Reptiles & Regular Vet Checks

[Razaiel]

I was wondering if anybody ever takes their reptiles for regular (yearly maybe) "Well Snae/Lizard" examinations. I know many parrot people that do this for their parrots.

Do you think it's a good idea or not?

I took my boa to vet today as I was panicking a bit over a possible RI (it wasn't) and asked him about yearly checks. Apart from looking the animal all over they can take fecals, bloodwork, and many other things that would run to something like £200 per critter (I have 9!! and I know many of you have more) so I don't think I could afford to do more than 2-yearly exams. Some people have said also it's better to just stay away rather than risk their critter catching something so I'm not sure.

What do you guys think?

[frankykeno]

I think for me anyways Raz it's sort of situational. If the collection is changing a lot with new animals coming in or being sold (even though we strictly quarantine) I'd be at least doing fecal floats just to be certain nothing slipped through. Over here anyways, fecal floats are pretty reasonably priced and you can always ask for a bulk discount. If your collection is pretty much complete and all are consistently well and eating and not exposed to any major risk factors, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[Razaiel]

The vet gave me some tubs for fecal floats and said he could do discount - now I'm wondering how to get them all there at the same time!! given that the snakes only do their stuff about once a month. How long can the little tubs be kept in the fridge for? I would have thought the fresher the better.

One thing the vet did say was that for the bloodworks - if they have a record of a particular healthy snake's bloodwork then when/if said snake gets ill they have a record of it to go by - as opposed to the "textbook examples" which may be way off for that particular snake :/

[sweety314]

If it would ease your mind Raz, do a one time (baseline) exam/wellness check.


I've talked to my vet, and since I still haven't gotten the skill to probe, I take mine in for a wellness check and probing but my vet said not to worry about any annual exams. Better to watch for signs, but if they're pooing and eating/shedding, all is okay and there's no need to spend my $$ for healthy snakes.

As soon as I saw a problem w/Snoopy, I took her in. She had had a wellness checkup, because I wanted her probed and THEN found out she was female, but despite the mulitple visits & Rx shots, because she had contracted pseudomonas somehow, she didn't make it.

All the others are okay/healthy and except for new critters getting the baseline exam and probing w/the fecals (if available), I don't take them in again unless there is a problem.

*Knocks on wood* So far, so good, and I'm able to save some more money for a bit nicer snake this next time.





RuLyn