My blue tongue skink has a swollen, bleeding toe. What should I do now?

Have her examined by your veterinarian. He or she may be able to consult, by phone or online, with a specialist to reach a diagnosis and to obtain treatment information. The larger veterinary reference labs offer consultation services with a wide variety of specialists as well. Trauma, infection, nutritional deficiency or environmental issues can all cause issues with they eye. Confirm proper diet, temperature and humidity. Choose a safe substrate and survey the enclosure for any object that may potentially cause injury.

Thanks for reaching out and including photos with lesions. This could be a result of a poor shed, infection or trauma. If doing well and eating/acting normally, maybe wait until the next shed to see if lesions disappear. If he appears ill, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Princess and including photos. These swellings appear to be infected scent glands. Try some warm water soaks to soften, remove substrate such as bark or dirt. Provide a soft clean towel as a substrate, to prevent further contamination. A veterinary visit is highly recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan, as this will most likely need systemic antibiotics to treat. Check and correct husbandry as sub-standard environmental temperatures can possible play a part of this disease process. Good luck.

Continue to medicate Lenny as directed by your veterinarian. You can clean the affected area daily using diluted betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution. Consider a recheck if the toe is swollen after the course of antibiotics is finished.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Bleu. Poor boy. I agree, his toe looks super swollen. This could be due to an infection, but depending on what bit him, he could have been bitten hard enough to cause a break in the bone, leading to the swelling. It could also be due to an insect bite. I would have him seen by a vet today or tomorrow. The vet can diagnose what is causing this swelling, and can treat him. I hope this helps!

It appears she has suffered injury to the nail or to the toe itself. If that is nail you're seeing, it may or may not grow back. If it doesn't, there really is no cause for concern. If that is bone that is exposed, then she needs to be physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. The tip or the toe may need to be amputated and sutured closed to allow for healing. In the meantime, keep the area clean and dry. Use a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine solution to gently clean it. A dab of triple antibiotic ointment can be used as well. Have her seen sooner rather than later since a potential bone infection can be life threatening.

Hello, I'm so sorry to see this about your gecko. I am concerned by what appears to be exposed pink internal tissue. Geckos can commonly prolapse one of their major organ systems that leads to their cloaca (large intestine, urinary, reproductive tracts), and I am concerned this may be a different type of problem. In any case, this kind of tissue exposure is serious and will eventually lead to sepsis and death. I would recommend keeping the tissue moist with saline solution and a gentle lubricant gel until he can see a doctor. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.