Administering Oral Medications to Feisty Lizards

SamanthaMarikian

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
272
My monitor has been done with me the past week n a half lol. Shes supposed to be on a oral medication but its hard to get her mouth open to take it and i dont want her to inhale it on accident and i also dont want to get bit(preferably). When i was giving it to her the first day she tried to bite me for the first time since i got her. Shes just under two feet long
 

Poonjab

Arachnoking
Active Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2019
Messages
2,755
Two ways you can do this. Find a way to mix it into food or get an extra person if you can’t contain her by yourself. One to hold her while you try to open mouth and put meds it
 

SamanthaMarikian

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
272
Two ways you can do this. Find a way to mix it into food or get an extra person if you can’t contain her by yourself. One to hold her while you try to open mouth and put meds it
she only will eat live bugs. If she ate anything that didnt move like eggs or ground turkey etc id try that. I just worry about getting her mouth open without hurting her lol. When i had to give my leo medicine she just licked it up lol. If only they were all that easy
 

bulbophyllum

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 24, 2017
Messages
67
Depending on the quantity of the medication you need to administer I have had luck injecting liquid medication into the abdomen of feeder insects with a insulin syringe and feeding.I bought the syringes at a pharmacy.
 

SamanthaMarikian

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
272
D
Depending on the quantity of the medication you need to administer I have had luck injecting liquid medication into the abdomen of feeder insects with a insulin syringe and feeding.I bought the syringes at a pharmacy.
did the medicine actually work though? It’s .1 ml n I’m all out of bugs for a few days but i might try that if i can get a syringe. So i have to do it manually orally again today lol
 

bulbophyllum

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 24, 2017
Messages
67
I assume that it worked. I was administering Baytril to a veiled chameleon with a respiratory infection and the lizard got better.I just made sure that the medicated crickets were the lizard's only meals so he stayed kinda hungry and took the medicated crickets.
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
Work with him when it's cool before the day lights come on and he has a chance to bask. He will have less energy to struggle and less power in his jaws to clamp down keeping it shut..Try holding him firmly behind the head also gripping the front arms if possible and use the dropper or whatever your using to admin the meds and rub his jaws with it to try and get him to open his mouth.. If that doesn't work you can gently tap his snout with your finger.. Don't whack him gentle taps..

Monitors are extremely hardy and while it's extremely tramatic holding the top of the skull and pinching the sking under his neck and pulling down while someone else restrains the body is effective.If I can manage to tuck the lizard between my elbow and ribs it is possibe to do it alone but if you dont feel comfortable doing it alone don't... You do have to pull hard but do it gently,Just apply gradual force as your pulling the jaw down, never yank.. This is a last ditch method for me but it has worked in the past.
 
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