedingFrequency

Feeding frequency required by a care regime, expressed as a vho:Range with a per-time unit.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
range
vho:Range
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

for role vho:forRole

The role a vho:RoleRequirement requires. The value is a vho:Role subclass IRI used as a class-level reference, following the convention of vho:requiresRole.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:RoleRequirement
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has body measurement vho:hasBodyMeasurement

Relates an individual organism to a measured value of one of its body-size descriptors, carried as a vho:BodyMeasurement bearing vho:measuredAs, vho:value, and vho:unit. A design's sizing constraints resolve against the resident individual's measurements in preference to the species-typical span.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Organism
range
vho:BodyMeasurement
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has capacity vho:hasCapacity

Relates a continuant to a latent capacity it bears. Capacities are realized when their conditions are met (see vho:realizedWhen).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
equivalent to
obo:RO_0000091
range
vho:Capacity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has care regime vho:hasCareRegime

Relates a species (or other organism class) to a care regime that applies to its members during some period, scoping care to a period.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
range
vho:CareRegime
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has component vho:hasComponent

Relates a composite continuant to a component contributing to its derived properties (substrate components, gas mixture parts, light spectrum sources, enclosure parts).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
subproperty of
vho:hasPart
equivalent to
obo:RO_0002180
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has content vho:hasContent

Relates a design (or enclosure) to an item of enclosure content placed within it.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
range
vho:EnclosureContent
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has enclosure vho:hasEnclosure

Relates a design to the enclosure it configures.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Design
range
vho:Enclosure
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has environment vho:hasEnvironment

Relates a design to the ambient environmental state inside its enclosure.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Design
range
vho:Environment
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has organism vho:hasOrganism

Relates a design to a resident organism in that design.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Design
range
vho:Organism
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has outcome vho:hasOutcome

Relates a capacity to the outcome that occurs when it is realized (e.g., limb injury, dehydration).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Capacity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has part vho:hasPart

Generic part-of relation between continuants. Aligned with BFO:0000051 (has part).

Domain and range are intentionally unconstrained at the upper level; specific subproperties (vho:hasContent, vho:hasComponent) carry the tighter typing.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
equivalent to
obo:BFO_0000051
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has quality vho:hasQuality

Relates a continuant to a quality that inheres in it (humidity, temperature, temperament, weight).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
equivalent to
obo:RO_0000086
range
vho:Quality
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has role vho:hasRole

Relates a continuant to a role it bears in some context. Inverse of vho:playedBy via vho:plays.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
equivalent to
obo:RO_0000087
range
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has section vho:hasSection

Relates a care guide to one of its constituent sections.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareGuide
range
vho:CareGuideSection
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has trait vho:hasTrait

Relates an organism (or, by class-level assertion, a taxon) to an anatomical, physiological, or behavioural trait it bears.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
range
vho:Trait
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

has zone vho:hasZone

Relates a design to one of its spatially-distinct environment zones (vho:WaterZone, vho:LandZone, or other vho:EnvironmentZone subclasses). A design that requires zoning declares one vho:hasZone per zone instance; each zone bears its own per-axis measurements. Single-environment designs (the terrestrial-gecko case) need not assert any zones; the SHACL shape's design-level branch reads measurements directly from the design.

Subproperty of vho:hasPart in spirit but not declared as such; zones are ambient-state continuants, not material parts.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Design
range
vho:EnvironmentZone
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

humidity drying minimum vho:humidityDryingMinimum

Relates a care regime to a tolerated transient low-humidity range that the design may dip into between misting cycles. Distinct from vho:humidityRange (the target band): the drying minimum is informational, not a hard SHACL gate, and acknowledges that periodic drying is part of healthy husbandry rather than a violation.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
range
vho:Range
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

humidity range vho:humidityRange

Relative-humidity range required by a care regime, expressed as a vho:Range.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
range
vho:Range
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

in context vho:inContext

Relates a role to the design (or other context) in which it is played.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Role
range
vho:Design
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

inapplicable axis vho:inapplicableAxis

Asserted on a taxon or species class to state that, contrary to an assertion on one of its ancestors, the named care axis is not a meaningful question for its members, such as basking temperature for a taxon that does not bask. Not a statement that no provision is needed; a considered answer of none is stated with vho:assertsNoRequirement instead.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
range
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

involves foodstuff vho:involvesFoodstuff

Relates a feeding action (or supplementation action) to the foodstuff class offered. Pairs with vho:performedOn to identify both the recipient and the food item.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:HusbandryAction
range
vho:Foodstuff
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

lacks capacity vho:lacksCapacity

Asserted on a continuant class to state that, contrary to a vho:hasCapacity assertion on one of its ancestors, members of this class do not carry the named capacity. A positive, sourceable claim about the members of the class, not an absence of data.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

lacks quality vho:lacksQuality

Asserted on an organism class to state that, contrary to a vho:hasQuality assertion on one of its ancestors, members of this class do not bear the named quality. A positive, sourceable biological claim about the members of the class, not an absence of data.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

lacks trait vho:lacksTrait

Asserted on an organism class to state that, contrary to a vho:hasTrait assertion on one of its ancestors, members of this class do not bear the named trait. A positive, sourceable biological claim about the members of the class, not an absence of data.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

material vho:material

Relates an enclosure part (wall, door, lid, vent) to the material it is constructed from. Modeled as a separate axis from the part class so that the (part × material) grid does not require a class for each combination.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:EnclosurePart
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

measured as vho:measuredAs

Relates a vho:BodyMeasurement to the body-size descriptor it measures (vho:SnoutVentLength, vho:TotalLength, vho:DiagonalLegSpan, and similar). The descriptor is referenced as a class-level value, following the convention used by vho:requiresEnclosureClass.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:BodyMeasurement
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

