Reptiles

Common Problems

• Cat or dog attack
• Ingested poison
• Mower or whipper-snipper damage
• Run over

What to do

• Reptiles include lizards, skinks, monitors, goannas, geckos and snakes.
• ManyAustralian snakes are extremely venomous and should not be touched except by a trained snake-handler. If you find an injured snake, do nottry to handle this yourself - call NANA.
• No Australian lizard is venomous, but monitors / Goannas can inflict serious bites and scratches. Bites from lizards and (non-venomous)snakes can easily become infected due to the bacteria in the reptile's mouth. Again, we recommend that you call NANA so an experienced handler can be assigned.
• For smaller reptiles which you feel comfortable in handling, there is little in the way of first aid other than to catch the animal, and place it into a warm container such as a cardboard box. Many reptiles eat infrequently, especially during cooler weather, so you won't normally need to feed it.
• If the reptile has any open wounds, you can generally treat these with a mild antiseptic such as Betadine, or an antiseptic powder like'medi-pulve'.
• If any reptile needs care, either take it to a vet or call NANA to get appropriate attention.

Catching injured Reptiles

• As with all animals, reptiles don't know you are trying to help. As they can scratch and bite quite hard you need to be careful.
• Most reptiles do not carry dangerous diseases, but they often have ticks. However, some lizards are susceptible to bacteria carried on the human skin, so minimize skin contact with them.
• With reptiles, it is best to grab them around the neck, right behind the head, so they can't bite. For larger reptiles you also need to hold them with your other hand further back, for stability (and in the case of lizards, to prevent them scratching with their claws).
• DO NOT try to handle snakes, and it can be quite dangerous to handle large goannas without backup!
• Some reptiles go into shock when they have had some trauma. This makes them dazed and compliant (easy to handle). BEWARE, as they emerge from shock, they can suddenly become active and aggressive.

More Information

• It is illegal to keep reptiles from the wild as pets without permission from the National Parks & Wildlife Service.
• It is illegal to kill or harm any native reptile in NSW, and strict penalties apply.
• Many lizards carry ticks. Generally speaking one or two ticks on a reptile poses no threat, and will eventually drop off without any help from us.
• Reptiles should always be returned to the general area in which they are found.
• Lizards eat snails, so if you want to have a lizard-friendly garden, lizards need plenty of places to hide from kookaburras and other dangers. They love a good thick leaf mulch, and like to hide in hollow logs, pipes and rocks.