Reptile Veterinary care...

Just curious, does anyone take their snake to a vet for routine checkups, as you would a dog or cat? My snakes seem very healthy and are growing just fine but I see a lot of threads discussing various parasites and illnesses. Do reptile vets offer any sort of yearly checkup? Or do people mainly use a reptile vet if you suspect a problem?

I notice that a lot of people bring there snake in for a check up when they buy a new snake. After that, they just bring them in for issues. It's all up to you...what you want to do.

Unless you have an unusually excellent, experienced herp vet, I wouldn't take a herp in unless you think it needs some care of some sort (or you want fecals done on a new or suspicious snake, or something similar). Most vets, even those who see herps, just are not that experienced with herps. I have seen posts from people who went to a vet and got some very strange results or advice about their snakes.

Sometimes you really need a vet, and you have to find the best one you can, or maybe get a local vet to do a phone consult with a "real" herp vet. Or sometimes you are lucky enough to have a really good herp vet nearby (it would be nice to know ahead of time of need if that is the case). Just be cautious about letting vets work on your snakes or give you advice, unless you are very confident that they are really good herp vets, not just dog and cats vets who see a few herps now and then.

Gralena, if you DO need a vet, I'd call Pet Jungle for a referral. They're located at 116th and Michigan. Tony is the owner and he really knows his snakes. I'd actually go to him first and see if you need further treatment from an actual vet. If you do, he'd definitely steer you in the right direction.

I personally prefer to take them in if I notice an illness. I'm fortunate enough to have a vet office nearby with two vets on staff that do nothing but exotic animals, and both of them VERY experienced with herps.