Reptile Cymru

If you are in the UK and ever visit Cardiff, in South Wales, consider stopping in to Reptile Cymru, a breeder and retailer, specializing in a wide range of captive bred snakes & lizards, and supplying all the equipment that you need.

RFUK

If you would like to be part of a UK community, why not join Reptile Forums, the UK's largest forums, where you can get friendly help and advice, or just chat to like minded people 24/7! Includes photo galleries, link directories and classified adverts.

Care Guide - Health


If you are ever in doubt about the health of your animal ask for professional advice. If your local reptile store does not have advice to you, please take your animal to see a qualified veterinarian.

Some common health problems are detailed below:

Mites

Mites will be small black insects that are barely visible to the human eye, and the eggs are not visible to the human eye. They feed on the blood of reptiles, and although they are more common in snakes, they can occur in lizards. They will congregate at skin folds, joints and in the ears. They should be taken care of immediately as they breed at an alarming rate and can spread easily. They can usually be annihilated by treating the reptile with a specific reptile mite spray, purchase-able from a reptile shop or veterinarian, and by sterilising the enclosure thoroughly.

Impaction

Impaction occurs when substrate is eaten, which clumps in the gut, and causes a digestive problem. This can be very serious. Warm baths and massaging the stomach might help your dragon pass the content, but if it does not, a veterinarian should be seen.

Some signs of impaction are distension of the gut, lack of appetite and lethargy, back legs losing functionality, paralysis or twitching.

MBD - Metabolic Bone Disorder

This is a severe long term condition caused by lack of UVB lighting and adequate calcium in the diet. It can be lethal and will require immediate veterinary attention.

Respiratory Infection

This is not common, but exposure to incorrect humidity levels and temperatures can allow an infection to set in. Symptoms are rasping noises, trouble breathing, excessive saliva and mucous from the mouth. Increasing the temperature and lowering the humidity will help the bearded dragon to fight off the infection - but ultimately a trip to the veterinarian for some antibiotics is best.

Parasites

Internal parasites (worms) can be caused by a variety of things, including a contaminated food source. Just like you worm your cat or your dog, a veterinarian can prescribe a dose of wormer. You should not do this yourself unless you are experienced, as the dosage is very different for reptiles than cats or dogs, and will depend on the weight of your lizard. Symptoms of this are a lack of appetite and energy, and runny stools, or visible worms in the stool.

Egg Binding (Dystocia)

Eggs can harden if the female takes too long laying. This can be caused by inadequate calcium levels, inadequate nesting site, too small a female, and various other causes. Symptoms will be persistent digging, bulging stomach - but no eggs are laid. The female will stop eating and this can be deadly. A veterinarian can administer medication to induce labour, and if this does not work, can perform surgery to remove the eggs.

Burns & Wounds

Burns can be caused by contact with a heat source that is unguarded or uncontrolled, and will look like black or coloured patches of skin that can turn into blisters, pop and become seriously infected.

Wounds can be fairly small, or large - accidents can occur, or fighting.

Serious wounds or burns should be treated by antibiotics and veterinarian assessment but minor scrapes and grazes should be kept clean, and an iodine based liquid applied (available from reptile stores) to keep it clean until it heals.