A vitamin A deficiency can be a serious illness for reptiles. In severe cases, a vitamin A deficiency can be fatal.
Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that is essential to the functioning of the skin, mucous membranes, muscles, immune system, reproductive systems, eyes, and more! A reptile with a vitamin A deficiency may demonstrate symptoms like:
- Swelling around the eyes and mouth, especially the eyelids. The swelling may be so pronounced that the reptile cannot open its eyes!
- Nasal discharge.
- Inflammation of the lining of the mouth, known as stomatitis.
- Weakness.
- Loss of appetite and weight loss.
- Decreased growth rate.
A reptile with a vitamin A deficiency may be lacking in other nutrients, too. Vitamin A deficiency can make a reptile more susceptible to skin and respiratory infections and metabolic bone disease.
If you suspect that your reptile has a vitamin A deficiency, your best course is to take your pet to a veterinarian that specializes in reptiles. Early treatment comes with the best chance of recovery; a severe and untreated case can lead to lasting health problems for your pet. Your veterinarian may prescribe injectable or oral vitamin A and/or diet changes to prevent a recurring problem. Your vet will also be able to take care of other infections and nutritional issues.
Don’t just try to fix the problem with a vitamin A supplement. Too much vitamin A can be harmful to your reptile! Your veterinarian will help you set up an appropriate supplement schedule. A weekly multivitamin may be all that your reptile needs to stay healthy.
Preventing a vitamin A deficiency can be as easy as feeding your reptiles a healthy, well balanced diet with appropriate levels of all vitamins. For reptiles that will eat plants, offer foods rich in vitamin A like apricots, broccoli, carrots, dandelion greens, kale, papaya, parsley, sweet potatoes, and yellow squash. For reptiles that eat insects, you can feed these fruits and vegetables to the insects before feeding your pet.