Many diseases are caused by a lack of vitamins or poor living environments, therefore, to prevent health problems always make sure you have the reptile's enclosure set up correctly and ensure the recommended diet is provided along with suitable supplements. The information below may help you diagnose some common health problems in your reptile, although a good reptile vet should be consulted before any treatment begins. Some places will take in un-well exotics at a small charge to get them back to full health if you haven't got the time.

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This document contains information on Reptile breeding. Click here

This document contains information about some of the Health Problems associated with Reptiles. Click here

Egg Binding

Egg binding can be caused by a number of different reasons, but there is no clear answer. You first need to look at the enclosure and the environment, these two things are very important in the egg laying process of any animal. Make sure you have a suitable place in the enclosure for the eggs to be laid, this might be slightly different dependent on the species you have, a gravid female may also require extra heat during this time to help her produce the extra but of energy required. Diet and nutrition is another factor to consider, a gravid female will use more calcium during this time to produce the shells of the eggs if the female isn't taking in enough calcium the lizard will use valuable calcium from her bones making her prone to Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). The following symptoms should be looked out for in your gravid female, digging continuously around the enclosure looking for somewhere to lay the eggs, her body will be enlarged and possibly bumpy, the eggs may be visible to the naked eye and you will be able to feel the eggs in her abdomen. If you think your Reptile may be egg bound it important you take her to a vet as soon as possible so she can be injected with a oxytoxin (a hormone) this will induce the egg laying process this can be tried a couple of time but if all else fails the vet will operate to remove the eggs. Its important good research is done before attempting breeding as some species require different conditions to others. It is also important to bare in mind most female reptiles will produce eggs even if they haven't been in contact with a male, 99.9% of the time these are not fertile but if incubated there is a small chance of them hatching.

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If you house a number of reptiles together in one enclosure you are bound to get the odd scratch or Bite wound and maybe even broken bones, toes or tail. Depending how bad the injury is you may be able to treat this at home with some warm water to clean the wound and antibiotic powder to reduce the risk of infection. I would advise making a hospital enclosure so your injured reptile has time to recover before going back with its friends. This needs to be very basic and clean, use paper towels or newspaper as a substrate and place a hide in the enclosure, never be tempted to use sand or another loose substrate as this will irritate the wound and prevent it healing. Normal heat & humidity levels should be maintained at all times. If the injury doesn't heal or you have any concerns a vet should be contacted immediately.

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Eyelid Swelling

If your reptile appears to have a swollen eye it probably has an infection in and around the eye, however a lack of Vitamin A will also cause the same problem. The best way to treat this would be a trip to the vet for some eye drops.

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Hypervitaminosis is a problem caused by an overdose of vitamins being consumed by your reptile. Although vitamins and mineral supplements are required to keep your reptile healthy it is important not to use too much, you should always check the recommended daily allowance allowed, this will be found on the container the supplement comes in. For example overdosing on vitamin A could cause abnormal internal bleeding and too much vitamin D and calcium can cause calcification of arteries and abnormal bone growth. UVB light is very important because is produces vitamin D3 which is used to absorb calcium.

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Intestinal tract inflammation will cause your reptile to have a decrease in appetite and become very lazy. The feces will be very watery with a foul smell to it. You may also notice the vent has a reddish tinge to it. The fecal matter should be checked by a vet for parasites and worms and the treatment started immediately.

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This is probably the most common disease of any reptile and is caused by a lack of calcium, vitamin D and UVB light (vitamin D3) while the reptile is growing. You will notice the bones and joints becoming swollen and malformed the reptile will also be very sluggish and will not want to move around much due to the pain their in. Prevention is the best treatment for this disease but if you unfortunate enough to have a reptile with MBD it is important that the calcium and vitamin supplements are increased and a good UVB light is provided. In the case of a badly affect reptile vet treatment will be necessary to inject a high dose of calcium. MBD is fixable but your reptile may be left with some life long scarring.

