Health

In the wild, animals that act sick or injured are the animals that get eaten, so reptiles have become very good at disguising when they’re feeling ill. It is your responsibility as a reptile owner to prevent illness, and be able to tell when your skink gets sick or injured. This is a brief guide to preventing, recognizing, and treating some of the most common illnesses and conditions seen in captive blue tongue skinks.

Some things you can do to keep tabs on your blue tongue skink’s health:

• Weigh them weekly – sudden weight loss often indicates illness.
• Keep a weekly record of weight, feeding habits, behavior, shedding, etc.
• Prepare a reptile first-aid kit so you won’t be left scrambling if your skink becomes sick or injured

If you’re looking for a reptile veterinarian near you, I recommend reading ReptiFiles’ article, Finding the Reptile Vet of Your Dreams, and checking out ARAV.org’s Find a Vet tool.

Disclaimer: I am not a reptile veterinarian nor a reptile health expert. The contents of these pages are to be used as guidelines, not professional medical advice. If you have an emergency, call an ARAV-certified reptile veterinarian immediately.