Vet Q&A-Reptile

found a turtle in a pond today. It looks as if a fisherman had caught the turtle with a hook and ripped it out. Its right side of the jaw is hanging. What should i do?

Oh no, this poor turtle! There are exotic vets who work with turtles, and I would check to see if there is one in your area who can help this turtle. There may be a wildlife rescue in your area that could be able to help as well. Do an internet search for local wildlife rescues.

bought my son a bearded dragon, i was told it was approx. 3 months old. we've had him about 2 months. he started a shedding phase about 2 wks ago. he started eating less and less and yesterday he was alive when we got up, seemed fine but by 4 yesterday afternoon he was dead. he was about 6 inches when we got him and he didn't grow any over the 2 months we had him. we had repti light, basking light, calcium, vita's,. i know you can't tell us for certain what happened but an edu. guess w. be g8t.

Poor Jaxs! It sounds like you had a good set up in terms of husbandry so I think metabolic diseases are unlikely. If he was gradually going off food it suggests his mouth may have been painful. He may have had a touch of mouth rot which is relatively common, they can die from the infection or progressive anorexia. Another potential is that he had an impaction in his gut, this could be sudden or build up over time if he is on sand substrate. It's unfortunate that this has happened to you, but reptiles can be notoriously tricky to keep.

When I carry my 5 month old boy bearded dragon I can feel little ball things on one side of his stomach, is that normal?

You may be feeling his internal organs. This can be normal, especially if he isn't too chubby yet. Have him examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet to make sure it isn't anything to be concerned about.

I've been feeding a wild box turtle in my backyard. It is getting down into the 40's when should he hibernate or should I bring him in for the winter or will he hibernate on his own?

Box turtles are so fun to watch in the wild! Your backyard turtle knows exactly when and where it should hibernate, so do not bring it inside. The conditions within your house are likely not ideal for the turtle. Have fun watching him in your backyard and look forward to his re-emergence in the Spring! Thank you for using pet coach.

Hi my pet tortoise is notvfeeding for last one month, not opening the eyes n just floating without any control of body. It's alive n I get a sense when I pick it up. Pls advise

You really need to take this turtle to the vet asap as it sound like it is incredibly sick. There will be nothing you can do at home to help it at this point. It would also be a good idea to isolate the other turtle. I'm not sure if you are taking a picture of them in a different tank, but the tank in the photo is not appropriate to keep turtles in, it is too small. If you would like some advice on turtle husbandry please ask and I will try and help you.

Hello. I just got a mini baby python early Wednesday morning and was wondering when I should try to feed him. I have everything I need, I just need to know how long I should wait after I get a new snake to feed him. Thank you

Find out when the snake was last fed. If it was fed recently, wait 3-5 days before feeding at home. If it hasn't eaten recently, it may eat right away. Each snake is different and not all will adhere to general guidelines.

we are having kitten it ate lizard After that its not eating well and it beacame very dull please help us

The lizard your kitten ate may have upset her tummy. She may vomit, drool excessively, and not want to eat for a few days while the lizard is still in her stomach. If this behavior continues for more than 48 hours I would recommend taking her in the see the vet. She may need supportive care, like fluids and nausea medication, to help her until the lizard is out of her system. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Boop by Petco. Best of luck!!

When I got home from work today, my 250 pound Mastiff was playing with a feeder mouse for our snakes. I have no idea if he got bit. He is one month late for his next rabies shot. He is my child, but I am not rich. I can't afford a ton of tests if it is unnecessary. HELP

I would not personally be worried about this at all. I doubt the mouse that bit him, if he even did get bit, was rabid. If you said he got bit by a bat or a raccoon, skunk or fox (a truly wild animal) I would be more worried. Just get his rabies booster as soon as you can do it so that way he is always up to date.

I own two bearded dragons, a female and a male. Earlier this year, my male started glass surfing, and it has since spiraled out of hand. Now, my female does this too, even though their temperatures are fine. Now, my female has an unexplained wound on her foot, and I am afraid that it may be some kind of infection. It was bleeding in her bath last night, so I put neosporin on it to help it heal and fight off any bad germs. Does this seem like a simple wound? Or something worse? Thanks.

As long as it isn't bleeding or spreading, you can try managing it at home. Clean it with diluted betadine or chlorhexidine solution. Let it dry then apply a dab of triple antibiotic ointment. Use paper towels for substrate and change them daily until the spot heals. If it doen't heal, see your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet. For the glass surfing, try rearranging the enclosures. Confirm proper environmental parameters. Survey the area around them for any negative stimuli. Eliminate or decrease any if found. You can tape a tank surround (or paper) on the sides to limit views and reflections.