Parasitic and infectious diseases in lizards

Parasites are essentially creatures that feed off another animal. There are two basic types of parasites, internal ones that live inside the body (endoparasite), and external ones that live on the outside (ectoparasite).

One example of an internal parasite is roundworm. Roundworms and tapeworms are found inside the intestines.

Mites and ticks are external parasites that feed off the blood of the lizard and inflict irritating bite the skin.

Lizards are also prone to infections by a single celled organism called coccidia which lives within the intestine and causes diarrhea.

If you take your lizard to an exotic specialist veterinarian with a sample of his feces they can usually test this to look for any signs of parasites or worms.

If you see any moving black or red dots on your lizard’s skin, or worms in his feces, you need to take him to the veterinarian as these are signs of parasites.

There are a number of viruses that can affect lizards; fortunately these are not common.

Irido virus is carried by insects and can sometimes make lizards unwell. Buying captive bred lizards and choosing holiday accommodation for your lizard carefully can reduce the risk of infection.

Both bacterial and fungal diseases can also be infectious.

Buying captive bred lizards and choosing holiday accommodation carefully reduces the risk of infection. Try to find a carer that is happy to come to your house to care for him rather than moving your lizard to a strange new environment elsewhere. Alternatively, it’s worth considering if you can move your lizard’s whole vivarium to the carers house if they would prefer to care for your lizard in their own home.

Infections need treatment from a veterinarian. You should act quickly if you have a number of reptiles to try and prevent diseases spreading.