Vet Q&A-Reptile

What's the safest chemical to use when cleaning a newly bought cage for a crested gecko?

For a new tank, hot, soapy water followed by a thorough rinsing is sufficient. Steam cleaning and a dilute bleach solution (1/2 cup bleach:1 gallon water) can be used for disinfection. There are also commercial cleaners, such as Zoo Med Wipe Out, that can be purchased online or in most pet stores.

Hello i own an adult bearded dragon and my reptile hasnt been pooping i have tried apple sauce and he still has not pooped in 24 hours and am worried he might have impaction but cannot afford the vet bill right now i just want to know if you know any solutions to help him i have also gave him a warm bath but i dont know if i should give him one everyday especially since its winter time anything helps thank you

Hi! Since Gronk has not defecated in 24 hours, I think it’s fine to keep trying with warm water soaking 1 - 2 times a day for 10-15 minutes. Make sure you supervise him during the soaks and if he still wants to eat, I would decrease what you offer him until he does defecate. If he usually defecates daily, but still hasn’t defecated after 3-5 days with normal appetite, has any vomiting, change in attitude, activity or appetite, then I do think an examination by a veterinarian is the best thing for him. They can also give an enema or take a radiograph (X-ray) to see if there is a problem inside. Sometimes, some mild dehydration slows down the process and they just need a little boost of fluid to help move things along. So keep going with soaking for now. I hope that does the trick! Good luck, Gronk!

I bought my leopard gecko a few weeks ago and as recomended by my local Petco associate I used sand in his tank. Last night I feed him some crickets and when I went to check on him this morning his gut is FILLED with bright green sand! Will his gut get impacted? What steps can I take to help him?

Hi, Most likely he will not get impacted, but I would watch him closely for the next few days. I would suggest switching the substrate to something less hazardous like yesterday's news or artificial turf. It may not look as nice as the sand, but is safer. P.S. What a nice pattern Snuggles has :)

Have female cat 4 year old Dribbles Bad Breath Coarse hair on back and tail Still catches rats and mice and lizards.

It sounds like Sissy may have two issues going on. It's likely she is drooling and has bad breath related to dental infection and dental disease. She will need to see a veterinarian for a dental cleaning and to have infected teeth removed if dental disease is indeed causing the problem. Her skin issues could be related to flea issues so it's best to be sure she is on a quality flea preventative like Revolution or Advantage. If a flea Issue is not present Sissy will need to see a veterinarian to rule out issues like allergies or mites causing hair loss. Thanks for using Boop by Petco!

I bought a baby crested gecko at Petco on Wednsday, and I just want to make sure his behavior is normal. He hasn't been moving around a whole lot during the day and night, favoring to hiding in his fake leafs near the ground. I keep his cage around 75 to 80 degrees. I expected him to be high energy. He perches on my finger and will move if I try to turn my hand where he is upside down, but otherwise prefers to remain relatively still. Should I be concerned? If so, how do I fix this problem?

Hello. While 75-80F is a good range for the warm end of the cage, it would be ideal to have temps from 68-75 at the cooler end so he can self regulate his temperature. If the enclosure is too small to allow such a temperature gradient, then you may find your gecko will become stressed from being either too hot or too cold, and then susceptible to infection. Look through the enclosure and over his body for signs of infection or illness. Count food items offered so you can be sure how much he eats. Also consider a red or blue bulb for night viewing. This may help you observe his nocturnal activity better. Regardless, a new pet exam by a veterinarian is always a good idea to ensure good health and proper husbandry. Good luck!

I was given a Nile monitor lizard for Xmas but the person didn't know how old it was. How do I find out the possible age range of my monitor

Hi. It’s really impossible to accurately age reptiles. We can guess that they are juvenile, sub adult, or adult based on size, but this is not terribly accurate. Since reptiles are ecototherms and their metabolic rate is related to their environment, nutrition and temperature affect growth. Therefore, reptiles don’t grow based on chronological age, but rather based on the appropriateness of their previous husbandry. So we can see 2 reptiles of the exact chronological age have very different body sizes if one is fed and housed under one set of parameters compared to the other. Your best bet would be to have a new pet wellness exam done by your veterinarian who can maybe give you an educated guess. Good luck and enjoy your new pet!

How likely is it to get salmonella from a bearded dragon?

There is a high risk of salmonellosis with all reptile species, however this risk can be minimised by careful hygiene techniques. If you ensure to wash your hands after contacting the beardie or its habitat this will help greatly. Try and avoid washing any of the tank contents near food preparation areas also.

I have had a leopard gecko for about 8yrs now and I am thinking about changing the substrate to a bioactive one but I don't know if that would be too shocking for him..

Leopard geckos can be very finicky. I probably wouldn’t change his substrate unless he is having problems with the current one. You can attempt to change it but you need to monitor his activity, appetite and attitude closely. I also don’t recommend any sand substrates as they commonly cause intestinal obstruction because they like to eat it. Honestly, the best substrate is an AstroTurf type material because they can’t eat it and it is easy to keep clean, but this can be a big change if he isn’t use to it. I hope this helps!

.white spot on my turtle I think it's an injury rather than fungus Can any one help me with it

The discoloration on the marginal scutes may be due to dietary or environmental deficiencies. It may also be caused by bacterial infection or trauma. The pink coloration in the seams is normal. In other species, it would indicate possible infection. Confirm adequate UVB lighting as well as clean water and heat. A lack of any one of these can cause stress which will lead to infection. Monitor the areas for any rapid change or growth. A physical exam with your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles would be needed for a definitive diagnose after which the appropriate treatment can be administered.