Question about Chinese Water Dragon: Need Advice

[nikotina]

I recently got a chinese water dragon who was in pretty good health. It's young, about 5 inches from snout to tail. About a month after bringing it home, I noticed that it couldn't fully close its mouth. It was very slight.

I dust its food [crickets, mealworms, waxworms, mousies] with calcium. It's in a very large tank with clean water. High humidity, very warm.

Now it has started to molt and stopped really eating. There appears to be brown scabs, very small, on the edge of the mouth and it still can't close it.

Is this serious? Or is it due to the shedding process?

Any advice would be appreciated.

[I use the green astro turf type substrate]

Thanks so much!

[Tonkatruck]

Hang in there, I am sure Pat will help you soon! Pat is our best Water Dragon gal and should get to you as soon as she can.

[BambooZoo]

Well, it can be a little of both......Water dragons are very susceptible to mouth rot and it can be come a very serious problem. Their snouts are also very vulnerable and it slowly eats away flesh. Use water conditioner in your water bowl for him and add in a few drops of vinegar (this will help keep bacteria from growing for a little longer). Use vinegar and water to treat the mouth area too. Get him to bite down on a little piece of cloth that is wet with it about 3 times a day until you see it is cleared and always be watchful of it.

Welcome to the forum

[MissB]

my water dragon tends to lose his appetite when hes shedding his old skin. but the scabs are a bad sign you should get him to a vet asap. it could possibly be mouth rot, but without seeing it its hard to say.