Recognizing and Treating Lizard Health Issues

If you own a pet lizard, it is important for you to be aware of potential health problems that your pet may face. The reality is that lizards face different health issues than more common pets, such as cats and dogs. Therefore, in order to make certain your pet lives a long and healthy life, you need to know about the special health concerns associated with lizards as well as what you can do to help prevent these problems from occurring.
Recognizing Health Problems in Your Lizard
There are a number of signs and characteristics that indicate a health problem in a lizard. Some of these include:
o Change in skin color
o Dulling or darkening of the skin
o Lack of appetite
o Change in food preferences (particularly choosing those with a higher moisture content)
o Eating more than normal
o Less frequent urination or defecation
o Fecal matter that is harder, smaller or drier
o Lethargy
o Spending more time in the basking area or at the cooler end of the habitat
o Soaking in the water Unhealthy Foods bowl more than usual
o Increased activity
o Excessive scratching, digging or head-banging
o Decreased or increased flicking of the tongue while handled
o Unusual level of aggressiveness
o Failure to shed its skin in one piece if it usually sheds in one piece
o Shedding takes longer than usual
o Sits with its mouth open for long periods of time
o Swelling in the jaw, tail, back or limbs
o Loss of strength
o Unexplainable shakiness or tremors
o Not climbing as often as usual
o Bruises, bumps or lumps
o Scabs or blisters
If your lizard develops any of these characteristics, you should check out your lizards environmental conditions in order to determine if there is a problem that needs correction.
Taking Steps to Improve Your Lizard’s Health
If your lizard is experiencing health issues, your first course of action should always be to take it to a veterinarian in order to be treated. Unfortunately, many veterinarians are not properly trained in lizard care, which means you may have difficulty finding one who can properly treat your pet.
In general, there are two common problems that cause health issues to develop in a lizard: feeding issues or habitat problems. If you have had your lizard for some time and have thoroughly researched the proper diet for the type of lizard you have, feeding problems likely are not the cause of your pet’s illness. Therefore, so long as you haven’t made any dietary changes, you should make checking out your pet’s habitat your first priority.
The most common habitat problems faced by lizards include temperature swings and changes in humidity levels. These changes may occur throughout the year as outside temperatures change, which may change the climate in the home. In the winter, for example, your home may be less humid due to the artificial heat you use to warm your home. Therefore, you may need to take steps to increase the humidity level inside your lizard’s habitat.
By taking steps to improve your pet’s habitat, you will likely help it to overcome its health issues. If University Of Miami Student Jobs problems continue, be certain to take it to see a veterinarian in order to get additional treatment.