on axis vho:onAxis

The care axis a vho:NoRequirement answers.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:NoRequirement
range
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

performed by vho:performedBy

Relates a husbandry action to the agent that performs it. Typically a human keeper; may also be an automated system (timer-driven mister, dosing pump).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:HusbandryAction
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

performed on vho:performedOn

Relates a husbandry action to the continuant it acts upon: the resident organism, the enclosure, an item of content, or a foodstuff.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:HusbandryAction
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

played by vho:playedBy

Relates a role to the continuant playing it.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

plays vho:plays

Relates a continuant to a role it currently plays, within the role and context model.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
range
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

precedes vho:precedes

Asserts that one husbandry action precedes another in a process sequence. Minimal occurrent-ordering primitive: irreflexive partial ordering, no commitment to interval semantics, Allen relations, process-bag composition, or transitive closure under OWL. Consumers that need closure walk it themselves. The continuant-side modelling patterns cover most cases; vho:precedes exists for the occurrent-side cases (breeding lifecycle, moult cycle, brumation initiation→maintenance→exit) where ordering matters.

A minimal relation for ordering husbandry-action occurrents, such as the stages of a breeding cycle. Ancillary terms (initiates, terminates, a process-class parent) can be added without revising this property.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:HusbandryAction
range
vho:HusbandryAction
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

provides quality vho:providesQuality

Relates a role to a quality it provides while played (e.g., a hide provides shelter and visual barrier qualities).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Role
range
vho:Quality
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

realized when vho:realizedWhen

Relates a capacity to the trait (or other condition) whose presence realizes it. Part of the capacity-and-trait model.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Capacity
range
vho:Trait
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

relative to vho:relativeTo

The body-size descriptor whose measured value a vho:SizingConstraint's vho:multiple scales to produce the bound. The descriptor is referenced as a class-level value, following the convention used by vho:requiresEnclosureClass.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:SizingConstraint
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

requires action vho:requiresAction

Relates a care regime to a husbandry-action class that must be performed during the regime's active period (e.g., daily misting during a tropical daytime regime).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

requires air exchange level vho:requiresAirExchangeLevel

Asserted at the class level on an Organism species (or higher taxon) to declare the level of passive air exchange members require of their enclosure. The value is a vho:AirExchangeLevel individual. A humidity-retaining species requires vho:LowAirExchange; a stagnation-sensitive species requires vho:HighAirExchange.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Organism
range
vho:AirExchangeLevel
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

requires airflow pattern vho:requiresAirflowPattern

Asserted at the class level on an Organism species (or higher taxon) to declare an airflow pattern members require of their enclosure's ventilation openings, independent of how much air is exchanged. The value is a vho:AirflowPattern individual, such as vho:CrossVentilation for species sensitive to stagnant air pockets.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Organism
range
vho:AirflowPattern
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

requires enclosure class vho:requiresEnclosureClass

Asserted at the class level on an Organism species (or higher taxon) to declare that designs housing members of that class must use an enclosure of a specific class. The value is an owl:Class IRI used as a class-level reference (mirroring vho:requiresFoodstuff). The paludarium-paradigm dart frog asserts vho:requiresEnclosureClass vho:Paludarium; a desert species could similarly require a non-mesh-top configuration. A consumer checks a design by walking the resident's class hierarchy and comparing the design's vho:hasEnclosure against the named class.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Organism
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

requires foodstuff vho:requiresFoodstuff

Relates a care regime to a foodstuff class required during the regime's active period.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

requires role vho:requiresRole

Relates a species (or other organism class) to a role its members require to be played in their design (e.g., vho:CrestedGecko vho:requiresRole vho:Hide). States bare membership: at least one player, unconditionally, with no stated basis. A requirement carrying a player count, a basis, or an applicability condition is stated instead as a vho:RoleRequirement via vho:roleRequirement; a class states any given role in exactly one of the two forms.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

reviewed axis vho:reviewedAxis

A care axis a vho:Endorsement is scoped to, for a reviewer endorsing only the axes within their competence. An endorsement with no reviewed axis covers the whole record.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Endorsement
range
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

role holder for vho:roleHolderFor

Relates a role to the organism (or other beneficiary) for whose benefit it is played (e.g., a hide is played for a specific resident organism).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Role
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

role requirement vho:roleRequirement

Relates a species (or other organism class) to a vho:RoleRequirement stating a role its members require together with the requirement's parameters: a minimum player count, a basis, or an applicability condition. Asserting a role requirement entails the named role is required, exactly as vho:requiresRole does; a class states any given role in exactly one of the two forms.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
range
vho:RoleRequirement
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

scoped to zone vho:scopedToZone

Relates a care regime to the environment-zone class whose measurements the regime validates against. The value is a vho:EnvironmentZone subclass IRI used as a class-level reference (mirroring the convention of vho:requiresFoodstuff vho:LiveFeeder). The generic regime-vs-measurement SHACL shape walks from the regime's vho:scopedToZone to whichever zone in the design is a/rdfs:subClassOf* the named class, reads the measurement from that zone, and validates against the regime's range. A regime without vho:scopedToZone validates against design-level measurements; both modes coexist in the same generic shape via a UNION branch.

