BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Sorry to join only to ask for help, but it's Christmas Day and I do'nt know when my vet will be open to see my sick lizard. He's about 6 years old, and has been fine except for one eye infection about 5 months ago, which cleared up with some treatment from the vet. Today I checked in on him and his housemate to find that this guy's shedding has gone horribly wrong His front arm joints show a complete tear about 3/4 of the way around, where all the layers of his scales are torn as if a thick wad of paper. I can see pinky-white flesh underneath. I am soaking him in a warm water bath right now, and he seems calm, but I am terrified and don't know if he can survive this. He can move both legs, and is okay with the water - he isn't panicky and hissing - but I am worried he may be too sick to do so. There is no discoloured discharge from mouth or eyes, and the rest of his shedding has been okay. I plan to put some vitamin E on the tears and turning off the heat lamp overnight as I am now worried that it is too dry in there. I plan to take him to the vet ASAP. But in the meantime - any words of advice? Has anyone had this happen before? Can he recover from this?

Sorry i'm probably one of the least experienced on here, but no doubt the other guys will reply soon. It sounds like your coping well-is there any way you can post pictures, if it's not to deep theres a high chance of recovery i would think, as long as you keep it clean. GOOD LUCK!!! keep us posted...

Well I've moved him into a cardboard box lined with a clean towel and with a tight fitting lid. I've added a fresh kitchen sponge soaked with water, for humidity overnight. I've totally soaked both joints with vitamin E oil. I've also hand-fed him 2 grapes, diced, and managed to squirt some water into his mouth at the same time - he was tremendously offended, but some definitely was swallowed. He was very happy to eat the grapes, which gives me hope - I remember hearing somewhere that animals which are ready to die will stop eating. He was totally happy to eat - they have 2 small bowls with grapes in their tank already, so I'm wondering if perhaps the 1.5" height was too much for him to climb with his painful joints I hope he can relax overnight and give that vit E oil some time to work its way in. I hope he doesn't stress out (I know he will stress some, being in a different environment). I hope when I wake up I see no blood, and maybe even some new scale growth - I noticed in some areas although it is cracked about 3 layers deep, there are definitely fresh new scales in the fissure - but in other areas, it's just that white-pink flesh. Thankfully the only bleeding is on the edges of the cracks - ie not through the flesh. I'm in Melbourne, Australia, and it's 11pm here. I'll post back in the morning and hopefully include some photos of HEALING mr lizard *crosses fingers*

It sounds as if you have everything under control..yes if he's eating i would take that as a very good sign. Im on the Sunshine coast, Australia..so yes definetely time for bed! my fingers are crossed for you!

Naomieve I would not turn off the lights in the enclosure. BTS that are sick need to have heat to heal themselves. I would keep the area dry and not put anything on it (just my opinion). If the enclosure is too dry you can add a larger water dish. I am going to PM one of our experts to see if they can look in on you. Keep us posted.

Hi Mate Tatoo mail me we got untold in with masive wounds we use beterdine or purple paint for horses ... how do you think you skinks fleash torn away ?? Perplexed // look at these

deadeyes

+ Very sick from U.R.T.I almost dead buitifull now
Hand bones in the foot have disolved ... just on anto imflamiitory drugs 3 am here 40 celcius today had 14 come in shingles and 1 western



If you dont mind were are you iam in western australia ..... if your here pm me we all know each udder trew australia ... vet work free >>>> strange we get them hooking feet in wire climbing ... sounds like that IMO ????



These are dog attacks ... maggots ,, can fix em if ya have baytril and good set ups ? pm me asap 4 am here been going 12 hours nite Mate !!!!!!!....... Keep it dry ... E creme is for moisture ya want it to heal .. that will slow healing down make it wet n gunky... i promise you .. done reptile courses + animal australian native rehab certificates ...... Ya want him on a heat matt .. and watch it close

5 hours they can blow up like a sausage ..what type of skink ?? Pics ??? snoring zzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzz LOL




Sheddin in bed = perfect Lighning = slippery sucker LOL






Goood luck purple paint for horses ... no wet soggy cremes (((stops healing ))))) E creme is to add moisture Night

Yes be fore i go he will recover 100% i got em cut in half ,, maggots full in there cloaca .. and were faces smashed by cars... keep him out of water .... and let it dry in sun ... when you pinch , the foot is there pain??? good sighn ..., we get them hit by wipper snipper or weed wackers.. lawn mowers but its critical to keep the wounds dry,, in the wild skinks dont go down to water and soak .. they go into log and recover ..ok

Ps note teeth tears in others face in wild _ they tough thats cool nite
he needs rest n dry warm spot to chill .... how deep is this down to bones ? pics please .. i take legs n fet off all the time .. no drama .. even both back legs off ... the back was broken ... so honey pulls herself along with front feet ... Now if you can get native honey , we use that perfect aboriginals teach me it .. great antibiotic then wrap like a mummy k must sleep >>> Ps this one had 2 dogs rip it apart all done with native bee honey wrap ,, n put a tight bandage over to keep fly strike out ttyl stuffed tired .. had nuttin to eat yet but a weet brik Hhahahaahhah it will be cool ..
ps help if had letters on key board n could see LOL

Lights on 4 12 hours a must ... off at night yes .... and PLEASE no more water cremes , jelly gnite 40 winks and back again

I'm not sure much should or can be done in a 24-hour period. You'll most likely have to wait until there's a vet available tomorrow or sometime this week. I would take out any substrate and put clean paper towels in the bottom of the tank until then, and that's all. First thing tomorrow, get a reptile specialist.

Also, pictures can usually be of huge help if possible.

