Are Bandaids OK?

[zlew]

My boy managed to bite his own tail while I was cleaning an infection on his back. I've been putting neosporing w/o pain releif on it, but the wound isn't closing up. Is it ok to put a small, butterfly bandage on him to keep it closed? I only ask because I'm not sure if the adhesive is safe for his scales.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Well, if the injury is big enough to where it won't close I'd hit up my reptile vet. Might need a stitch or three.

Now on the off chance you really don't have a vet, well, I've used a band-aid myself knowing the skin will shed off. Had a cat a long time ago get in a good swipe on a lizard after it sat on the screen top and got inside. Lizard made it, cat was evicted.

 

[zlew]

Not nearly big enough for a stitch. We're talking smallest size butterfly bandage. It's just since it's on his tail, it won't stay closed for very long. Thanks for the info!

 

[brendan0923]

Not nearly big enough for a stitch. We're talking smallest size butterfly bandage. It's just since it's on his tail, it won't stay closed for very long. Thanks for the info!

If it's small, it will probably heal on its own. Just make sure it's nice and clean and he should be fine.

If it doesn't start closing up in about a week, I would say a vet visit is in order.

 

[zlew]

Alrighty. He wouldn't let me put the bandage on anyway, so I just put neosporin on.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Alrighty. He wouldn't let me put the bandage on anyway, so I just put neosporin on.

If the wound is not closed within a very short period of time, you can't close it without cutting a new edge. It will have to heal from the bottom up. It takes longer and leaves a bigger scar but he should be fine with the usual caveats about wounds.

 

[ridgebax1]

I thought about this for my veiled after he got a big burn on his back but decided against it. I thought that in the environment of the cage with the automatic misting etc, the bandaid or whatever covering is applied, would only get wet and gross which could support bacterial growth; so I just stuck with the neosporin but I put it on twice a day then eventually only at night because I knew he would being staying in his sleeping spot and the mister is turned off at night.