Used for paludarium-style enclosures. The class-as-value convention is deliberate: declaring a zone class (vho:WaterZone) rather than a specific zone instance lets a curator author species-level regimes without committing to any particular design's zone naming.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

severity vho:severity

Relates a capacity to a severity level (e.g., Critical, Moderate, Mild) characterising the realized outcome.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Capacity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

supplement with vho:supplementWith

Relates a design to the supplement class (or instance) used as its supplementation protocol. Mirrors the class-as-value convention of vho:requiresFoodstuff: a design typically points at a vho:Supplement subclass (e.g., vho:CalciumWithD3) to declare the protocol abstractly; instance-level references are also supported for SKU-level provenance. The appropriate supplement class depends on the design's UVB provision: dietary D3 and UVB-driven cutaneous synthesis are complementary routes to vitamin D sufficiency, so a protocol including D3 suits UVB-free designs while a UVB-provisioned design calls for calcium without added D3.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Design
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

supplementary feeding frequency vho:supplementaryFeedingFrequency

Feeding-frequency range for the supplementary foodstuff in a care regime, expressed as a vho:Range with a per-time unit. Parallels vho:feedingFrequency but applies to vho:supplementaryFoodstuff rather than vho:requiresFoodstuff.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
range
vho:Range
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

supplementary foodstuff vho:supplementaryFoodstuff

Relates a care regime to a foodstuff class offered as a supplement to the primary required foodstuff during the regime's active period. Distinct from vho:requiresFoodstuff: supplementary foodstuffs are typically lower-frequency, secondary inputs (e.g., live insects offered weekly alongside daily commercial diet).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

typical adult mass range vho:typicalAdultMassRange

Relates an Organism class to a vho:Range describing the typical mass span of a healthy adult of the species, in grams (vho:Gram).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Organism
range
vho:Range
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

typical body measurement vho:typicalBodyMeasurement

Relates an Organism class to the typical adult span of one of its body-size descriptors, carried as a vho:BodyMeasurement bearing vho:measuredAs, vho:minInclusive, vho:maxInclusive, and vho:unit. Used to size a design when no individual measurement is supplied. A class may carry one per descriptor.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Organism
range
vho:BodyMeasurement
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

typical lifespan range vho:typicalLifespanRange

Relates an Organism class to a vho:Range describing the typical captive lifespan span of a healthy member of the species, in years (vho:Year). Captive lifespan differs from wild lifespan; the value here is the captive-husbandry-relevant figure.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:Organism
range
vho:Range
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

unit vho:unit

Unit of measurement associated with a numerical value or range (e.g., vho:Celsius, vho:PerDay).

type
owl:ObjectProperty
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

UVI range vho:uviRange

Relates a care regime to the inclusive UV-index range required at the design's basking location during the regime's period. UVI is dimensionless. Validated against vho:baskingUvi on the design. UVB is conventionally provided only during the lit phase of the diel cycle, so this property typically lives on a Daytime-scoped regime.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
range
vho:Range
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

waives role vho:waivesRole

Asserted on an organism class to state that, contrary to a requirement on one of its ancestors, members of this class do not require the named role to be played in their design. Removes the role however the ancestor stated it, whether as a bare vho:requiresRole or as a vho:RoleRequirement. A positive, sourceable husbandry claim, not an absence of data.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

water temperature range vho:waterTemperatureRange

Relates a care regime to the inclusive water-temperature range required at the design's water zone during the regime's period, in degrees Celsius (vho:Celsius). Distinct from vho:ambientTemperatureRange (the air-temperature requirement): water and air at the same notional ambient can differ substantially. Validated against vho:waterTemperature on the water zone via the generic regime-vs-measurement shape, typically with vho:scopedToZone vho:WaterZone.

type
owl:ObjectProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
range
vho:Range
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Datatype properties (28)

absolute floor vho:absoluteFloor

A fixed bound on a vho:SizingConstraint, in centimetres (vho:Centimetre). Combined with any vho:multiple term as a maximum for a floor (vho:AtLeast) or a minimum for a ceiling (vho:AtMost). Used alone where no body-relative proportion is established for the species.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:SizingConstraint
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

ambient humidity vho:ambientHumidity

Current ambient relative humidity inside the enclosure (or assigned to its design for evaluation), expressed as a decimal in [0, 1].

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

ambient temperature vho:ambientTemperature

Current ambient temperature inside the enclosure, in degrees Celsius.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

basking temperature vho:baskingTemperature

Current temperature at the design's basking surface, in degrees Celsius. Location-scoped measurement distinct from vho:ambientTemperature (bulk ambient air). Typically written by the physics simulator; paired with the regime-side vho:baskingTemperatureRange via vho:validatesAgainst.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:Design
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

basking UVI vho:baskingUvi

Current UV-index reading at the design's basking surface. Dimensionless. Location-scoped measurement; typically written by the physics simulator or asserted from a Solarmeter reading. Paired with the regime-side vho:uviRange via vho:validatesAgainst.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:Design
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

body mass vho:bodyMass

Body mass of an individual organism, in grams (vho:Gram). Per-individual measurement; the species-level typical range lives on the species class as vho:typicalAdultMassRange. Compared against a species-specific juvenile threshold to flag small-bodied individuals.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:Organism
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

count vho:count

Non-negative integer count of items of a component within a composite.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
range
xsd:nonNegativeInteger
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

default photoperiod hours vho:defaultPhotoperiodHours

Default photoperiod-relevant duration in hours associated with a period (e.g., 12 for Daytime in a temperate baseline).

