Vet Q&A-Reptile

Green iguana extremely skinny and not gaining weight. Is there anything I can give her. She has proper lighting/humidity, food, vitamins. I just don’t know what else to do for her. She was malnourished when we rescued her and does appear to have MBD.

Submit a stool sample to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites. Consider a supplement such as Oxbow Critical Care or Fluker's Repta-Boost. Review her diet with your veterinarian to make sure it is appropriate, adequate and that Saphira isn't getting too much vitamin D3 which can be toxic in large quantities.

I have a tortoise. I have had him since 2018. I have not had any luck finding a veterinarian that sees reptiles. My tortoise s she'll is really rough and looks like there are some sort of cracks forming. Are these growing cracks? Also when he pees there is a whitish substance at the end?

Thanks for reaching out about Shelley. Including a photo might help determine the nature of the cracks. The scutes typically have growth rings but these are symmetric around the scutes. They can vary on their width dependent on growth spurts. As for the white substance in the urine. Reptiles excrete kidney waste in two forms: clear urine and white, thick urates. The urates are a method to conserve water in the body. Large amounts of urates can be an indication of dehydration. Another possibility of white in the urine is calcium deposits. Excess calcium in the diet is excreted in the urine. This increased concentration of calcium in the urine, can be a precursor to a bladder stone. Different species (not identified by you) of tortoises are more prone to calcium stones. Research proper husbandry and nutrition for your tortoise to ensure long term health. A veterinary visit is recommended, at least annually, just as if for humans, dogs and cats. Good luck.

Hello my bearded dragon has not pooped in over a week. He’s also in brumating. I’ve tried warm baths and 1 ml of prune juice and olive oil today and that didn’t work. What do I do? I’m scared, I just want him to poop.

Such a young and small beardie should not be brumating. If he isn't eating much, don't expect regular or large bowel movements.Check the temperature and photoperiod in the enclosure. Increase both if necessary. You can soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 20-30 minutes a few times a week. Gently massage his abdomen, front to back, during the soak to stimulate defecate. If the behavior persists, consider an exam with your veterinarian or a vet experience in treating reptiles in case Dwight has an underlying medical condition.

Hi, thank you very much for attending my concern. Giro is a Reeve s turtle that was born in late October, he/she is sharing the space with Taro, another of the same specie 9 months aprox. Giro is getting the Plastron's line pink almost red, and I am afraid the Taro kun is starting to get it as well. I got Taro before Giro but . never happened before. What should I do? Your help will be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance

This may be an indication of infection or injury. Ideally, they should be physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose and treat any underlying condition. In the meantime, maintain pristine water quality via filtration and regular partial water changes. Remove any sharp rocks or furniture that could scrape the shell which would predispose them to infection. If there is a significant size difference between the two, consider housing them separately until the smaller one gets bigger. Yiu can review Reeve's turtle care at the link below. http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Care-Sheets/Reeves-Turtle-Care-Sheet/

i have a breaded dragon and under the eye is a blood clot

Although a picture of it would help to determine the underlying cause more specifically, That is likely to be due to a mild to moderate conjunctivitis, probably secondary to a trauma or infection. A check up would be needed as appropriate treatment would include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops. Corneal injuries must be ruled out as well. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Hello. So right now for my baby crested gecko tank set up I have a 10 gallon with live plants and some wood. (First time reptile owner) I have had this problem before. There are these VERY small little silver bugs and they are in the dirt and also on the wood. I didn’t make this bio active. I don’t think they are on the plants but there is a lot. I am using the dirt bricks and last time this happened I cleaned out his tank but they are back. They are not on my crestie. Are these ok? Suggestions?

They are probably springtails. It is likely they came in on the plants or wood. They aren't harmful, but can be unsightly in large numbers. In bioactive tanks, they are used as "janitors" to clean up decaying matter, uneaten food and feces.

Hello! My 5 year old leopard geckos left eye is shut and won’t eat she is begging to get very skinny and i’m am very concerned. I washed her eye with saline wash and helped her to open it up, when she opened it i noticed at the top of her lid there was a yellow lining and her eye looked sort of foggy and dark i was wondering if you have any idea what is going on and what i can do to help without having to go to the vet.

Thanks for reaching out about Lilly. Dietary deficiencies, specifically vitamin A, can lead to corneal infections or cloudiness. Insects need to be gut-loaded with a wide variety of vegetables, including carrots and squashed, that have higher levers of vitamin A. The possible secondary infection needs to be treated by a veterinarian. Topical and/or systemic antibiotics will probably be needed. Gently wiping with saline will help to keep moist until a veterinary visit can be scheduled. Good luck.

My red slider turtle about a year and half old has not been eating for the past month. He has a big spacious water tank with clean filtered water. A lodging dock and a uv lamp 75 w . We try to feed him pellets as well as crickets and worms. He went through a period of over feeding and he would eat 3 times daily. His movement ans sleep are perfectly normal. No signs of illness. Please help me what you think could be the cause as well as what should I do. Thanks

Thanks for reaching out. Is the water heated? If the water is cold, reptiles being cold blooded animals, all their metabolic processes will decrease and possible shut down, including appetite and immune system. If the water is heated, sometimes RES will not eat due to behavioral changes or stress. If he is acting sick, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

Hi there. So I am looking into getting a heat dome for my crested gecko. I know they don’t have to have a heat lam but I want him to have a UVB bulb Because it’s good for them. But I am not quite sure that type to get. Any suggestions? I was looking at petco’s tropical combo pack. He lives in a 10 g. With live plant. (I will upgrade when he is bigger) also do you know an age on him? I got him 3 months ago from petsmart. I could tell he was a male a week after I got him. (Pic from yesterday)

A heat lamp isn't necessary unless the room where the cage is located is cold. Cresties do just fine at room temperature. A UVB light source isn't necessary either as long as you feed a diet containing adequate levels of Vitamon D3. That said, either won't harm him and it is a matter of personal preference. Be sure to monitor cage temps to make sure they don't go too high. There was no image attached to this question. Age can be difficult to determine if you don't have a hatch date. The reason being that growth can be dramatically affected by diet and environment. Contact the PetSmart where he was purchased. They should have records from the source/breeder which should include a hatch date or age.