Vet Q&A-Reptile

hello I rescued a bearded dragon around 6 weeks ago the dragon had a few problems to begin with a chunk out her side and a bit of tail rot my problem is the tail rot over 1 month the tail rot has reached 3 inches up her tail I was told by a friend who has them that it would just drop off but by this point I decided to take her the vets who examined her then the tail and just said it may just sort itself out and to monitor it now 2 weeks later its a farther 1 inch up 4 inches total help plz

Thanks for your question, and I’m so sorry that this is happening to you and Peaches. Tail rot can be a bit tricky to manage, and ultimately Peaches may need a tail amputation. Unfortunately, the tissue needs to stop dying before an amputation can be pursued, or else the tissue at the surgical site is at risk of dying as well. Due to this, for right now, you’ll need to monitor for spread of the tissue death. I recommend drawing a line at the area where the tissue seems to be shrunken, closer to the end of the tail, and another line around the area where the tail goes from a more normal orange to the white color. You can do this with a permanent marker. It may be advisable to consider a course of antibiotics as well, especially if the tissue death doesn’t seem to stop spreading. I hope this gives you a place to start, and that Peaches feels better soon.

Box turtle came out of hibernation with white mucus around eyes and coughed up mucus while getting drink. What do I do?

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! It would be best to have Charlotte evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to look into this to see if she would benefit from being on any sort of therapy based on their findings. Best of luck!

my bearded dragon is about three months old and won’t grow or shed. currently he is 8inches long and eats 8-15 mealworms a day. he won’t eat veggies and his basking spot is at 85 degrees in a 40 gallon tank

Submit a stool sample to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites. Deworm him if indicated. Bump up basking spot temps to between 90 F and 100 F. Make sure the UVB light is not obstructed by glass, plexiglass or fine mesh. In addition to mealworms, offer other prey such as crickets, dubia roaches and phoenix worms. Prey should be no bigger tha the space between the eyes. Gut load all prey for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. This can be done by feeding them a high protein baby cereal, tropical fish flakes and fresh fruits and greens. Monitor his weight a few times a week and record gains and losses. If he does not grow or gain, have him physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose and treat any underlying conditions. In the meantime, review dragon care at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html

I have a Chinese Pond Turtle that appears to have the right side of its beak rotted away. It started as a little yellowish bump on his beak, but after 2 months it popped to reveal that it was eating away at his beak. What disease is this and what type of treatment would he need?

Thanks for reaching out about Squirtle and including photos. A probably diagnosis is an infection, requiring debridement of the wound and systemic antibiotics. A veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

My crested gecko is 3-4 months old. Can I start feeding him small pieces of fruit?

Thanks for reaching out about Rango. Small, diced pieces of fruit can be offered. Start with small pieces and small amounts to allow the gastrointestinal tract time to adjust. Monitor for defecation but also urination. Good luck.

My iguana suddenly grew a big under chin. It looks inflammated but I don’t know if its normal as he is getting older. He is about 2 years old

Thanks for reaching out about Chispi and including a photo. This appears to be mandibular hypertrophy, likely a result of calcium deficiency, termed metabolic bone disease. A veterinary visit should be scheduled to determine other concerns such as bowed bones, etc. Dietary/vitamin D deficiencies, preferred optimal thermal zone and exposure to ultraviolet radiation, all need to be investigated. This is a serious and possible fatal problem and should be corrected soon. Good luck.

I have 2 Chinese golden thread turtles. Slightly bigger than hatching size. I don't know the max height of water to add. Can you help me

Thanks for reaching out about Michaelangelo. Depth of the water is not that important as long as there is a haul-out area, with radiant heat (and UVB). Ensure haul-out area is used and the turtles are able to access. (might need a ramp). The larger the water volume, the more stable the conditions. Good luck.

For a turtle what can go wrong if there enclosure is not cleaned out propley and what are the health risks to humans from the turtles waste ?

Thanks for your question about Nugget. For the human health part of your question, the biggest disease that we worry about passing from reptiles to humans is Salmonella. There are other bacteria that they can also carry, but they don’t seem to cause as many problems for humans as Salmonella does. I would recommend washing your hands thoroughly after handing Nugget or cleaning the enclosure to help with this, and to clean the area where you dump the water (ie if you use the sink). For issues relating to a dirty enclosure for Nugget, there are many health problems that can occur with poor husbandry. They can get very sick from exposure to the high levels of bacteria present in their poop, and may stop eating, growing, etc. Often these infections take a long time to treat, and some reptiles don’t recover. I hope that answers your questions, and thanks for using Boop by Petco.

Hi I have a bearded dragon named Nakii, and he hasn’t pooped in a while. I’m starting to get worried because i have never taken him to the vet. He doesn’t really eat much or poop. What can I do to help him out?

If constipation last for more than 48 hours I would recommend to try to stimulate your dragons' bowel by giving them a very warm bath and time to run around outside their enclosure. Use your best judgment on bath temperature as you don't want to burn the dragons but without warmth it will not relax the muscles and help the dragon pass it's stool. If you feel it has been a very long time since your dragon has had a bowel movement, and they seem lethargic and limp, contact your local vet. 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.