Vet Q&A-Reptile

My dog recently had a snake bite....It was Russell's Viper....we managed to save his life..by giving him anti Venom and dexamethasone injections.....along with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid tabs and few vitamin injections....now the problem is...right side of his penis area is swollen or a bit loose/hanging a little.....as compared to left side.....plz suggest and elaborate.....

Is this the location where the envenomation occurred? There could still be residual swelling and gravity is taking it to the lowest place. Otherwise the skin could be becoming necrotic from the bite. I would recommend a follow up appointment with your veterinarian just to make sure that nothing serious is happening. I’m so glad he made it through that crisis! What a scare!

PLEASE ANSWER THIS AS FAST IF YOU CAN.I feed my turtle this cuttle bone that is meant for birds and now I'm worried if it will hurt her.Please tell me if my turtle can eat this.I took off the hard shell on the bone before I gave it to her.Again please answer this as fast as you can. I will provide photos of the bone.

Yes, it is fine to give and is actually recommended for use in turtles. Here is a video on how to feed this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awL9aSiWI2U For future reference this is not an emergency service so please, if you need an answer right away you should contact your vet or a 24-hour emergency vet.

A tortoise came under my car while I was just started to move it's not able to move since then, can you help please

The tortoise will need to be examined by a veterinarian experienced in treating reptiles. If the injuries are severe or if the tortoise is truly paralyzed, humane euthanasia may be an option. Without an exam, it is difficult to determine the extent of the injuries or what treatment is needed.

My gecko hasn’t eaten for 2 months and hasn’t driken water for 4 days. She won’t open her eyes and has had rapid weight loss. She has a little bit of black tissue on one side of her mouth... she barley moves, and she always rubs her head against the cage walls... do you know what’s wrong with her? She’s a leopard gecko.

I would suspect that she has an issue with her mouth that is painful, causing her to rub and not want to eat. It is not uncommon for them to develop a bit of mouth rot which is a combination of infection and inflammation. I would try and find a good reptile vet and take her in to be examined, she will require veterinary treatment for this.

My daughter bought a leapord gecko 2 days ago it is a juvenile. Yesterday it are fine 5 crickets and a few mealworms. But today it only ate one of each and seems afraid of the crickets. Should we be worried

Offer appropriately sized prey, no bigger than the space between the eyes. Confirm proper temperature as well. Low temps can affect appetite and digestion in reptiles. Be sure to dust prey at every feeding with a multivitamin and calcium supplements. Gutloading prey for 24 hours will also maximize nutritional value. Do not be concerned if she refuses food for one day.

My 5 week old kitten was bitten by a snake and now there is a hole through her eyelid. I cleaned it with peroxide, but I am extremely worried about her. She won't eat and she is sleeping a lot. I cannot afford to take her to the vet any time soon and I'm not sure what to do. What can I do at home to try to treat this?

Poor kitty cat. Depending on what kind of snake it was, it may or may not require significant supportive care. As long as it wasn't venomous, the issue is just going to be wound care and avoiding infection. It is a little difficult to tell, but it looks like there could already be some purulent material coming from the wound site, indicating a possible infection. If this is the case, Toph will definitely require some antibiotics. You can try using something topically at first, but a lot of the times something systemic is required. You will of course need a veterinary visit to obtain such a drug. Otherwise, keeping it clean is the best thing you can do. I would stay away from things like peroxide, as they actually tend to delay healing. Use something like a dilute betadine or chlorhexidine solution. In an attempt to whet your kittie's appetite, feed something that you might not normally use that would be otherwise impossible for her to say no to. Hope this works out.

I’ve been getting a lot of mixed answers as to what to feed my dragon and what the schedule should be I’m a new owner and I also want to know what the light schedule should be right now he seems hungry but won’t eat the collard greens I gave him how do you get them to eat them also how do you bond is it strange that his poop was big

Beardies are omnivores and eat a mix of greens and live prey. Adult beardies will eat more greens than prey. At his age, Majesty can be fed once daily. Alternate between prey and greens. Don't forget to dust food with a calcium supplement as well as a multivitamin. Always have fresh water available. Offer different types of greens such as mustard greens, dandelion greens, kale, bok choy or raw cabbage. Vegetables that can be fed include celery, carrots, squash and pumpkin. This list is my no means inclusive. If he won't eat greens, chop them finer and add strawberries or blueberries to the mix. Mixing in crickets or mealworms may also stimulate the appetite. As long as the stool is formed, size isn't an issue. It will change depending on how much and what he eats. A light cycle of 12 hours on and 12 hours off is sufficient. To get him acclimated to you, simply spend time with him. Initially, you'll want to just sit by his cage, then progress to placing your hand in the cage then actually touching and holding him. Begin each stage with short periods of time and gradually increase the time as he accepts you. The links below will provide more information. http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=17+1796&aid=2730 http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html

One of my turtles has been sleeping a lot and doesn't open his eyes when he swims around or eats. I looked it up online and it said he could be hibernating but I'm worried. Should I be worried about it? Or is it just hibernation during the winter? Thanks for your time.

Hi, That's difficult to say without seeing Donatello. However, if the temperature of his tank is above 68F then he should not be hibernating. You can try warming the water to about 80C and see if it helps. Regards

I have a man alligator snapping turtle and he has a white spot on his head that has me concerned is there something I can add to the water to help clear it up? Thanks!

Keep the water as clean as possible. You may need to empty and scrub the tank then perform partial water changes frequently. If you can handle it safely, gently scrub the spot with a dilute betadine solution. Allow him to dry thoroughly afterwards. Do this daily for two weeks. If the water changes and scrubbing don't work, dissolve 2 tablespoons of plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt). Per gallon of water in a large basin and dip him in it. Allow him to dry before returning to his main tank. Do this daily for two weeks. If the spot still doesn't clear up or if it spreads, he will need to be physically examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet.