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