Is Your Reptile Complaining? - Chinese Water Dragon diseases
Your friend might become inactive. It may look tired. It may stop
eating. Well, maybe it is sick. Sometimes due to improper lighting and
temperatures the Chinese water dragon is unable to digest the food
properly. You may be even providing an inappropriate diet.
MBD
Serious calcium deficiency may occur in the reptile. It is called MBD
which is Metallic Bone disease. It may be caused due to excessive
amounts of calcium or lesser amounts of calcium in the body. Both the
conditions may make the Chinese water dragon unhealthy.
This disease not only affects the bones of the body but also the
internal organs of the body. You will see marked swellings in the body
of the reptile. The bones also lose shape and increase in size. It
results in muscle tremors and even death due to improper functioning of
the heart.
Symptoms of MBD:
The jaw softens or swells. Bumps are formed on the back of the reptile.
There is a formation of hard knobs on the bones. You should be alert if
you find the Chinese water dragon shaking at odd times or crawling with
a jerky gait. Sometimes the Chinese water dragons become lazy. They do
not even walk properly but just push themselves around.
You have to be careful when you pet a Chinese water dragon. Many a times
they don’t show any symptoms of illness. You will realize that your
reptile is sick only when the disease reaches an incurable stage.
Respiratory infection
Many Chinese water dragons develop this disease when they do not get
adequate heat and light. They will start eating less and will have a
bloated body. Sometimes it is accompanied by breathing problems too. If
you see your water dragon facing similar difficulties, immediately take
it to a vet. He will give some antibiotics to the reptile. You might be
told to increase the coop temperature.
Mite attack
The water dragons suffer from this problem quite often. Mites and ticks
generally attack the water dragons during transportation or while they
are in pet shops. They may cause problems to your reptile. A severe
attack may also cause blood loss of the reptile and it may become ill.
Fungal/ bacterial infections
They are not uncommon in water dragons. Brown patches develop and the
scales become dark. Let a vet check the reptile. They generally
prescribe skin creams to be applied on the affected areas. If you want
your reptile to recover quickly then scrub the enclosure and clean it
with a bleach solution. Don’t forget to scour the branches. If it’s
necessary then reinstate all the things in the cage. You can put drops
of betadine in the water tub. This will prevent spreading of infection.
Defecation
Proper defecation is important in a reptile’s life. If your Chinese
water dragon is not defecating properly then you need to consult a vet
immediately. If the reptile consumes some of the substrate material it
may stop defecating. Bedding stuffs, bark, shaving moss may block the
insides and the reptile may stop passing stools. The reptile will right
away fall sick.
Shedding:
Shedding may cause problems in the Chinese water dragon. If the shedding
is not proper then it may get struck to the end of the tail or foot. The
blood circulation in these areas may reduce thus affecting the reptile.
Don’t get scared if the tail suddenly falls off. A Chinese water dragon
drops off its tail suddenly when it gets scared or faces danger.
Take your reptile to the vet regularly. Let the vet check it for
parasites and other infections. Many times a diseased reptile doesn’t
show any symptoms. So as soon as you find some changes in the behavior
of the reptile, visit a vet.
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