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Mites are not very common in captive bread species but if found they can sometimes be a problem to clear. The easiest way to tell if your reptile has mites is to look for the grey faeces on the skin of the reptile, then look for the little black pinhead size mites moving around the softer skin below the scales which is preferred by the mites. These mites can cause stress and weakness from itching and if left untreated the situation will just get worse until a skin infection appears and eventually could kill your reptile. Treatment is a daily process and may last for weeks, maybe months, if left to get out of hand. The first you need to do is remove everything from the enclosure and wash it all in boiling water with a good reptile disinfectant leaving all items to soak under water for a couple of hours. These items should then be rinsed off to remove the disinfectant and any mites which might still be hanging on. Only place the bare essentials back in the enclosure a hide and maybe a log to climb on these will need to be washed on a daily bases. The enclosure should have also been washed out in the reptile disinfectant and paper towels or newspaper used as a substrate as this is easy to clean. The reptile should then be bathed in warm water with some mite killing solution for as long as possible without stressing the reptile too much, the solution can be brought from a good reptile store or your vet. You can also use this solution to clean out the enclosure and decorations if required. This complete process of washing enclosure and reptile should be completed daily until all the mites have gone. Geckos with large skin wounds will need special treatment as they can not tolerate this treatment very well.

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Ticks are a blood sucking pest biting the reptile, normally on a soft area of skin, and drinking its blood which can then lead to infection. Removing these pests is done in a similar way to the mites and the same solution can be used to kill the tick, it is not advised to pull the tick off with tweezers as the ticks mouth can be left in the reptile's skin leading to more problems. If the skin has any perforation in it a mineral oil should be used instead of the mite solution this will stop the solution which is slightly toxic getting into the reptile skin.

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Mouth rot or jaw suppuration is an inflammation or infection of the mouth, normally caused by malnutrition or trauma from an injury. The signs to look out for are mucus build up around the mouth, loose teeth, bad breath and your reptile will probably be keeping their mouth slightly open. This will need vet attention as antibiotics will be required to clear up the infection they may use a hydrogen peroxide solution to disinfect the area around the mouth. Increasing the amount of supplement while you reptile is unwell is also a good idea, remember not to overdose though.

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The penis of a male reptile is hidden in the top part of the tail just behind the vent and is called a hemipenes, if prolapsed it will be swollen and on the outside of the lizards body. There isn't a known cause but if it does a vet will be required to apply a lotion and massage it back into the vent, in some extreme cases the hemipenes will need to be amputated.

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Just like humans reptiles can get Pneumonia if the temperature is not correct for your species of reptile. Having the enclosure too hot is the most common cause, although not providing a range of temperature or dropping the enclosure to the required temperature at night can also contribute. The signs to look out for if you think your reptile has Pneumonia are mucus in their mouth, bubbles in the nostrils, breathing problems and holding their mouth open. Your reptile will also be very sluggish around the enclosure. If any of these symptoms are showing in your reptile then a veterinarian must be seen straight away so antibiotics can be administered. If let untreated Pneumonia will be fatal.

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It is very rare for your reptile to get Salmonella which is a microscopic disease that is not visible to the naked eye. However, it is very important to remember humans can catch Salmonella from your reptile and its enclosure. Bering this in mind its important personal hygiene is your top priority when handling and cleaning the enclosure, never clean the enclosure or its contents by food and thoroughly wash your hands with an antibacterial soap once finished. If you think your reptile may have Salmonella your vet can do a fecal examination.

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Fungi likes to grows when conditions are cool and moist so it is important the enclosure is kept at the correct temperature and humidity conditions for you species of reptile. S kin fungi will show in patches on your reptiles and will look discoloured and maybe slightly raised but no pus will form. You can buy products from good reptile suppliers to treat fungi but any one treatment might not work so in most cases a vet will be required to provide a solution to wipe over the fungi to remove it. The important point to remember is the fungi won't clear up unless the main cause of the condition i.e. the poor enclosure condition is corrected.

