Vet Q&A-Reptile

my red eared slider is about 6 months-1year old and has an eye infection, his eye is swollen, is is completely covered by a membrane of pale color. i just noticed it today and i'm really worried it might have bad damage on my turtle, what can a i do to help it? i was recommended eye drops with antibiotics but what you you think?

Unfortunately what i can tell you from your description and the pic is that this presentation is likely to be due to a severe conjunctivitis, probably secondary to a trauma or infection. A check up would be needed as appropriate treatment would include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops. Corneal injuries must be ruled out as well and eye must be fully examined. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hello! My crested gecko doesn't know how to drink from glass, or a standing water bowl, so I have no other way to get her to drink other than lightly spraying her mouth and eyes so she licks the water off. That works perfectly fine (Other than more time caring for her) but when she is in one of her hides, I can't get to her. (There are little passage ways in the tree hide, which makes it impossible to water her). How can I teach her to drink water? (Or any other solution, really :) Thanks!

Created geckos naturally drink from drops of water on leaves. Make sure your enclosure has plenty of decorative plants with leaves and make sure to spray the enclosure down with water at least twice a day. You many never see her drink, but she will. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Can I feed a snake with chicken meat, or fish meat? Because i want to buy one but I don't want to feed it with mice. If I can't feed it with something else I will not buy one.

It depends on what the snake has been eating already. If the previous owner/breeder feeds live mice/food, then the snake will most likely eat dead food. Some snakes can be trained to eat dead food but it can take some time. Some will never convert to dead/frozen food. You may want to consider getting another type of reptile that does not eat mice. Most snakes will not eat chicken or fish meat. I hope this has helped. Thanks for using pet coach.

I have a bearded dragon on that I turned his nocturnal light on for night time and the humidity started Rising it's at 50 and I was wondering if that was safe for him and he's 2 to 3 months old

50% humidity is a bit too high. Ideally, it should range between 30 and 40%. Consider a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) which will emit heat without visible light. Prolonged periods of high humidity may promote bacterial or fungal overgrowth and could predispose Calvin to respiratory infection.

My turtle has sweelling in its toes. What should i do to reduce that swelling ? Please suggest some home remedy

Thanks for reaching out about Micky. Infections, inflammation or poor husbandry can all be involved. Removing substrate (especially dirt or sand), keep water quality pristine, allow easy haul out to get dry. As a treatment, you can try a shallow Epsom salt soak for the feet but this might reduce swelling but is not a treatment. A veterinary visit is recommended to determine a cause so treatment can be focused. Good luck.

Hello, I am pretty sure this is mouth rot on my 6 year old Male bearded dragon. What is the best course of treatment?

Thanks for reaching out about Ozzy and including a photo. By the photo, the lesion does not appear serious. Cleaning with a cotton tipped applicator and a mouth cleaning agent like chlorhexidene solution. If the lesion progresses, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

How do you know you're red ear slider is stressed ? What stresses out baby turtles ?

Lethargy and decreased or loss of appetite can be indicators of stress. Juveniles can be stressed by poor water quality, poor diet, low temperatures (water and basking), insufficient food, rough/excessive handling and loud noises or vibrations near the tank.

Will a garter snake Bite hurt a dog weighing 30th lbs?

A garter snake Bite is not likely to be dangerously toxic to your dog, some swelling will probably occur and if the swelling is too severe you should definitely take him to the vet to get treatment, but he should be fine otherwise.

How do you check the TPR of a Bearded Dragon, Rabbit and Budgie and what is the average for each of these for each individual animal?

Bearded dragons are cold-blooded creatures and they regulate their body temperature from external sources such as the sun or heat lamps. The average body temp is about 95F. The average rates for respiration is 6-12 breaths per minutes and the heart rate is normally around 60-80 on average. This varies with age, temp, activity and season as beardies will brumate (hibernate). A thermometer and stethoscope are used to obtain these values. A rabbit’s heart rate should be 120-150 beats per minute, the respiration rate should be 30-60 breaths per minute and the temperature should be between 101.3 and 104F. Heart rates can be taken by feeling for a pulse over the femoral artery in the upper inner thigh or by placing the hand on the lower, left side of the chest and feel for the heartbeat. Count for 15 seconds and then multiply by four. For the respiratory rate, count the number of breaths the rabbit takes in 15 seconds and multiply that number by four as well. Temp is taken rectally. The average heart rate for a budgie is 250 - 600 beats per minute, average respiratory rate is between 65 and 85 breath per minute and body temp ranges between 105F and 108.6F. A stethoscope is used but because they are so small and easily stressed, a TPR can be difficult to obtain.