FAQ: Health for reptiles

Yes, especially bearded dragons, leopard geckos and some snakes that are fed too often or on food that is too fatty. Obesity strains the liver and joints, so feeding frequency and portions are worth discussing with a vet.

A healthy leopard gecko has a fairly thick tail because it stores reserves there, while a very thin tail may point to weight loss, parasites or illness. Watch its weight and appetite too, and if the tail is getting thinner, see a vet.

Appetite can drop because of low temperature, shedding, stress, brumation, poor lighting, parasites or illness. Check the husbandry first, and if the lizard goes without food for longer than usual or loses weight, see a vet.

Appetite stimulants or special recovery feeds are sometimes used for reptiles during illness, but only as a vet directs, because the main thing is to find out why the animal is not eating. Force-feeding without experience can injure the mouth or cause food to enter the airways.

Records of weight, feeding, shedding, droppings and supplements help you spot changes you would otherwise miss. For a vet, such records make finding the cause of a problem much easier.

Impaction happens when a reptile swallows substrate, prey that is too large or indigestible objects, especially when the temperature is too low. Signs are not passing droppings, a bloated belly, lethargy and weak back legs; in that case a vet is needed.

Small animals and juveniles swallow loose substrate more often, so paper or tile substrate is often chosen for them and insects are offered from a bowl. The right temperature also matters, as it aids digestion.

Regurgitation is often linked to low temperature, prey that is too large or handling the snake right after feeding, but it can also be a sign of illness. Feed again only once the snake has recovered and with smaller prey, and if it keeps happening, see a vet.

It is when tissue – the intestine, reproductive or other organs – protrudes from the vent. It is an emergency: keep the protruding tissue moist and clean, stop the animal from damaging it and take it to a vet straight away.

A healthy reptile's droppings usually consist of a dark, formed part and a white or yellowish lump of urates. Prolonged diarrhoea, blood, a very foul smell, undigested food or hard yellow urate lumps are a reason to consult a vet.

Brumation is a reptile's winter rest period, when it moves less, eats little or nothing and sleeps more. Not every species needs it, so before encouraging or allowing it, consult a vet and make sure the animal is healthy.

During brumation a reptile is quiet but loses hardly any weight, and its eyes and skin look healthy. If the animal clearly loses weight, has discharge, breathes noisily or looks exhausted, it may be ill, so see a vet.

Some tortoise species hibernate naturally, but it requires a healthy animal, a steady cool temperature without frost and regular checks. Hibernation done wrong can end in dehydration or death, so discuss the conditions and duration with a vet.

Yes, for most species clean water must be available during brumation, because reptiles may still drink and lose fluids. Some keepers weigh the animal regularly during brumation to notice if it is losing too much weight.

Many bearded dragons naturally slow down in autumn and winter, eating less and sleeping more even when enclosure conditions stay the same. If the weight holds and there are no other signs, this is often normal, but a vet visit before brumation is worthwhile.

When the animal wakes, normal temperatures and lighting are brought back gradually and water is offered first, with food once the reptile is active and basking again. If it still does not eat long after waking or looks weak, see a vet.

Yes, even without a male, females of some species such as bearded dragons or leopard geckos can lay infertile eggs, so they need a box with damp substrate suitable for digging. Without a suitable site a female may retain her eggs, which is dangerous.

It is a condition in which a female cannot lay her eggs because of a lack of a suitable site, calcium shortage, the wrong temperature or other causes. Signs are restlessness and constant digging, then lethargy and loss of appetite; it is an emergency and needs a vet.

After laying a female is exhausted, so water, food, the right temperature and calcium supplementation as advised by a vet are important. Check that she has laid all her eggs; if her belly is still swollen or she is weak, see a vet.

Yes, both water turtle and tortoise females can lay infertile eggs. A water turtle needs a land area with damp substrate suitable for digging, and if a female cannot find a site for a long time and becomes lethargic, see a vet.