Reptile & Amphibian Forums

does anyone have any good suggestions for treating minor cuts and bites on monitors. I am treating with betadine and a triple antibiotic right now with some liquid bandage over top of it, it is doing ok, but still a little slow to heal, any help would be greatly appreciated.

You're doing just fine. Reptiles in general are slow to heal. As long as there's no sign of infection (major discoloration.. discharge etc) keep up the treatments with diluted betadine and antibiotic ointment. If it isn't broke.. don't fix it.. otherwise known as.. if it works for you keep using it.
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
2.1.1 Leopard geckos (2 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short) and 1 dbl. het blizzard x tang albino (Malice))
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
13 rats
1 Gerbil
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
2 cats (Sahara and Hercules)

I found out if no vet is needed I clean it with betadine and look it over then let em back in the dirt, theyve always healed very fast even while covered in dirt. Unless a vet says to keep it clean and dry or stitches it then I always let their imune system do its job. My big albigs incision from surgery at a year and a half old closed and sealed up in 2 weeks, at 1 month whats left of the stitches were removed. My old timor always ripped claws out and bled all over digging, hes still alive at over 6 years old (rough estimate) and happy in a good friends collection with a pretty girlfriend. Its amazing how fast a healthy monitor can heal some very bad injuries.

As SHVar said, monitors heal very quickly, much quicker than any mammal I have seen. It is my opinion/experience that anything we do (ointments/bandages/etc.) only slow healing. The best thing is to provide them conditions so they can heal, which is solving the problem on why they got hurt in the first place, followed by giving the basics.

In this forum, I think it best to say also, that a major injury might require a bit more involvement.

--Robert