Vet Q&A-Reptile

I’ve read stuff about bubbles coming from the mouth of my turtle and all of it was bad stuff.. so I was wondering if it’s always bad or if it’s normal in some cases because my turtle acts normal and doesn’t look like she has any other symptoms

Poor Scarlett. This usually indicates some type of respiratory infection. I would have your vet take a look at her before she actually starts to act sick. Once they stop eating and become lethargic, it can be difficult to make them well. Your vet will be able to start her on some antibiotics if needed. Your vet will also be able to give you some suggestions on things you can change to her environment to help her feel better quicker. I hope this helps!

My leopard gecko is not eating and hasn't been for around just under a month. He is also really struggling to poo. He has been licking around it's genitals and appears to have gone very dry in this area. Due to this he has lost weight. Is there any suggestions you could give us at to what may be wrong?

I am so sorry to hear that Gizmo is not feeling well. Reptiles have what is called a vent which is a single opening through which they defecate, urinate and copulate. So he could be licking the area due to a problem with his intestinal system, urinary system or reproductive system. If he is struggling to defecate, I would be worried that Gizmo has an impaction or blockage in his intestinal tract. Sometimes they pick up and eat things that they shouldn't when going to grab insects. Also, are you sure that Gizmo is a boy? If not, female reptiles can potentially become egg bound (unable to pass eggs). I would recommend taking Gizmo to the veterinarian to have an exam and possibly x-rays so that he can be treated appropriately. Best of luck to you and Gizmo.

My young male cat was bitten by a large poisonous snake; thanks to immediate care, he survived with no obvious results, but since this fellow is so playful, I was afraid of a repeat and made him an inside cat. I have noticed that his stools are not firm like my other cats. It’s an inconvenience, but not a problem. Is this something I should worry about?

Im so glad Porgy did well after the snake bite! How scary. As far as the softer stools you're noticing now that he is using a litterbox indoors- soft stool can be caused by intestinal parasites (which he could have picked up from hunting or from fleas when he was outside), a sensitivity to something in his diet, and even more chronic conditions like inflammatory bowel disease. I would start by dropping a stool sample off with your veterinarian and/or asking for a dewormer. You could also feed him a very bland diet for a few days (like chicken or turkey human baby food, Gerber and beachnut are common brands) and see if that helps solidify the stools. If the soft stool persists then I would have him seen by his veterinary office. Hope this helps a little!

My bearded dragon has been acting strange lately and running back and forth and stands up to scratch the sides of his glass we read on google that this is called "Glass Surfing" what can I do to get him unstressed what toys would be helpful? Or possibly can I hold him and play with him more?

Make sure his cage is large enough. A 20 gallon tank will be sufficient for now (if that's what you have) but as he grows, you will need to move him into a larger enclosure. Provide multiple hiding boxes and plants (real or fake) for privacy. You can also use cage wraps or backgrounds to provide additional privacy. He can come out of the cage also but be sure he does not get chilled or escape into a small crack or crevice.

My iguana won't eat she's a juv I had her about two weeks I offer her fresh food twice a day clean her cage once a week lights humidity great she only recently became active but still walks by or ignores her food I offer her a huge variety from squash to mango bell pepper kale collards bok Choy strawbeeies sweet potato and more I'm worried she will starve herself

Check the temps in the tank. Low temps can affect appetite. Offer a commercial iguana diet. If you have a large enclosure, Lizzie may have difficulty locating her food dish. Mist her with water or soak her daily in warm water to prevent or treat mild dehydration.

I've got 2 tortoises from a friend. They're 12 years old and have never hibernated. Their shells are lumpy and their mouths aren't straight and I understand somebody tried to trim their beaks. I plan to feed them calcium rich food as I do with my other 2, currently hibernating. Would it be better to get their mouths trimmed now or wait until they grow a bit.

I would recommend having their mouths trimmed as soon as possible by a skilled exotic veterinarian. Leaving the mouth untrimmed can lead to problems eating and the misalignment can become even more severe as it grows out.

My Ball Python has not eaten in about a month and she has lost a lot of weight and refuses to drink water and she is extremely weak. She does have a vet appointment scheduled but I'm just hoping to maybe find some answers before then. Before this past month she was completely normal, eating normal and is usually pretty active for a snake. Just wondering if there's something I can do?

Check the tank temps. If it is too cold, she won't eat. Aim for the mid 70s on the cool side of her enclosure up to the mid/high 80s on warmer side. Feed her at night. BPs are nocturnal and typically feed at night. Create a hide and cover it completely with her and the prey inside. Make sure whatever prey you offer is the appropriate size and not too cold (especially if you feed frozen prey). Other ways to get her to eat would be to offer different colored mice. Tap a thawed, warmed or freshly killed mouse on her nose to elicit a strike. Removing her from the enclosure, placing the prey in, then returning her about 30 minutes later may also get her to eat. Soak her in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte a couple times daily to treat or prevent mild dehydration. Do not force feed her if she is dehydrated or without the advice of your veterinarian.

My bearded dragon has become lethargic over the past few days. To the point where when I pick him up, his back legs just dangle.

Extreme lethargy requires an immediate veterinary check up and treatment. Nutritional support and antibiotics may be needed. Metabolic disorders (like Metabolic Bone Disease) and systemic infections are only two of the possible diseases that are affecting Brat.

My gecko, Treasure, is about 6 months old i think. Petco, where we bought him from told us that he is a leopard gecko. we aren't even sure if he's a boy either. he looks completely identical to a western banded. his daytime light went out weeks ago so we replaced it with a lightbulb in our home, but that's not warm enough for him. then today, his ultra violet light went out. we have plenty of good & water for him. he's about to shed, but he's very cold. i've tried warming him up with my body

Most species of geckos, being nocturnal, do not require UVB lighting. Being cold blooded though, they do need a heat source. Your body temp will not be sufficient for good health. Replace the light/heat source with an appropriate bulb. You can easily buy one online or at most pet stores. Low temps will stress him which can lead to illness. Low temps also affect appetite activity and digestion. Sexing geckos is fairly easy. An adult male will have a bulge behind the vent that is very noticeable. You will also see a row of femoral pores shaped like a "V" in front of the vent in male geckos. Since he is going into a shed, provide a moist hide in the enclosure and/or increase the humidity temporarily. These two species look similar but there are differences. To help with identification, closely exam your gecko. Leos will lose their bands and develop spots, hence the name, as they mature. They also get much bigger than banded geckos. Leos also have rougher, bumpier skin as opposed to a banded gecko's smoother skin. If you post a picture of him on his profile, we can possibly determine what species of geckos you own.