BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

I was reading somewhere that it is advisable to look into finding a veterinarian that specializes in Reptile/Lizard care if you're going to get a BTS. I have worked as a Vet Tech for several different vets but non of them have enough exotic or reptile knowledge for me to feel comfortable going to them with a lizard problem. I am still searching for the right doc.

Is it necessary to take your new BTS for a check up every once in a while? Or just when they are showing signs of illness? I can clip his/her nails myself when the time comes. And I've never heard of any vaccinations or boosters for a lizard but I could be wrong! lol

As always, your input is invaluable!

Checkups are always adviseable, if you ask me.

It's really important to find someone who has experience with reptiles. It doesn't necessarily have to be a specialist, but find someone who doesn't say, "...oh wow, haven't seen one of those before!"

You may have to look outside the town you live in for the right one. Before I found my current vet, my closest place was UC Davis in Sacramento, a 2 hour drive from me. It was better than nothing.

When I chose my current vet, I found her after I had a close call with my chinchilla. I asked her later, befrore I got my BTS, if she had ever dealt with them, and she confidently brought back a Bluey Bible with notations and a folder with pictures of treatments she worked with while at UC Davis and locally in Reno. I consider myself very lucky.

You'd be amazed at the peace of mind you have when good help is nearby.

KW

Hey Kyle

I think I actually found a vet for us. She now works at the same Veterinary Hospital where I had my start as a Vet Tech back when I was in high school. Ya know, in the prehistoric times?

Anyway, I am waiting for her to return my call so I can see just what she knows about reptiles.

mom22wins wrote:
Is it necessary to take your new BTS for a check up every once in a while? Or just when they are showing signs of illness? I can clip his/her nails myself when the time comes. And I've never heard of any vaccinations or boosters for a lizard but I could be wrong! lol

As always, your input is invaluable!

I take mine once a year to a specialist herp vet. They get wormed because they eat alot of food from the backyard. I didn't intend to, I took a new one in when I got him to get checked over because I'd recently lost a baby, and now they all go once a year. Until then I probably would have only taken them if they were ill, but then I thought, well my dogs go for a yearly examination, we are supposed to go for a yearly examination so why should'nt they.

The vet doesn't do much to them other than worming them, and I know them pretty well to know whether they are ill, but they get weighed, he checks their mouths and eyes etc and overall condition and so it's nice to get confirmation that they are doing well.

And sometimes you get handy tips such as my shingle was a little dry around his legs so the vet suggested rubbing a little sorbolene cream onto him.

I think I'm the exception to the rule but.
Once you get to know your bluey intimately (but not that intimately ) you will probably only need to go to a vet if you think it's ill.

Hi Lisa,

It looks like you have a nice little family there! I hope I end up with a vet as knowledgable as yours seems to be. It sounds like you've got a good system down. Wish me luck!

Diane

Vets for wild caught animals are typically a must.

When people ask, I always tell them that visiting the vet is never a bad thing. However, I do know that vets are extraordinarily expensive in many cases, so for me, I don't take them in unless I suspect a problem. That's just me though.

Yearly checkups are definitely not a bad idea though....

The nice thing about BTS (I always tell people) is that they're so darn tough. It really takes a lot in most cases to get one sick. They're very hardy. Of course there's always weird cases where a bluey just won't get better, or always gets sick or whatever, but generally speaking.