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:Period
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

derived water retention vho:derivedWaterRetention

Composite water-retention value derived from the component water-retention values weighted by mass fraction. Produced by compositional-derivation SHACL Rules; not asserted directly.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:Substrate
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

drainage vho:drainage

Intrinsic drainage coefficient of a substrate component, in [0, 1]. Higher values drain faster.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

enclosure depth vho:enclosureDepth

Internal depth of an enclosure, in centimetres (vho:Centimetre). The front-to-back horizontal span when viewed from the keeper's front.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:Enclosure
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

enclosure height vho:enclosureHeight

Internal height of an enclosure, in centimetres (vho:Centimetre). For arboreal species, the height dimension is typically the binding axis of the sizing constraints asserted on the species.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:Enclosure
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

enclosure width vho:enclosureWidth

Internal width of an enclosure, in centimetres (vho:Centimetre). The left-to-right horizontal span when viewed from the keeper's front. For species-shape validation, width is one axis of the minimum-dimensions check; the spec convention is W × D × H.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:Enclosure
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Ferguson zone vho:fergusonZone

Baines' Ferguson Zone (1–4) classifying a species' UVB-exposure requirement category. Zone 1 = crepuscular / shade-dweller; Zone 4 = full open-sun basker. Asserted on a vho:CareRegime as a classification annotation, alongside or instead of vho:uviRange when the curator prefers the categorical form. Not itself a SHACL-gated constraint.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
range
xsd:integer
source
https://www.uvguide.co.uk/ferguson-zones.htm
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

mass fraction vho:massFraction

Fraction of a composite's mass contributed by a component, expressed as a decimal in [0, 1].

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

max inclusive vho:maxInclusive

Inclusive maximum value of a vho:Range.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:Range
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

median particle size vho:medianParticleSize

Median particle size of a substrate component, in metres.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

minimum derived water retention vho:minDerivedWaterRetention

Asserted at the class level on an Organism species (or higher taxon) to declare the minimum acceptable substrate-composite derived water-retention coefficient for designs housing members of that class. Dimensionless, in [0, 1]. Compared by consumers against the vho:derivedWaterRetention value that shape:SubstrateWaterRetentionRule derives from substrate components.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:Organism
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

min inclusive vho:minInclusive

Inclusive minimum value of a vho:Range.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:Range
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

minimum role count vho:minRoleCount

The minimum number of distinct entities that must play the role a vho:RoleRequirement names. A ball python needing a snug refuge at each end of its thermal gradient carries a hide requirement with a minimum count of two. Absent, the minimum is one.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:RoleRequirement
range
xsd:nonNegativeInteger
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

multiple vho:multiple

The factor by which a vho:SizingConstraint scales the resident's measured vho:relativeTo descriptor to produce the bound. A value of 3.0 against a diagonal leg span of 15 cm yields a 45 cm bound.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:SizingConstraint
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

photoperiod hours vho:photoperiodHours

Hours of light per 24-hour day that the regime's seasonal period prescribes. Carries vho:Hour implicitly. Distinct from vho:defaultPhotoperiodHours on a Period (which gives the default for the period itself); vho:photoperiodHours on a regime states the species-specific value the regime asserts.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:CareRegime
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

section order vho:sectionOrder

An integer that determines the rendering order of care guide sections within their parent care guide. Lower values render first.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:CareGuideSection
range
xsd:integer
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

substrate depth vho:substrateDepth

Depth of a substrate item in a design, in centimetres (vho:Centimetre). Per-substrate measurement (a design may carry more than one substrate item with different depths); read as the vho:SubstrateDepth quantity when a consumer resolves the resident species' substrate-depth sizing constraint.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:Substrate
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

value vho:value

The measured value of an individual organism's vho:BodyMeasurement, in the node's vho:unit. Species-typical measurements use vho:minInclusive and vho:maxInclusive instead of a single value.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
domain
vho:BodyMeasurement
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

volume fraction vho:volumeFraction

Fraction of a composite's volume contributed by a component, expressed as a decimal in [0, 1].

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

water retention vho:waterRetention

Intrinsic water-retention coefficient of a substrate component, in [0, 1]. Higher values hold more water per unit mass.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

water temperature vho:waterTemperature

Current temperature of the water body of an enclosure, in degrees Celsius. Asserted on a vho:WaterZone instance for zoned (paludarium / aquarium) designs, or on the vho:Design directly for single-environment designs that nonetheless model a water body. Paired with the regime-side vho:waterTemperatureRange via vho:validatesAgainst.

type
owl:DatatypeProperty
range
xsd:decimal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Annotation properties (5)

cited by vho:citedBy

Indicates downstream citation: a term or assertion is referenced by an external work or by another VHO module.

type
owl:AnnotationProperty
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

covers property vho:coversProperty

Links a vho:CareAxis to an assertion property whose resolved presence answers the axis. Tooling reads the link to compute coverage, so adding an axis or widening one is a data edit with no per-axis machinery.

type
owl:AnnotationProperty
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

derived from vho:derivedFrom

Indicates that an assertion (typically a quantitative value or range) was derived from a cited source rather than asserted novelly. Used alongside dcterms:source for finer-grained provenance.

type
owl:AnnotationProperty
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

retracts vho:retracts

Links a retraction property to the accumulating assertion property whose inherited members it removes (for example, vho:lacksTrait retracts vho:hasTrait). Integrity checks and resolution tooling read this link, so a new accumulating pair joins them by declaring it, with no per-pair machinery.

type
owl:AnnotationProperty
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

validates against vho:validatesAgainst

Metadata link relating a regime-side range property (humidityRange, ambientTemperatureRange, baskingTemperatureRange, uviRange) to the design-side measurement property it is compared against (ambientHumidity, ambientTemperature, baskingTemperature, baskingUvi). Lets a consumer drive one generic in-range check across every regime axis. Adding a new measurement axis is then: declare the range property, declare the measurement property, and link them with vho:validatesAgainst, with no per-axis machinery required.

type
owl:AnnotationProperty
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Individuals (88)

Abdominal rupture from fall vho:AbdominalRuptureFromFall

Latent capacity for a heavy-bodied resident to suffer abdominal-cuticle rupture and fatal haemolymph loss on impact after a fall from sufficient height inside the enclosure. Realised in residents carrying vho:FallRisk (heavy-bodied theraphosids over a species-conventional adult-mass threshold).

