Reptilesare prone to a variety ofskindiseases and disorders. Good sanitation practices, such as cleaning the enclosure regularly, providing fresh water, and removing uneaten food, can help prevent infection and parasite infestation.
The stress ofcaptivity, coupled with a closed environment, predisposesreptilesto potentially heavy burdens of parasites with direct life cycles. Every effort must be taken to appropriately screen and treatreptilesinquarantine before they enter a collection.
Reptileskinfunctions as a mechanical shield to protect members of this taxa from desiccation, abrasion, ultraviolet radiation, and infectious diseases. 4-6 From this basic adaptation, interspecific differences have evolved for different functions inreptiles5 ; therefore, it is difficult to generalize one "normalreptileskin."
Discover thecausesofreptileshedding problems, including dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, and environmental stressors. Learn how to diagnose and treatskinlesions, infections, and other health issues in yourreptilepet.
If your petreptilehas a fungalskininfection, it'll need veterinary attention.Skinconditions inreptilesare quite common and can easily be avoided with scheduled tank cleaning and maintenance of the correct parameters. High humidity is a majorcauseofbacterialskinproblems inreptilesinaddition to malnutrition and overcrowding.
Reptilianskinis covered with scales forming armor that makes it watertight and enablesreptilesto live on land in contrast to amphibians.
Reptileskindiscoloration can come from many sources. Knowing thecausehelps you decide the next step. Improper shedding: Oldskincan darken or stay patchy after shed. This is common in humid or dry problems.
