Lizard with ticks

Question
I've had a wild caught Western Fence lizard for six months. Just today I've noticed tiny, nymph, black legged ticks scattered all around his terrarium. I removed them but see that he still has several attached to his body. Any advice on what to do next?

Answer
Clean the cage well, and use a dab of vegetable oil on a Q-tip to coat the ticks on his body.  This will block their air passages and suffocate them.

Remember that you will need to make an appointment with a reptile-experienced vet, to have your lizard tested for internal parasites (which it no doubt carries), and properly treated.  Internal parasites can quickly build to lethal levels in a captive situation.  Having already been in captivity for 6 months, he's long overdue, if it hasn't been done yet.