type
vho:Capacity
source
Biomechanics described in Schultz & Schultz, The Tarantula Keeper's Guide (3rd ed.).
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Absorptive contamination vho:AbsorptiveContamination

Latent capacity borne by a continuant whose surface bears residues, plasticisers, adhesive monomers, or other water-soluble compounds capable of crossing a permeable amphibian (or soft-invertebrate) integument on contact. Realised in residents carrying vho:PermeableSkin.

type
vho:Capacity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Adhesive setae vho:AdhesiveSetae

Micrometre-scale hair-like projections covering the toe pads of certain gecko lineages. Setae generate adhesion via van der Waals interactions with the substrate, enabling vertical-surface and inverted-surface locomotion. Bearers can scale glass, smooth bark, and the underside of enclosure lids; toe pads are mechanically sensitive and susceptible to fibre snag from looped or napped substrates.

type
vho:AnatomicalTrait
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setae
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Adult stage vho:AdultStage

Developmental life-stage period from sexual maturity onward. Species-specific in onset: cresties enter adulthood at ~15–18 months. Used to scope dietary, growth-tracking, and reproductive regimes.

type
vho:LifeStagePeriod
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Ambient temperature vho:AmbientTemperatureAxis

The care axis asking what air-temperature band the general interior of the enclosure must hold for members of a taxon.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Any time vho:AnyTime

Round-the-clock period: a DielPeriod individual that matches any current diel period for care-regime resolution. Intended for care-regime axes that genuinely do not vary diel-wise (e.g., crested gecko ambient humidity). The care-regime SHACL shapes consume vho:AnyTime via a UNION branch in their SPARQL: a regime with vho:duringPeriod vho:AnyTime fires whatever the design's vho:currentPeriod is.

type
vho:DielPeriod
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Arboreal vho:Arboreal

Lives in trees or other vertical vegetation; spends most of its active time off the ground.

type
vho:Habit
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arboreal_locomotion
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

At least vho:AtLeast

The constrained quantity must meet or exceed the bound: a floor.

type
vho:Comparator
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

At most vho:AtMost

The constrained quantity must not exceed the bound: a ceiling.

type
vho:Comparator
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Autotomous tail vho:AutotomousTail

A tail that can be voluntarily shed at a pre-formed fracture plane in response to predator stress, handling pressure, or aggressive conspecific contact. Some lineages regenerate the lost tail; others (including Correlophus) do not, so loss is permanent. Bearers warrant low-stress handling protocols and careful cohabitation review.

type
vho:AnatomicalTrait
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autotomy
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Average field exposure vho:AverageFieldExposure

The band is the source's stated average of field measurements of the quantity, taken where wild members of the taxon were observed exposed to it.

type
vho:BandRole
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Basking temperature vho:BaskingTemperatureAxis

The care axis asking what surface or retreat temperature the warm end of the enclosure must offer for members of a taxon that thermoregulate against a localised heat source.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Bioactive configuration vho:BioactiveConfiguration

A design condition in which the enclosure sustains a self-maintaining substrate ecosystem: live plants rooted in the substrate, detritivore invertebrates consuming waste, and a substrate bed that is retained and irrigated rather than periodically replaced.

type
vho:DesignCondition
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Body measurement vho:BodyMeasurementAxis

The care axis asking what the typical adult body measurement of a taxon is, in the clade-conventional descriptor, as the basis for body-relative enclosure sizing.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Cathemeral vho:Cathemeral

Activity distributed across both day and night without a strong diel peak.

type
vho:ActivityPattern
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathemerality
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

degrees Celsius vho:Celsius

type
vho:Unit

centimetres vho:Centimetre

type
vho:Unit

Chemical off-gassing vho:ChemicalOffgassing

Latent capacity for a manufactured substrate or surface to off-gas plasticisers, adhesive residues, or other non-volatile-but-respiratory-active compounds. Realised when the resident organism breathes air drawn from the enclosure (RespiratoryExposure).

type
vho:Capacity
source
https://reptifiles.com/crested-gecko-care/crested-gecko-substrate-options/
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Chloramine exposure vho:ChloramineExposure

Latent capacity for chlorine and chloramines residual in municipal water supplies to cross a permeable amphibian integument and disrupt cutaneous gas exchange and osmoregulation. Specialises vho:AbsorptiveContamination for the most common keeper-side failure mode (using untreated tap water for misting, pool top-up, or substrate moistening) and gives the SHACL report a sharper message than the generic absorptive-contamination capacity.

type
vho:Capacity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Clearance vho:Clearance

The fall distance available to a climbing animal: the enclosure height less the depth of the substrate it would land on. Bounded as a ceiling for heavy-bodied species at risk of fall injury, where a tall enclosure with deep burrowing substrate is safe but the same enclosure with a shallow substrate is not.

type
vho:DerivedEnclosureQuantity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Climbing ability vho:ClimbingAbility

The capacity and propensity to ascend vertical or overhanging surfaces inside an enclosure, including walls, branches, and the underside of lids. Arboreal and scansorial species express this trait; obligate burrowers and benthic species do not. Climbing ability brings an organism into contact with elevated equipment (heat sources, lighting) whose surface temperatures or hazards are tolerable at ground level but harmful on direct contact.

type
vho:BehaviouralTrait
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Crepuscular vho:Crepuscular

Activity peaks at twilight, around dawn and dusk.

type
vho:ActivityPattern
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crepuscular_animal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Cross ventilation vho:CrossVentilation

Ventilation openings on opposing or offset enclosure faces at different heights, producing a continuous through-flow of air driven by pressure and temperature differences, rather than exchange through a single face.

type
vho:AirflowPattern
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Daytime vho:Daytime

