Are Your Reptiles Surviving or Thriving?
Reptiles are resilient animals, often masking signs of illness or stress to avoid appearing vulnerable. This natural instinct can make it challenging for keepers to identify when something’s wrong. Ensuring that our reptiles are well cared for is key to their success and longevity!
There are five key areas to focus on to give your reptiles the best chance at a long, healthy life:
1. Nutrition
Nutrition is fundamental to reptile health. Poor or imbalanced diets can lead to weight loss, muscle deterioration, metabolic bone disease (MBD), reduced activity levels, infertility and other health concerns.
Unlike mammals, reptiles have very unique physiological systems that affect how they process food:
Ectothermic regulation: Reptiles don’t use energy to heat their bodies, allowing them to store more energy.
Seasonal metabolic changes: Their metabolism slows during colder months or brumation, reducing feeding frequency.
Temperature-dependent digestion: Some reptiles can’t digest food properly without adequate heat, increasing the risk of gastrointestinal infections.
Feeding Frequency
Feeding schedules should be tailored to the species, age, and time of year:
- Small lizards/geckos: Every other day
- Larger lizards/monitors: A few times per week
- Snakes: Every few weeks
- Juveniles: More frequent feeding is essential for growth and development.
It’s also important to consider what we feed. Whole prey, salads, or insects alone may not provide complete nutrition. Deficiencies—especially in vitamins and calcium—can develop without precise nutrient data. A balanced diet supported with appropriate supplements is key to ensuring long-term health. Vetafarm’s Ectotherm range is designed to help reptiles thrive with every feed. Products like Lizard Food, Multical Dust, and Insect Food support complete and balanced nutrition—ensuring your reptiles receive essential vitamins, minerals, and gut-loading support every time they eat.
Breeding Considerations
Breeding is nutritionally taxing. Females may stop eating while gravid and not resume until after laying. In species that produce multiple clutches, the nutrient drain is significant. Proper nutrition before, during, and after breeding is critical to support reproductive health and egg viability.
2. Physical Health
Regular weight monitoring provides insight into a reptile’s overall health. Adults should maintain a steady weight, while juveniles should show consistent growth. Obesity in reptiles is becoming increasingly common and can lead to serious conditions like hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease).
Conversely, underweight reptiles are at risk of kidney issues and muscle or bone loss. Keeping weight records and learning to visually assess body condition can help you detect problems early. If you’re unsure, consult your reptile vet or reach out to the Vetafarm team for guidance.
3. Shedding and Scale Health
The skin and scales (integumentary system) offer a window into a reptile’s well-being. Healthy scales are typically bright and smooth. Signs like dullness, flaking, crusting, raised scales, or discolouration may indicate issues such as scale rot—often caused by poor nutrition, incorrect humidity or temperature or hygiene problems.
Shedding Cycles
Snakes: Should shed in one complete piece
Lizards: Shed in sections, with no retained pieces
Pay close attention to common problem areas like the eyes (retained spectacles), toes, and tail. If left unaddressed, retained shed can lead to infection or even necrosis. Check your reptile after each shed to ensure no skin is stuck.
Vetafarm’s Shedding mist has been designed to aid snakes and lizards during the natural process of shedding.
Hydration
Dehydration can affect skin condition, too. Dull scales or wrinkled skin are warning signs. Support hydration with regular misting, a large enough water dish for soaking, or electrolyte-enhanced soaks in more serious cases.
Persistent shedding issues (dysecdysis) should be investigated by a reptile vet, as they may point to dietary or husbandry deficiencies.
5. Housing and Husbandry
In the wild, reptiles roam large areas, seeking out optimal spots to bask, hide, or cool down. In captivity, it’s up to us to replicate this dynamic environment.
A well-maintained enclosure with appropriate heating, lighting, humidity, and space is essential to reduce stress and prevent illness. Inadequate setups can lead to inactivity and serious health problems.
Cleaning
Spot-clean regularly and perform a full clean every 6–8 weeks. Always remove your reptile to a safe holding area before deep cleaning. Importantly, only use reptile-safe disinfectants—many general pet-safe products are unsuitable for reptiles due to their sensitive skin and respiratory systems. Vetafarm’s Enclosure Clean was developed to make cleaning enclosures, equipment, and decorative items as easy as possible.
6. Activity Levels
Healthy reptiles are active during their natural waking hours—whether they’re diurnal or nocturnal. You should regularly observe behaviours like climbing, basking, foraging and exploring.
Enrichment Ideas
Enrichment keeps reptiles physically and mentally engaged. Simple additions to your routine can make a big difference:
- Rotate enclosure decorations every few months
- Use puzzle-feeding techniques to simulate natural foraging
- Mist the enclosure to replicate rainfall
- Add natural substrates like soil, bark, or moss for variety.
Keep in mind that some species are naturally less active than others, and activity levels can vary depending on the individual and the season.
Final Thoughts
By focusing on these five pillars—nutrition, physical health, shedding, housing, and activity—you can ensure your reptiles are thriving under your care, not just surviving. A proactive, informed approach to reptile husbandry will help your scaly friends live long, enriched lives.
Need help? Our team at Vetafarm is always here to support your reptile care journey.