Maggots in my beardie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Aimees_Dragon]

I looked through my beardies ears and I saw wiggling worms!!!! Maggots!!! I am panicking! Will he be okay??? There's tonnes and tonnes of them!! Lately we have been letting him catch and eat house flies and I think one must have been pregnant!

Please help what do I do!!!???!!!

He is about 8 months old. Body length is 16.5cm. he usually eats woodies and greens daily.

 

[user 16324]

i would take him to the vet.

 

[GeckPhotographer]

Take him to the vet immediately.

 

[mad_at_arms]

I have not heard of that before in beardies.
Is there an odour about his ears?

Post pics.

 

[Justdragons]

this happened to a doggie of ours but we got it to late and she passed. get to the vet asap to get it flushed or something.. at least to get him/ her painkillers or put to sleep. as bad as it sounds the vet told us its very painful for the animal. best of luck..

 

[Wild~Touch]

Savlon will kill maggotts

 

[Aimees_Dragon]

When we first noticed it there were about 5 visible in each ear. Now we can't see any at all, NONE. Phew. I think he may have just swallowed them down.. maggots only eat dead flesh right? And he is very, very much alive and happy... So he'll be fine right??

No odour in the ears at all. And he is acting normal, and alert as always. Happily running about on the bed.

As I can't see any now, I don't think the vet will be much help. He literally ate the flies minutes before we noticed the wigglers.. Think he just swallowed them..

Should I get him to eat the savlon???

 

[saximus]

You're saying he swallowed them from his ears? I would still suggest a vet but I guess it's your choice

 

[GeckPhotographer]

Yeah this isn't really making sense to me either Saximus.

 

[Tassie97]

Dont let it eat savalon! :shock:

 

[thomasbecker]

Maybe the maggots went further down into his ear....

 

[Aimees_Dragon]

I could see them though the skin in his ears. therefore they were inside his head. We have 2 recomended reptile vets close to us in geelong. Dr Sally Adams
North Geelong Vet Clinic
278 Church Street
North Geelong, VIC 3215
Tel: 03 5278 5400

Dr Anne Fowler BVSc MACVS
Torquay Animal House
120 Geelong Road
Torquay, VIC 3228
Tel: 03 5261 6486

We will call them both and see who we can get an apointment with first. if we have a choice, which is better?

 

[Chris1]

never heard of this before, just posting so i dont miss the outcome,...

best of luck with ur buddy, i really do hope hes ok!!

 

[Aimees_Dragon]

I called both vets. The Torquay Animal House by the way has no idea about reptiles. We probably should stop reccomending them.. Found them on here - Reptile Vets - Aussie Pythons & Snakes.

The North Geelong one offered me an appointment tomorrow but seeing as the wigglers are no longer visible, i don't see what good it will do having someone else look in his ears..

Both vets said that if he looks healthy, eats, poops and is acting normal and continues to do so, I shouldn't worry, just keep observing him for the next few days.

The only thing I can think that could have happened is that he swallowed a fly full of babies and the babies took a few extra minutes to swallow. I am so never letting him catch flies ever, ever again! This was the scariest thing that has ever happened to us. I guess the kitten is back on Fly-Patrol! He'll be happy.

And he looks excellent by the way, he is a vibrant yellow (he is half yellow phase and is full brown when upset) and is alert, happy and healthy. I will keep you updated on what happens.

Oh and just so no-one think i simply can't be bothered with the vet. I have work anyway and have no one who can take him for me. Which sucks but that is life..

 

[waruikazi]

I'm no bearded dragon anatomy guru but i cannot see how maggots could get into your animals inner ear via his mouth.

Unless there is something chronically wrong with your lizards mouth and ears you are either on drugs or saw something that looked similar to maggots and thought the worst.

 

[Southside Morelia]

i'm no bearded dragon anatomy guru but i cannot see how maggots could get into your animals inner ear via his mouth.

Unless there is something chronically wrong with your lizards mouth and ears you are either on drugs or saw something that looked similar to maggots and thought the worst.

pmsl....

 

[waruikazi]

Help me out here, are lizards ear canals connected to their mouths??? Surely not!

pmsl....

 

[saximus]

Ours are aren't they. So I guess it's not entirely unreasonable assumption

 

[maddog-1979]

cant see how it could happen from swallowing a fly...even from the outside , there is a membrane just inside the ear.

i second waruikazi

 

[waruikazi]

Not really. Ours are connected to our nasal passage via the uestachian tube, but it's not a very significant passage for that exact reason. If reptiles do have one i doubt would be anywhere near big enough for a maggot to get through. Let alone a dozen or so and then back out again in a few minutes.

Ours are aren't they. So I guess it's not entirely unreasonable assumption