The lit phase of a 24-hour diel cycle in a vivarium. The exact hour boundaries are design-specific; the period is named here as a categorical phase rather than a clock interval.

type
vho:DielPeriod
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Delicate toes vho:DelicateToes

Toes whose distal structure (adhesive setae, fine claws, or thin scalation) is mechanically vulnerable to fibre snag and abrasion. Borne by geckos with adhesive setae and by other small-bodied lizards with similarly fine toe anatomy. Realizes the toe-snag capacity on looped-fibre substrates and the abrasion capacity on rough porous surfaces.

type
vho:AnatomicalTrait
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setae
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Diet vho:DietAxis

The care axis asking what members of a taxon eat and how often, including supplementary foodstuffs and their frequencies, by life stage where the answer differs.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Diurnal vho:Diurnal

Activity peaks during daylight hours.

type
vho:ActivityPattern
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diurnality
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Egg stage vho:Egg

Pre-hatch ovum stage. For amphibians with biphasic life cycles, the egg stage is short (days to a few weeks) and occurs in a moist phytotelm or substrate site; regimes scoped to vho:Egg typically constrain humidity and temperature but not feeding.

Egg-rearing parameters often differ from larval-rearing parameters for the same species: a Ranitomeya egg-laying site holds a single clutch at high humidity until hatch, then the larvae are transported to a separate rearing pool.

type
vho:LifeStagePeriod
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Fall risk vho:FallRisk

The physiological condition of being heavy-bodied enough that a fall from height inside the enclosure can rupture the abdomen on impact. Borne by adult Theraphosidae of heavy-bodied genera (Grammostola, Brachypelma, Lasiodora, Phormictopus) over a species-conventional adult-mass threshold; not borne by lightweight arboreal theraphosids (e.g., Avicularia, Caribena) or by spiderlings of any genus.

This trait is defined as vocabulary. The species-scoped fall-risk SHACL shape currently reads vho:bodyMass directly rather than via this trait.

type
vho:PhysiologicalTrait
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Floor area vho:FloorArea

The area of the enclosure floor, the product of width and depth.

type
vho:DerivedEnclosureQuantity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Floor diagonal vho:FloorDiagonal

The diagonal of the enclosure floor, the square root of the sum of the squared width and depth. The longest straight line an animal can occupy on the floor, used to size snakes against the length they can stretch out to.

type
vho:DerivedEnclosureQuantity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Floor long axis vho:FloorLongAxis

The longer of the enclosure's two floor dimensions (width and depth). Orientation-independent, so a constraint does not depend on which wall faces the keeper.

type
vho:DerivedEnclosureQuantity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Floor short axis vho:FloorShortAxis

The shorter of the enclosure's two floor dimensions (width and depth). Orientation-independent.

type
vho:DerivedEnclosureQuantity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Fossorial vho:Fossorial

Lives underground; burrows or occupies pre-existing tunnels for most of its active life.

type
vho:Habit
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossorial
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Froglet stage vho:Froglet

Post-metamorphosis terrestrial life stage in anurans, between morphological completion of metamorphosis (tail resorption) and sexual maturity. Froglets are markedly smaller than adults and require the smallest available feeders (springtails, melanogaster fruit flies) at higher feeding frequencies.

type
vho:LifeStagePeriod
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

grams vho:Gram

type
vho:Unit

Heat element contact burn vho:HeatElementContact

Latent burn capacity borne by an unguarded radiant or convective heat source: direct contact with the element surface produces a thermal burn. Realised in residents that can ascend to or otherwise contact the element.

type
vho:Capacity
source
https://reptifiles.com/heat-bulb-guide/
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Height vho:Height

The internal height of the enclosure. Typically the binding floor for arboreal species.

type
vho:DerivedEnclosureQuantity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

High air exchange vho:HighAirExchange

Air exchange through one or more full mesh walls or lids. Interior conditions track the surrounding room closely and humidity requires active management.

type
vho:AirExchangeLevel
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

hours vho:Hour

type
vho:Unit

Humidity vho:HumidityAxis

The care axis asking what relative-humidity band the enclosure air must hold, including any tolerated drying floor between mistings.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Husbandry actions vho:HusbandryActionAxis

The care axis asking what recurring keeper actions, such as misting or water changes, the care of members of a taxon requires during each period.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Ingestion impaction vho:IngestionImpaction

Latent capacity for a coarse, hard, or fibrous substrate to cause gastrointestinal impaction if ingested. Realised in individuals with SmallBody: the small-body trait is materialised by a species-specific bodyMass threshold (13 g for crested geckos) and reflects the empirical observation that larger animals safely pass ingested particles that block smaller ones.

type
vho:Capacity
source
https://reptifiles.com/crested-gecko-care/crested-gecko-substrate-options/
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Juvenile stage vho:JuvenileStage

Developmental life-stage period from post-hatch independence to sexual maturity. Species-specific in duration: cresties are juvenile through ~12 months. Used to scope dietary, growth-tracking, and handling-frequency regimes.

