Basilisks leg is swollen

Question
My boyfriend recently bought this female basilisk from a pet store.  he said when he first got her he noticed a little brown bump on her leg after bringing her home.  he has had her for three-four months now but after checking her today it seems her leg is swollen now.  he told me he thinks it's an abscess.  he keeps her in a large tank with half water/half dirt substrate...  the water is filtered by an underwater filter.. any ideas to help her out?

Answer
Hi Rachael,

If it is indeed an abscess that has spread into the surrounding tissues then there is little that you can do on your own. She really does need systemic antibiotics through a vet. Unfortunately, topical antibiotic ointments are poorly absorbed and tend to have little effect once infections have reached this stage.
The main thing that you can provide at this time is an appropriate basking temp. of 90 - 95F. That will help keep her immune system functioning well and give her the best chance to fight the infection until she can get treated. If she is having trouble hunting you might also want to make sure her nutrition does not suffer by offering mealworms, silkworms etc out of a ceramic dish for easier access.
Calcium deficiency or metabolic bone disease can also cause swelling of the limbs but it tends to affect the legs equally and the reptile displays other symptoms such as lack of climbing and general lethary before that stage. In view of the fact that it is just the one leg and did have an observable potential infection prior to this, it does not sound like a typical case of MBD to me.