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Los Altos, California 94022

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Reptile and Amphibian Care

Health Care

Like humans, pets require periodic "well checks" to establish normal healthy conditions. Yearly exams on the herptile by a qualified veterinarian are the only way to accomplish this. It is a good practice to bring all "new" herptiles to your veterinarian as soon as you acquire them so as to establish a baseline of your pet's condition. Often the veterinarian will suggest running some tests on your newly acquired herptile to make sure you have not picked up a sick herptile. These tests may include fecal screens, blood work, and often an bacterial culture. These tests, while not cheap, are important to the long-term health of your herptile. You can expect somewhere between $100 - $200 on a first time visit for their herptile. Future visits may be, but are not always, less expensive after the baseline of health is established.

Once your herptile is set up and eating regularly, familiarize yourself with its daily routine and its healthy look. Over time and during different seasons your herptile may look and act differently. This is normal. You may notice that your herptile is more active during the summer (longer daylight periods) and less active during the winter. Some herptiles even hibernate or go through a period of "torpidity" when the days shorten and the temperature drops. Research your pet's natural pattern and observe your pet in captivity so you can recognize when it is responding to seasonal changes as opposed to slowing down due to sickness.

Also, seasonal changes can stimulate developmental changes in your herptile. For instance, if you have a sexually mature herptile it may develop mating behavior during the spring or summer. Sexually mature female herptiles often start producing eggs when the season changes from colder to warmer, even if there is no male present to fertilize them. This can be potentially dangerous for the herptile as it may stop eating during egg development, or it may have difficulty laying the eggs. Herptiles unable to lay their eggs are called "egg bound" and can become very sick rapidly. If you suspect your pet is egg bound it is important to have it seen by a qualified veterinarian as soon as possible.

While some changes in your pet's routine are normal responses to seasonal changes, any change that seems abnormal, especially resulting in loss of appetite or lethargy, should be considered cause for examination by a veterinarian. Get to know your herptile's routine so you can recognize when it is sick.

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