Age-based stage. Distinct from the mass-based vho:SmallBody, which materialises on individuals below a species-specific safety threshold (e.g., 13 g for cresties). A juvenile may or may not also carry SmallBody.

type
vho:LifeStagePeriod
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Lifespan vho:LifespanAxis

The care axis asking what the typical captive lifespan range of a taxon is.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Low air exchange vho:LowAirExchange

Air exchange limited to small openings such as drilled holes or narrow vent strips. Interior air turns over slowly and humidity released inside the enclosure is largely retained.

type
vho:AirExchangeLevel
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Body mass vho:MassAxis

The care axis asking what the typical adult body-mass range of a taxon is.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Sexual maturity vho:MaturityAxis

The care axis asking at what age members of a taxon typically reach sexual maturity.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Maximum field exposure vho:MaximumFieldExposure

The band is the source's stated range of maximum field measurements of the quantity, taken where wild members of the taxon were observed exposed to it.

type
vho:BandRole
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Mesh-top entanglement vho:MeshTopEntanglement

Latent entanglement capacity borne by woven or perforated mesh lids: the mesh openings can catch the tarsal claws of an arthropod attempting to climb the underside of the lid, leading to torn appendages, autotomy, or death.

type
vho:Capacity
source
https://www.tarantulaforum.com/threads/mesh-tops-and-tarantulas.328927/
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Moderate air exchange vho:ModerateAirExchange

Air exchange through partial mesh panels or generous vent strips. Humidity can be held with regular misting, but stagnant air does not accumulate.

type
vho:AirExchangeLevel
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

months vho:Month

type
vho:Unit

Moulting vho:Moulting

The ecdysis event itself: the resident sheds the old cuticle and inflates the new one. In Theraphosidae, this typically occurs on the back (the animal flips over to perform the moult). Hours to a day in duration; the resident is acutely vulnerable during and immediately after the event.

type
vho:PhysiologicalSubPeriod
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Neurotoxic oil off-gassing vho:NeurotoxicOilOffgassing

Latent capacity for a substrate to off-gas volatile organic compounds (phenols, terpenes) that act as neurotoxins on exposed animals. Realised when the resident organism breathes air drawn from the enclosure (RespiratoryExposure, universal across air-breathing tetrapods and arthropods).

type
vho:Capacity
source
https://reptifiles.com/crested-gecko-care/crested-gecko-substrate-options/
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Nighttime vho:Nighttime

The unlit phase of a 24-hour diel cycle in a vivarium. The exact hour boundaries are design-specific; the period is named here as a categorical phase rather than a clock interval.

type
vho:DielPeriod
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Nocturnal vho:Nocturnal

Activity peaks during the night.

type
vho:ActivityPattern
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocturnality
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

per day vho:PerDay

type
vho:Unit

per week vho:PerWeek

type
vho:Unit

Permeable skin vho:PermeableSkin

The physiological condition of bearing skin that functions as a respiratory and osmoregulatory surface and absorbs water-soluble compounds (hand oils, soaps, sunscreens, sprayed residues, untreated chlorine and chloramines) on direct or indirect contact. Universal across Anura and the wider class Amphibia; also borne by some soft-bodied invertebrates with cuticular permeability. Distinct from vho:ThinIntegument: the same amphibian skin bears both, but the realised capacities differ, with thin integument realising mechanical-laceration capacities and permeable skin realising absorptive-contamination capacities.

type
vho:PhysiologicalTrait
source
Cutaneous physiology established in Duellman & Trueb 1986; Heatwole 1994.
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Photoperiod vho:PhotoperiodAxis

The care axis asking what daily light duration, possibly varying by season, the enclosure must provide for members of a taxon. A sourced answer that ambient room light suffices with no dedicated provision is an answer, distinct from the question never having been considered.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Post-moult vho:PostMoult

Transient physiological state following ecdysis, lasting days (spiderlings) to weeks (mature theraphosids), during which the new cuticle hardens and pigment is laid down. While the cuticle is soft the resident bears vho:ThinIntegument (materialised by a SHACL rule keyed on vho:currentPeriod vho:PostMoult) and is acutely vulnerable to mechanical-laceration capacities (sharp-edged decor, abrasive substrate). The trait reverts when the design's current period leaves PostMoult.

type
vho:PhysiologicalSubPeriod
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Pre-moult vho:PreMoult

Transient physiological state preceding ecdysis in arthropods. Behavioural and physiological markers vary by lineage but commonly include cessation of feeding, reduced activity, darkening of the integument as the new cuticle forms beneath, and (in spiders) sealing of the burrow entrance. Days to weeks in duration.

type
vho:PhysiologicalSubPeriod
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Recommended profile vho:RecommendedProfile

A non-binding aspirational value, larger than the welfare minimum, offered as guidance for a better setup. Not enforced; consumers may present it as a recommendation.

type
vho:ConstraintBasis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Respiratory exposure vho:RespiratoryExposure

The physiological condition of breathing air drawn from the enclosure environment. Universal across vivarium-kept tetrapods and air-breathing arthropods. Realizes off-gassing capacities of substrates and decor whose volatiles enter the breathing zone, such as pine and cedar essential oils, freshly-cured silicone, and off-gassing plastics and adhesives.

type
vho:PhysiologicalTrait
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Required roles vho:RoleAxis

The care axis asking what functions, such as a hide, climbing structure, water source, or burrow site, must be played by the contents of an enclosure housing members of a taxon.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Saxicolous vho:Saxicolous

Lives on rocky surfaces; occupies the rock-stratum analogue of arboreal niches.

type
vho:Habit
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxicolous_lichen
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Enclosure sizing vho:SizingAxis

The care axis asking what floors and ceilings bound the enclosure's dimensions for members of a taxon, whether body-relative or absolute, and what kind of enclosure is required.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Small body vho:SmallBody

Individual-level trait borne by an animal whose body mass falls below a species-specific juvenile threshold. For crested geckos the threshold is 13 g (the safety threshold at which loose-substrate impaction risk, overhead-UVB cooking risk, and overhead-heat-lamp distance constraints become material). Materialised from vho:bodyMass measurements by a SHACL rule, and gates substrate-avoidance capacities.

type
vho:AnatomicalTrait
source
The 13 g threshold for Correlophus ciliatus follows ReptiFiles.
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Soft-tissue laceration vho:SoftTissueLaceration

