I'm petsitting an acquaintence's rather large, aged adult male water monitor.
During the summer, it spends most of its time outside in his yard, but with the recent cold weather it's been pulled inside into a relatively small cage simply to keep it warm. This monitor is 16 years old and is absolutely adored by the man that owns him (who also has a few other rather awesome older animals).
Past few months, it's been getting rather stiff, according to the owner, and has definate stiffness in its right front leg. I felt the joint and it feels...odd, different than the other leg. The monitor doesn't seem too bothered by the leg and still eats and wanders around without much fuss but it definately seems "creaky" compared to younger lizards I've seen.
My question is, has anyone ever encountered an older large adult monitor that has arthritis or anything that can hamper the movement? What's care like for older monitors? The acquaintence commented that he's concerned, as he typically hears of them living over 25 in captivity, but his was seeming to have joint issues relatively young. Are the big monitors like big dogs? They run down younger than the small ones?
Just curious. Not my animal so there's not a whole lot I can really do, but if there's anything I could do or recommend for the guy to help make the monitor more comfortable that'd be nice. I know what to do for arthritic old big dogs (raised with great danes!) but an old arthritic monitor is beyond me!
~jen
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"We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words."
- Anna Sewell (1820-1878)