KW

I've put him back into his enclosure with the heat lamp, and he is still plenty active and irritable - good signs! I have taken photos of his legs and put them in my personal gallery. I have called my vet but she isn't open today. I have not put any more vitamin E oil on the wounds. I will get to work on the substrate this morning. Thanks for all the advice guys.

If there are any melbournites reading this - in the event that my vet doesn't open until the new year, can you please provide me with any good reptile vets who will be open tomorrow? I will Google in the meantime, but personal recommendations are always best! Thanks in advance

vETS in my state wont touch reptile cause of insurance , be sure to see a reptile expert... herp society is a good start in Australia ... good news .. looking at gallery brb lata ttyl

Zack this one is all better now with thy hump on the back


um bulk weight .. my wife is a angel wiz them LOL Merry xmas ya lil SKINKERS

A warning to all new skink owners , PLEASE never pull @ sheds to help them /// it isnt worth it!!!!!! ((( your not helping them ))) areas round legs and feet and last to peel .... Ive seen people rip away and when ya get to the tip of a shingle back skink . Tail big blood vesel. it bleeds claret pours out ... and with mine just dip them in luke warm water and they slide out like a sock coming off .. //:~) cheers

GOOD LUCK merry xmas Olive said marry xmas lolol

thanks gotta get a calender soon Kelly , ty Marie for the coolest forum .
only lose 2 out of 200 a year and they have been run over 3 times buy cars ... tummy pops out of cloaca... UPLOAD bigger pic Please .... good luck in a funny spot Hey !!?>>>> Kyle me ol Mucker >> Merry xmas dude . Ps downloaded futer weapons Mate orsm lata ron Mate .... glad ya out of the slammer LOL Zack


How cool does ringo look .. show ya George n John lennon after





Got alot of photoshop skinks in a forum i have , with canadians .. show ya soon >>> Orsm psp 1 to 12 were using

Contact Blotch and Geoff Gates .... Please he has untold wisdom n knowledge of Vic gotta fly 41 here, skinks are buzzin up n down like on nitrous oxide now sleeeepy in shade and having baths .. lol merry xmas to everyone .. even you guys that cant understand a word iam saying i got no letters left on keyboard . so OMG!!!! Tiz gonna get alot worse Mwhahahahahahah


Cheers fill ya boots man !!!!! cya Kyle

Naomieve,

How did this happen? It did not just occur overnight.

Try bathing in a dilute betadine solution twice a day on open wound

keep putting bad shed areas in tepid water. (+/- 32 degrees)

..and cut the toe nails

What suburb of Melb do you live in?

Try Cantebury Vet on Cantebury Rd just east of Warrigul Rd.

Geoff Gates wrote:Naomieve,

How did this happen? It did not just occur overnight.

Try bathing in a dilute betadine solution twice a day on open wound

keep putting bad shed areas in tepid water. (+/- 32 degrees)

..and cut the toe nails

What suburb of Melb do you live in?

Try Cantebury Vet on Cantebury Rd just east of Warrigul Rd.

You're right, it didn't happen overnight - and I don't know how it happened.
Thank you for the Betadine advice, I will start that tonight.
Someone else on this thread has recommended not soaking the areas at all, but treating with heat, so I'm not sure what to do about that. Why do you recommend soaking instead of heat?
I live in Moorabbin, and will try the Canterbury vet tomorrow morning.
Thanks for the advice.

naomieve wrote:You're right, it didn't happen overnight - and I don't know how it happened.
Thank you for the Betadine advice, I will start that tonight.
Someone else on this thread has recommended not soaking the areas at all, but treating with heat, so I'm not sure what to do about that. Why do you recommend soaking instead of heat?
I live in Moorabbin, and will try the Canterbury vet tomorrow morning.
Thanks for the advice.

It's hard to tell from the pics. IF there is still old skin to come away from the legs keep soaking them. From the images I'm more than a little bit concerned about the feet. A lack of blood circulation from old skin constriction will lead to a loss of toes and possibly the feet.

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DeadEye wrote: Kyle me ol Mucker >> Merry xmas dude . Ps downloaded futer weapons Mate orsm lata ron Mate .... glad ya out of the slammer

"Ol Mucker?" The "m" isn't what usually precedes that one in my walks of life...

Good to see you round mate.

Geoff, I don't think Naomieve provided any pictures, sadly... I just didn't want you to get confused form the barrage of pictures and make suggestions about the wrong skink.

Naomieve keep us informed about how the vet visit goes. Geoff is quite right, this doesn't sound like an overnight problem. It could become one if proper action isn't taken. I'm glad you're now here, the caresheet may help you adjust the conditions that may have caused this. As they say, an ounce of prevention...

KW

KyleWeiss wrote:Geoff, I don't think Naomieve provided any pictures, sadly... I just didn't want you to get confused form the barrage of pictures and make suggestions about the wrong skink.

Naomieve keep us informed about how the vet visit goes. Geoff is quite right, this doesn't sound like an overnight problem. It could become one if proper action isn't taken. I'm glad you're now here, the caresheet may help you adjust the conditions that may have caused this. As they say, an ounce of prevention...

KW

I did provide pictures - they are in my personal gallery, one of each leg.

I will definitely be reading up on caresheets to see what I have done wrong to lead to this situation.

I gave him another soak last night, and put a big dish of water in the tank under the heat lamp to increase humidity.

Will keep you posted.

Naomieve,

It sounds like you've received some good advice. Please, after you get the important issues addressed at the vet, have the vet clip his nails. I wonder if he got one of his nails caught on something and cut himself along his leg/side on something nearby trying to free himself. Just a thought...

It's great that you came on here to find out what to do. It shows that you genuinely care about your skinker!

P.S. It just occurred to me that you wrote

I checked in on him and his housemate

Do you house your bluey with another bluey? Is it possible they had been fighting?