Common Skin Disorders in Reptiles: Causes, Treatment & Prevention

Reptiles kept in captivity are susceptible to various skin disorders, often due to environmental or husbandry issues. Maintaining strict hygiene practices, such as regularly cleaning enclosures, providing clean freshwater, and promptly removing uneaten food, is essential to prevent infections and parasite infestations.

Below, we explore five common skin disorders found in reptiles and offer guidance on how to recognise, treat, and prevent these conditions to ensure your pet remains healthy and comfortable.

Abscesses: Painful Pus-Filled Lumps

An abscess is a localized collection of pus that forms under the skin, usually resulting from bacterial infections. These may arise due to wounds, bite injuries, or poor environmental conditions. Abscesses feel like painful swellings or lumps on your pet’s body.

Prompt veterinary diagnosis is vital since similar symptoms may indicate parasitic infections, tumours, or haematomas. Small abscesses often require surgical removal to prevent recurrence, while larger ones need to be lanced, drained, and cleaned thoroughly. Your vet will typically prescribe topical ointments designed for reptiles and a full course of antibiotics to eradicate the infection completely.

Dermatophytosis: Fungal Infections Affecting Skin and Nails

Dermatophytosis is a fungal skin disease common across reptile species. The fungus generally enters through minor wounds or cuts on the skin. Signs include damaged, flaky, or discoloured skin, often accompanied by nail infection.

Treatment involves carefully removing any dead or infected tissue followed by application of reptile-safe antiseptics. Vets might recommend topical antifungal creams or oral antifungal medications. Exposure to ultraviolet light can also support recovery by enhancing immune response and promoting skin healing.

Dysecdysis: Abnormal or Incomplete Shedding

Dysecdysis occurs when reptiles shed their skin partially or abnormally. It is commonly caused by low humidity, stress, poor nutrition, parasites, or lack of appropriate rough surfaces for shedding. Signs include retained eye caps, incomplete shedding on tail tips or digits, and patches of old skin remaining attached.

To help your pet, apply a suitable ointment to problem areas twice daily until the skin sheds properly. Soaking the reptile in warm water (25 to 28°C) for a few hours softens the old skin, allowing gentle removal with a soft sponge. Using a humidity chamber—consisting of a 10-gallon aquarium with wet towels and controlled heating and ventilation—provides an ideal environment to encourage healthy shedding.

Creating a Humidity Chamber for Healthy Shedding

A homemade humidity chamber can be made by placing a heat source underneath a small aquarium containing moist towels. Covering the chamber with a light cloth helps raise humidity, while allowing slight ventilation to avoid overheating. This safe environment supports your reptile in shedding skin without injury.

Prevention, however, is best. Keep your reptile free from parasites and disease, maintain excellent hygiene, and ensure appropriate humidity and abrasive surfaces to encourage natural shedding.

Skin Parasites: Mites and Their Impact

New reptiles may carry skin parasites like mites, which cause irritation and can lead to anaemia if left untreated. Mites are tiny (less than 1.5mm), often congregating around eyes, neck folds, and other skin crevices. Signs include coarse skin and abnormal shedding.

If infestation is suspected, confirm by gently rubbing the reptile over a white sheet and looking for fallen mites. Immersing your pet in water can drown many mites, but more effective, reptile-safe miticides are widely available. Thorough cleaning of the enclosure is critical after treatment: replace contaminated substrate, remove and disinfect all furniture, branches, water, and food containers. Use only insecticides approved for reptile environments and always remove food and water during treatment.

Conclusion: Maintain Optimal Environment for Skin Health

Healthy reptile skin reflects the quality of care and environment you provide. Ensure your reptiles’ habitat has proper ventilation, lighting, suitable substrate, and places to hide, tailored to the species needs. Maintaining high standards of cleanliness, adequate UV exposure, and environmental parameters such as temperature and humidity will greatly reduce the risk of skin disorders.

Regular health checks and prompt veterinary attention to any skin changes are key to preventing these common conditions from becoming serious. By investing time in good husbandry and attentive care, you can help your reptile thrive inside your home.

For those interested in adding a reptile to their family, browse available reptiles for sale from reputable sources committed to ethical breeding and welfare.