Latent laceration capacity borne by a continuant presenting sharp or abrasive edges to its enclosure interior: contact with the edge tears thin or unscaled integument. Realised in residents carrying vho:ThinIntegument.

type
vho:Capacity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Spiderling stage vho:Spiderling

Post-emergence life stage in spiders, from leaving the egg sac through the early instars where the resident is still markedly smaller than the adult and requires different husbandry parameters (smaller feeders, shallower substrate, higher humidity tolerance, and closer monitoring). For Theraphosidae the spiderling phase spans roughly the first 5–8 moults; species-conventional boundaries between Spiderling, JuvenileStage, and AdultStage are at the curator's discretion.

type
vho:LifeStagePeriod
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Substrate vho:SubstrateAxis

The care axis asking what properties the substrate bed must have for members of a taxon, such as a floor on composite water retention.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Substrate depth vho:SubstrateDepth

The depth of a substrate item in the design, in centimetres. Bounded as a floor for burrowing species. Each substrate item is checked independently.

type
vho:DerivedEnclosureQuantity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Summer vho:Summer

The annual high-photoperiod, high-temperature half of a temperate-baseline seasonal cycle. The exact dates are design-specific; the period is named here as a categorical phase. Species in tropical or non-temperate ranges may use vho:Summer for the locally-corresponding high-activity season or override with a species-specific seasonal period instead.

type
vho:SeasonalPeriod
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Survival floor vho:SurvivalFloor

A binding hard lower limit below which the animal cannot be kept at all. A breach is more severe than a welfare-minimum breach.

type
vho:ConstraintBasis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Tadpole stage vho:Tadpole

Aquatic-only larval stage characteristic of anuran amphibians. Tadpole regimes require an aquatic environment (vho:WaterZone or dedicated rearing setup), water-temperature constraints, and a stage-specific diet (powdered tadpole food, in some genera supplemented by trophic eggs deposited by the female).

type
vho:LifeStagePeriod
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Tarsal claw vho:TarsalClaw

Recurved claw at the distal end of an arthropod leg, used for clinging to substrates. Present in arachnids (typically as paired claws on each tarsus) and in many other arthropods. The clinging mechanism that makes the trait useful on rough surfaces is also what makes it liable to entanglement on woven or perforated materials such as fine mesh.

type
vho:AnatomicalTrait
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthropod_leg
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Terrestrial vho:Terrestrial

Lives on the ground; rarely or never climbs.

type
vho:Habit
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrestrial_animal
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Thin integument vho:ThinIntegument

An outer body covering that is thin, soft, or unscaled relative to a typical reptilian scaled integument. Includes amphibian skin, the cuticle of soft-bodied invertebrates, and the body wall of newly-moulted arthropods. Thin integument is mechanically vulnerable to laceration on sharp edges and chemically permeable to environmental contaminants.

type
vho:AnatomicalTrait
source
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integumentary_system
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Toe-fibre snag vho:ToeFiberSnag

Latent capacity for a looped, napped, or fine-fibrous surface to catch the distal toe structures of an arboreal climber. Realised in individuals with DelicateToes (geckos with adhesive setae or fine claws). Outcome ranges from temporary detachment of adhesive pads to traumatic toe loss.

type
vho:Capacity
source
https://reptifiles.com/crested-gecko-care/crested-gecko-substrate-options/
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Ultraviolet provision vho:UltravioletAxis

The care axis asking what ultraviolet exposure members of a taxon require. Ultraviolet care spans the UV-B waveband, which drives cutaneous vitamin D synthesis and is expressed as a UV-index band at the basking location or as a Ferguson Zone classification, and the UV-A waveband, which many animals perceive and which influences basking, foraging, and social behaviour. An answer on any property the axis covers answers the axis; for many taxa the sourced answer is that no provision is required, and that answer is recorded rather than left blank.

The covered properties address the UV-B side; a UV-A provision property extends the axis through vho:coversProperty rather than a new axis, keeping ultraviolet one question with one coverage state.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Ventilation vho:VentilationAxis

The care axis asking what level of passive air exchange and what airflow arrangement the enclosure's ventilation openings must provide for members of a taxon.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Volume vho:Volume

The internal volume of the enclosure, the product of width, depth, and height.

type
vho:DerivedEnclosureQuantity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Water depth vho:WaterDepth

The vertical distance from the water surface to the deepest point of the standing water body in a design. Bounded as a floor for swimming and soaking species and as a ceiling where shallow water protects weak swimmers.

type
vho:DerivedEnclosureQuantity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Water surface area vho:WaterSurfaceArea

The horizontal area of the surface of the standing water body in a design. Bounded as a floor for species whose swimming, gas exchange at the surface, or thermoregulation depends on open water extent.

type
vho:DerivedEnclosureQuantity
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Water temperature vho:WaterTemperatureAxis

The care axis asking what temperature band the standing water body in the enclosure must hold, for members of a taxon with an aquatic life stage or aquatic habits.

type
vho:CareAxis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Welfare minimum vho:WelfareMinimum

A binding floor at which a keeper can provide a minimum standard of wellbeing for the animal, larger than the bare minimum needed to keep it alive. A breach is a welfare failure.

Captures the standard the Federation of British Herpetologists applies in its enclosure-size guidance, which grounds the figure in freedom from discomfort and exposure and freedom to express normal behaviour.

type
vho:ConstraintBasis
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

Winter vho:Winter

The annual low-photoperiod, low-temperature half of a temperate-baseline seasonal cycle. The exact dates are design-specific; the period is named here as a categorical phase. Species in tropical or non-temperate ranges may use vho:Winter for the locally-corresponding low-activity season or override with a species-specific seasonal period instead.

type
vho:SeasonalPeriod
contributor
https://vho.bio/contributor/crittercad

years vho:Year

type
vho:Unit