Vet Q&A-Reptile

i believe my red eared slider turtle may have a bit of shell rot. I was having issues with his filter and his water would get dirty every two days, I did get this resolved.His shell is a purple color on the outside of the shell and had two white spots i was wondering what i could get to treat it?

Maintain water quality and provide UVB lighting, vitamin/mineral supplementation and a healthy diet. You can clean spots of minor rot using a soft bristled toothbrush and diluted betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution. Allow for a 1-2 hour dry dock (keep Franklin out of the water) after each cleaning. If the rot does not resolve or if it worsens, see your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet.

What’s the difference between reptile water conditioner and any other kind of water conditioner life fish

Reptile water conditioner usually contains chemicals such as Water, Dechloraminating Agents, Synthetic Organic Polymers (Colloids), Chelating Agents, Electrolytes. The reptile conditioner usually also has a chemical that binds calcium in the water as well as a slime protecting agent that is good for amphibians and fish. Aquarium water conditioners (for fresh water fish) contains chemicals such as sulfates such as sodium thiosulfate. Thiosulfate is a Redox reducing agent. Either should be ok for reptiles or fish, however I would stick with reptile conditioner for reptile tanks or mixed (reptile and fish) tanks and for aquaria with fish only I would use specific aquarium water conditioner. The main reason to use a water conditioner is to remove chlorine in water. This, however, can also be attained by leaving the aquarium water fresh from the tap sitting over night. The chlorine will dissipate.

My bearded dragon has a lump on his lower back and has been having troubles moving his back legs. Should I be concerned? Is there anything I can do?

Thanks for reaching out about Mushu and including pictures. You should be concerned and a veterinary visit is recommended. The lump on the back appears to involve the spine. The rear legs appear swollen and front legs held awkwardly. First thoughts are around metabolic bone disease, which arises from calcium deficiency, whether lack in diet, lack of absorption or lack of ultraviolet radiation. A veterinary visit can help with diagnosis and prognosis, provide injections of calcium and vitamin D3, and oral calcium supplements. Good luck.

My gecko won't let me hold it and when I try to it runs away. How can a train it to be handled?

You will need to gradually acclimate Peanut to handling. Begin by simply sitting by the cage for ever increasing periods of time. Move slowly and speak softly around her. She may retreat to her hide or to the far side of the cage initially. Don't worry, this us normal. When she becomes more accepting and calm, progress to placing your hand in the enclosure. Again, for ever increasing periods of time. She may once again retreat. Make no attempt to touch or hold her. Use small treats to coax her closer to you then onto your hand. Be patient and be consistent. The more you interact with her, the quicker she will become acclimated.

My bearded dragon sometimes swings his tail when I pick him up.... I am assuming there is something he doesn't like but sometimes he does it when I am just standing there holding him

Hello. Lizards use their tails for balance and defense. Most likely, Lewis is swinging his tail to try to regain balance as he is being picked up. The feeling of being held may be somewhat disorienting, making him search for solid footing. He could also be trying to struggle to get free if he isn’t keen on being picked up at that time. Make sure to hold him securely and if he doesn’t seem inclined to socialize, respect his cues and give him space. Hope that helps!

Our leopard gecko has dried skin stuck in his eyes, and he cannot open them, and on top of his head. How can we help him?

Hi, This is usually the results of abnormal shedding. Please make sure that you are providing Gecky with the correct conditions (care sheets are available online e.g. on the Petco website). As to removing these pieces of skin, you can wet them down 2-3 times/ day and rub them very very gently with a wet gauze. It may take several days before they come off. Be patient.

Shall I keep my turtle in the blanket in winter

No, please keep your turtle in an appropriate environment with proper water, docking area, basking light, UVB light, thermometer in water and under basking light, and feed mix of fresh vegetables, turtle food pellets, and live prey items. Do not attempt to “hibernate” a turtle in a blanket. This will most likely end up causing illness and maybe death.

My turtle has got some kinda white spots on his neck???? What is that for???? What does it mean????

White spots on an aquatic turtle is often related to husbandry - most specifically the quality of the water. Aquatic turtles can be very dirty, and therefore they challenge most water filtration systems and it can be difficult to keep the water clean. I would recommend reviewing your husbandry with a care sheet, such as those for soft shelled turtles on Reptiles Magazine's website, and ensuring that it is as perfect as possible. You can see if the white spots are attached or if there is something just growing on the surface of your turtle - you can use Q-tips or a cloth to try to gently wipe them off, but be careful that you don't wipe too hard and hurt the turtle, and use caution in case Shiro tries to bite while you are trying this. If the white spots do not come off, I would recommend that Shiro is seen by a veterinarian. The spots may be bacterial or fungal growth from water quality problems, as mentioned above, but they may also be a growth of tissue as well. A veterinarian can sample the area, and look at the material under the microscope to determine what it is composed of. From there, they can make recommendations about diagnostic tests or treatments that can be used.

Please help! My bearded dragon has accidentally ripped her nail off and it is barely hanging on, what should i do? Should i wait for the nail to fall off on its own? Do i apply Neosporin?

If she will allow, remove it. Use a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution to gently clean the area daily. A dab of triple antibiotic ointment may be applied. Monitor fornredness, swelling, discharge, bleeding, lethargy or loss of appetite. Remove any loose substrate until the toe heals. If she won't allow you to remove it, you will need to have her seen by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles for treatment.