Hypothermia in pet reptiles occurs when they don’t have a proper source of heat to help regulate their body temperature. In their natural habitat, reptiles primarily depend on the heat from the sun. However, in captivity, exposure to the sunlight may be restricted and there is a need to install a heat lamp inside the reptile’s enclosure.
Without a heat source, the body temperature of a reptile may fall below the normal range and this can eventually lead to signs of illness. Hypothermic reptiles may stop eating and drinking, causing them to lose weight and become dehydrated. The reptile’s eyes may appear sunken as a result of dehydration and loss of fat that usually accumulates behind their eyes. Their eyes may also appear closed and their skin wrinkled from fat and water loss. The spines on their back and their ribs become more prominent as they continue to lose weight. Lizards may lie flat on their bellies and their legs stop pushing. Snakes may stop slithering, and turtles may stop swimming. Hypothermic tortoises stay enclosed in their shells and become still.
Signs of illness exhibited by your pet should be brought to the attention of your veterinarian London, ON. Read more here.
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