McGehee Clinic for Animals is happy to treat your
scaly friends
as well as your furry ones! Our exotic veterinarians are trained to provide care for snakes, lizards, and tortoises to ensure your pet thrives. Reptile care is much more complex than that of a typical house pet and we are here to help ensure your pet receives the necessary daily care and veterinary medicine to live a long and healthy life with you.
Snakes
All snakes should receive a yearly physical examination by an exotic veterinarian to ensure they are growing and developing properly. They must be housed in a long, well-ventilated enclosure with lighting that mimics a typical day and night schedule to minimize stress. Mice and rats make up most of their diet as they are carnivores. If your snake has trouble shedding its skin in one piece, please let your reptile veterinarian know. We can help educate you on what to expect during shedding.
We recommend the following for suitable care for snakes:
Correct diet
Ceramic heat lamps
Fogger or moist system
Well ventilated enclosure
Full-spectrum lighting
Bearded Dragons
An adult bearded dragon requires at least a 40-gallon aquarium their enclosure. One end should include a basking spot while the other is maintained at 80-90°F. We also recommend a UVB light to provide vitamin D and sufficient calcium for your lizard. An ideal diet is a salad of plants, gut-loaded insects, and vegetables. If you notice exhaustion, lack of appetite, bloody stools, or any other indication that your bearded dragon isn’t feeling well, we recommend contacting McGehee Clinic for Animals.
Necessities we recommend for bearded dragons:
Large 40-gallon enclosure
At least two hiding spots
Diet of plants, insects, and vegetables
UVB lighting
Ceramic heat lamp
Leopard Geckos
Leopard geckos can be provided with gut-loaded invertebrates including dubia roaches, crickets, superworms, hornworms, phoenix worms every other day. We recommend a variety in their diet to ensure proper nutrition. Optimal housing for a gecko would be a 30-gallon or 20-gallon long aquarium with small limbs for climbing. UVB lighting can be beneficial to leopard geckos to help produce vitamin D3. In addition, utilizing an under-tank heating pad or tape is the safest and most efficient way to provide your gecko with heat.
Some essentials for leopard geckos to flourish include:
30-gallon or 20-gallon enclosure
UVB exposure
Diverse diet of invertebrates
Under-tank heating pad or tape
Chameleons
Chameleons are like geckos in that they do well with a variety in their diet. Gut-loaded invertebrates such as dubia roaches, crickets, superworms, hornworms, phoenix worms are great options. Screened terrariums with a UVB bulb and heat source in proximity are the best options for a suitable enclosure. Take note of your chameleon’s appetite, weight, and behavior. If any of these fluctuates, we recommend bringing your pet to our clinic for an exam.
Chameleons require the following basics:
Screened, well-ventilated enclosure
Misting system
Direct sunlight or adequate UVB light exposure
Basking area of 85-95°F
Range of gut-loaded invertebrates
Tortoises
Tortoises thrive on a diet of various dark, leafy, greens. Carrots, beats, squash, and bell peppers make great additions as well. Their food should be dusted with Calcium Carbonate only 3 times week. Their enclosure should be outdoors, but sturdy enough to provide protection from potential predators. Shade, hiding areas, and a shallow drinking and soaking bowl can help your tortoise feel right at home. If your tortoise is housed indoors, we recommend allowing them access to direct sunlight for at least an hour 4-5 times each week. A UVB bulb placed near the heat source in your tortoise’s enclosure is also necessary to help produce vitamin D3.
Requirements for tortoise care include:
