# Lump on my bosc monitor



## metalface93 (Feb 14, 2012)

Hi,

I have owned Rocky my Savannah Monitor for 6 months now and he has been absolutely fine and a pleasure to own! About a week ago (12/11/12) I noticed two lumps of slightly raised skin. They were hard to the touch but didn't seem painful or causing him any distress. He was eating, drinking, shedding and pooing normally and his general behavior was completely normal. 

I have re examined these lumps on his neck today (19/11/12 - see attached photos) and they have grown slightly and look abnormal. They look almost like a skin blister but they remain painless (so far as I can tell) and he is behaving, eating, drinking, shedding and pooing normally. I have not noticed any discharge from the lumps and I don't think he has cut himself there but I could be wrong as I may just not have noticed a cut in the past. On the attached photo I have highlighted the three areas on him that I believe are of importance.

GREEN - This is where I believe there is a split in the skin on the apex of the lump. There was no split on this lump when I noticed them on the 12th.

NB. Just below and to the right of the GREEN ring is a dark red lump poking out from beneath a scale. This looks like it may be a blister? 

BLUE - This is the whole lump which has grown from about half its current size.

RED - looking at these photos in a much higher than life resolution, I have noticed a 'scoring' line running across the lump (also visible in the GREEN circle). I think this line has started in the RED circle and goes downwards.

On the lump itself the scales look dried and dead











LUMP ON BACK (Second Photo)
I noticed this small pimple on him today while examining the lumps and also noticed a score mark across the scales on either side of the pimple. (BLUE ring)

I have also noticed a tiny hardened lump in the GREEN ring on the photo.










I am not sure what these lumps are and whether I should be worried about them or not. He is in good health and his Vivarium is clean and tidy and he spends a reasonable amount of time in his water bowl but no more than normal. He does have an annoying habit of pooing in his water bowl and I change the water as soon as I notice this but I cannot guarantee that he has not been sat in dirty water for a period of time while I have been out. 

Neither of the lumps or the pimple seem to cause him any distress or discomfort and he is moving fine. He does rub his neck against the glass front of his viv but he does this normally.

Recently he has had a slight change to his viv as his light guard broke and I have had to put his basking light on the other side of the glass to provide a heat source and although it is hot to touch, it is not extreme. If I were to leave my hand on the heated area it would not cause injury.

I am lost as to what this problem may be and would welcome anyone else's opinion or diagnosis of these lumps.

Thanks


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

It looks rather tick like but im not certain they would cause that much surface damage, a long term keeper will have a better idea


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## Whosthedaddy (Nov 29, 2009)

The first picture is hard shed over a blister, my male Bosc seemed to have several?


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## metalface93 (Feb 14, 2012)

Ahh thanks do you know what to do or is there anything i could buy to help get rid of the blisters?


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## Whosthedaddy (Nov 29, 2009)

metalface93 said:


> Ahh thanks do you know what to do or is there anything i could buy to help get rid of the blisters?


Once the hard shed is removed I treated the skin underneath with ointment for burns (designed for reptiles and no idea of the name?)


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## metalface93 (Feb 14, 2012)

Okay thanks ill try get some stuff for him tomorrow.
Just wanna know what the other lump is in pic 2


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## metalface93 (Feb 14, 2012)

UPDATE!!!!!!
The pimple has gone dark! What does that mean!??!?!?!

HELP!


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## jarich (Mar 23, 2012)

The basking lamp is behind glass? How hot does the basking spot get? I ask this as their immune system can be easily compromised if they arent getting high enough temperatures. His basking spot should be at least 130 F or higher, so Im not sure how you would get that behind glass. Get those temps up and he should be able to fight off what looks to be a bacterial infection.


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## David V (Jan 3, 2009)

I have an 8 month old female who's got a few patches like this on her back, I bathe her in a warm bath every day then apply some diluted iodine solution, seems to be helping although she keeps rubbing the dark areas off ( old unshed skin) and I make sure I keep the area underneath clean. Just need to make sure when she sheds next time I bathe her daily.


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## metalface93 (Feb 14, 2012)

Just checked its 123F atm but we are currently building a new bigger viv for him but for now he behaviour has been fine... for now is their any treatment i can get him until his new viv is up and running?


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## metalface93 (Feb 14, 2012)

Just to let everyone know that i took Rocky to the vets today and he has had a few samples of skin and fluid taken for tests. I also asked the vet about the right temperature she saod between 30-34 degrees!! Not 54!! 

Hopefully the test results will be back next week and its not serious 

My bosc is my baby he was so brave!


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## ShaneLuvsMonitors (Sep 27, 2008)

metalface93 said:


> Just to let everyone know that i took Rocky to the vets today and he has had a few samples of skin and fluid taken for tests. I also asked the vet about the right temperature she saod between 30-34 degrees!! Not 54!!
> 
> Hopefully the test results will be back next week and its not serious
> 
> My bosc is my baby he was so brave!



No offence but dont take gusbabdry advie of vets medical stuff yes husbandry no 
Vets havent got a clue when it comes to husbandry

Your temps should be 

basking temp 125-150f 

hot end 90f 

cool end 80f


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## metalface93 (Feb 14, 2012)

Excuse me 150f would be enough to cook him ive rang round 'REPTILE SHOPS' and they said the temps should be between 30-34 degrees in the hot end. I dont think 64 degrees is suitable for any animal and much hotter than their native environment. Also im doing an animal management course which has a bosc monitor at my college and the temps are the same.

Really 64 degrees is ridiclous even my mate who owns loads of reptiles says its stupid and dangerous!


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## David V (Jan 3, 2009)

My basking temps are 63c this is the correct temps, this is also the surface temperatures notthe air temperature. If you are at the beach and the temperature is 30c and you walk bear foot on the sand it hurts because it is hot, the sand is much much hotter than 30c. You can ask any monitor keeper and they will tell you, if you keep your bosc with a basking temp of 34c surface temp it will die very slowly as it will not be able to digest its food properly and will end up with renal failure, unfortunately too many people keep their boscs at this temperature and they die after 4 or 5 years. Please set your surface temp to 130-150f and see what happens, your bosc will use it.


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## KarlHowells (Jan 19, 2011)

metalface93 said:


> Excuse me 150f would be enough to cook him ive rang round 'REPTILE SHOPS' and they said the temps should be between 30-34 degrees in the hot end. I dont think 64 degrees is suitable for any animal and much hotter than their native environment. Also im doing an animal management course which has a bosc monitor at my college and the temps are the same.
> 
> Really 64 degrees is ridiclous even my mate who owns loads of reptiles says its stupid and dangerous!


You gone over to their native - and not gone by the forecast which would be showing air temps not the ground temps. Reptile shops - or a decent one anyway, should be able to tell you the difference between a hot end and a basking spot. (basking temp - ground temp in their native)

and it doesn't matter how many reptiles someone owns - doesn't make him an expert! My OH could go out tomorrow and buy a ton of lizards, she wouldn't instantly be an expert. :bash:


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## Reptor (May 2, 2011)

I think you are confusing air temps with surface temps. A Boscs basking site should be between 120- 150. I have two in mine one 125 and the other 140 and trust me he uses them both. They shoul only bask for a few mins and go off doing their own thing. If your bps is basking for long periods then I'd suggest your cool end is two cool meaning he spending more time in the heat than needed. Most reptile stores dot give correct advice and vets don't ever go over anything but basic husbandry in reptiles not specific sp.


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## metalface93 (Feb 14, 2012)

Yeah sorry got confused my head is not with it today koz of the testes being on his lumps and hoping they come back fine. 

Just want the best thats all and also i have college tomorrow and leaving him will be hard but my bf will be taking care of him just hope its nothing serious .


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