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This condition is caused when the regular healthy skin of the reptile begins to die, normally due to either shedding problems or abscesses. Old skin left attached for long periods of time stops air getting to the new skin causing it to die and turn black, an abscess can be caused by an insect bite that's got infected this in turn causes the skin around it to die. The main cause of shedding problems is lack of humidity in the enclosure if the reptiles skin is to dry it will not come off correctly, the enclosure and reptile should be lightly sprayed with water once or twice a day to aid in the shedding process. Poor nutrition and unhealthy living conditions can also be a cause of skin problems. If you are worried your reptile has dead skin this can be easily removed by giving your reptile a warm bath, once the skin has had a chance to soak gently rub the area to remove the loose skin, if the skin still feels tight or your reptile feels discomfort while you try pulling it veterinary treatment may be required, as it will be if an abscess is found as the vet will need to injected it with a disinfectant and administer antibiotics.

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Visceral Gout affects the kidneys, liver and heart and is caused by deposits of uric acid salts that have built up in the organ. These deposits irritate the organs and can lead to organ failure. Common symptoms include your lizard being very lifeless and in discomfort when opening and closing their mouth, you may also notice their movement to be jerky and unsteady. This condition can be caused by herbivorous reptiles digesting too much protein, reptiles being dehydrated or an adverse reaction to antibiotics. Unfortunately there is no known treatment for this condition; however a vet may be able to offer a treatment to make the reptiles life more comfortable.

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Burns can be caused when your reptile comes in direct contact with the heat source, most commonly heat mats and heat rocks. Blisters and sores will develop on the skin and can often break open which allows a bacterial infection to take hold, which if left untreated could become fatal. Your vet can offer treatment for these burns but its important you keep your enclosure as clean as possible during treatment and remove any loose substrate that may stick to the wound.

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Reptiles will drop their tails if they feel threatened or grabbed by the tail, its also been known for cage mates to accidentally grab the tail of another causing it to drop. If the latter happens you should remove the reptile as soon as possible into a suitable enclosure, set to the same temperature and keep it separate for a few days so the reptile has time to recover from its ordeal. The tail will grow back but it will not look the same as the old one. It will be shorter and fatter than the original.

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If purchasing a new reptile to introduce with another you may already have or you buy reptiles from different enclosures at a store you will be required to quarantine them for at least 3 months to prevent the spread of disease and parasites between animals. During this time it is advised that you clean the enclosure and its contents out thoroughly with reptile disinfectant every month making sure you bath your reptile in warm water before placing it back into the clean enclosure. This will make sure your reptiles are in good health before introducing them. When the time comes to introducing them and you are satisfied your reptile is healthy it's important not to just put them in together and walk away. Reptiles that have never been together may fight or become stressed so it may become necessary to do the induction slowing one stage at a time. Never house 2 male lizards or different species of lizard together in one enclosure.

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I've mentioned a couple of times that when reptiles are unwell or have wounds they should be kept in a basic enclosure to stop them getting pestered by other occupants or to allow them to have a sterile environment that's very easy to keep clean. I call this a hospital enclosure, unlike the reptile's normal enclosure this can be smaller in size but still making sure the animal can move around comfortably. A good hide should be provided as most unwell reptiles want to hide but you need to be able to lift this hide up so the reptile is easy to get to especially if regular treatment is required. Normal heating, lighting and humidity should be provided in the hospital enclosure and flattish rocks placed under and near the heat source, flat rocks are better because if your reptile is unwell it might not feel like climbing or be unsteady on its feet. This allows an area to get hot so if the reptile wishes to bask it can but also has the option to lie on the area which isn't directly under the heat source. As this enclosure needs to be cleaned out more frequently newspaper or paper towels should be used as a substrate as these can easily be deposed of and paper won't irritate wounds like a loose substrate, such as sand or corn, which can often cling to a wet wound causing infection.

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It is always important to wash you hands after handling your reptile or touching anything from inside its enclosure to prevent you from becoming ill. I find it helpful to have a bottle of antibacterial gel to hand similar to the type you find in hospitals which kills 99.9% of bacteria on the skin and is ideal to use after handling.

If you notice any of these signs, contact your vet straight away

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