Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My baby Collared lizard is dying and I've tried everything, he just isn't going to make it I guess. He seems to go into little seizures if he tries to eat his jaws just lock up, it's so sad. Any advice on this or how to end it without pain and suffering?

Thanks in advance.

If you know he isn't going to make it and you want to euthanize him, I would suggest freezing.

Sorry for your loss.

Won't that be painful?

No, for reptiles it's probably the most humane method available outside of taking it to a vet for euthanasia.

I suppose you could kill it by some mechanical means, but that seems a little distasteful.

I would suggest spending a few bucks and do the humane thing and have him put to sleep. Freezing will take some time and I would have to imagine it would be painful regardless of what type of creature it is.

Sorry for your situation, it is always sad to know that another little baby won't make it.

Before their body temperatures get down to freezing, reptiles go into a state of torpor and aren't really conscious of anything. I know this because I've unfortunately recieved some snakes that were in this state, and it took them 45 minutes to regain conciousness. This is very different from what happens when you try to freeze adult mammals, mice and rats can live for days in a freezer.

Have you determined the cause? Is the lizard dehydrated? Metabolic bone disease? If the condition is not too bad, a vet may be able to give liquid calcium gluconate. Is there adequate UVb levels, temperatures, etc.? IF these causes & others have been considered, then euthanasia probably cannot be avoided.
Sorry to hear about this problem, but sometimes these conditions cannot be resolved.