Vet Q&A-Reptile

My snake is rubbing her face on her tank walls.

Hi and thank you for this question, If this is a new behavior for Jellybean than she should be examined for anything abnormal in her mouth/ respiratory system. This requires a visit to the vet. If this is something that she has been doing for a while, it could be behavioral. Snakes often do that, and sometimes injure themselves as a result (which would also require treatment). If there is a specific area that she rubs on, it may be possible to make some changes in her enclosure to discourage her from doing so,

I was given a Bearded dragon that had gout, how can I help him without needing to take him to the vet he has had it for a while and it is visible. How do I know if he is in pain? What should I give him ?

Hello, Gout is an exceptionally painful condition and Ricky needs to be on medication for pain and to help slow progression of disease. There is no treatment to reverse or cure gout, and it generally has a guarded to poor prognosis. Our goals in treatment are to minimize pain and slow the disease. The medications needed must come from a veterinarian and Ricky’s condition needs to be closely monitored. A veterinarian will do an exam, blood work, and maybe X-rays to thoroughly assess Ricky and be sure the diagnosis is correct. Unfortunately, there is nothing effective that can be done at home without a veterinarian’s guidance aside from ensuring Ricky has appropriate nutrition, temperature and humidity. Refer to anapsid.org for guidelines on bearded dragon care and check arav.con to find a reptile vet near you. Good luck!

I have 3 red slider turtles. I been having them for over 6 months now and they are starting to become picky eaters. 2 of them are wild and 1 is from the per store. I tried three different brands and kinds of food and they only eat the dried shrimp. Is ok to make the dried shrimp their only food or do I need to try and incorporate more nutrition in their diet and how?

Shrimp should not be the sole source of nutrition. This may lead to deficiencies. Sliders are omnivorous and should be fed a combination of greens and proteins. Offer live prey such as crickets, minnows, nightcrawlers and superworms. Dark, leafy greens can be chopped finely and offered. A commercial pellet or stick formula should also be fed. To stimulate the appetite, you can soak pellets in some water used to rehydrate dried shrimp or krill. Fasting the turtles for a day or two will also get them hungry enough to eat pellets or prey. Be sure to provide adequate space, heat and lighting. Allow 10 gallons per inch of she'll as a guideline for tank size. Three sliders, when fully grown will need a large tank. UVB lighting will aid in calcium metabolism and heat is necessary for proper digestion and health in reptiles. Water temperature should range between 75F and 85F. A basking area should be 90F to 95F. Care should be taken when housing wild caught turtles with captive bred turtles. Parasites and disease present in wild sliders may infect a captive bred one. You should also check local wildlife laws regarding the keeping of wild turtles. You can read more about care of sliders here: www.anapsid.org/reslider.html

I just bought a baby crested gecko yesterday, (I'm not sure of the age, but she's about the size of a crayon), and I'm not sure if she's more calm than most crested geckos. She's very slow at walking, and will randomly stop walking all the suddon, (after around 10, to 15 seconds, she'll keep walking again). Is this normal for a baby crestie that was just brought home? Is she sick or something?

She may be a bit cautious and apprehensive in her new environment. Give her a few days to acclimate. Confirm proper environmental parameters, especially heat /temperature. Low temps can affect activity in reptiles. make sure the lighting is not too bright also.

We purchased a turtle 40 gallon starter kit, but now am reading they were banned and illegal as pets? Is that correct?

Since 1975 selling baby turtles that are less than 4 inches long has been illegal in the U.S. So, I'm not sure if you are referring to that or something else. Can you post again and be more specific in your question?

I was just wondering if there is some fruits or veggies that both bearded dragons and budgies can eat. I know Kale is one but I am looking for other alternatives that are healthy and can benefit on both of my animals health.i have been trying to find similarities online but no website companies both budgie and beardie foods together. Thanks

Both can eat dark, leafy greens. Vegetables such as squash, peppers, peas, carrots and corn can also be offered. Cooked is fine, raw is healthier. Fruits should be offered sparingly to both species to prevent loose droppings. Apples, pears, banana, mango, grapes and peaches are all acceptable. Be sure to remove pits or seeds.

My bearded dragon likes running on the floor outside his tank, so I made him a large area where he could run, by blocking off areas with various objects he couldn’t climb to stop him from getting lost. But he only wants to try and climb up the walls rather then sit with me or climb on sticks, or blankets in the middle of it. He is not aggressive/ Beard puffing and showing no signs of stress. Is he just really Adventurous today? This is not the first time I have made a running area like this.

Hi! I think it’s great you are letting Lightning get some exercise. This is good enrichment for him. I suspect his drive to climb the walls and run around is just his excitement and sense of adventure. He’s probably curious about his environment and wants to explore. If you’re inclined, you can purchase a harness specifically made for bearded dragons and take him on walks around the house or even outside in nice weather. I wouldn’t worry about his bevahor at all unless it is accompanied by changes in appetite, energy level, defecation, etc. Good luck!

Hello. I live in Mississippi, where the humidity is very high all year round. I have not bought a lizard yet because of the humidity issues. I did decide to choose a leopard gecko, but after lots of research, I found out they need to have a low humidity level from 10% to 40% (depends on who you ask). Currently, the humidity sits around 60 to 70% but will drop significantly to 50%. So I am not sure what to do? Could it be faulty equipment?

In a "perfect" set up, the humidity would range between 20 and 40%. Higher humidity is recommended during sheds. Luckily, leopard geckos are pretty adaptable to a wide range of captive environments. This makes them a popular "beginner" reptile. You can use a dehumidifier in the room the enclosure will be kept in to control humidity. Some keepers will also place a small sack of plain, uncooked rice in the enclosure to absorb excess moisture. The rice should be kept out of the gecko's reach though. Two digital hygrometers should be used, one on each side of the tank, to monitor humidity.

Male green iguana won't eat or stay by his lamps. I have tried to keep him in his enclosure by light and food and he gets upset. He won't eat, he seems healthy and strong but just wants to stay on the back of the couch by people. He will still drink water just won't eat. He was a rescue and had a calcium deficiency when he was younger but has recovered.

Hmmm, not an easy one :) They do have their own character and can be stubborn. The problem is that they need high ambient temperatures and humidity, and you are not going to get those in the living room. Perhaps you need a larger enclosure or a re-arrangement of the existing one. Keeping him on the couch will in a cool and dry environment (I'm guessing) will have a negative effect on his health.