All around help on newt/salamander care required!

[AfroNewtkeeper]

If you can, keep him in the dark during transit. (Wrap the box in something, cover it with a towel, etc.) this will help him keep calm. I guess if I had a fully aquatic newt, I would give it about two inches of water, as well as paper towels. If for nothing else, he can use these as something to cling to. Just make sure he doesn't slosh around too much.

 

[Kaysie]

I would transport him on saturated paper towels, no water. Paddletails are not obligate aquatic (they don't have gills), so he will be fine on land for a few hours.

Don't put water and paper towels in the container. You risk suffocating the newt if it becomes entangled in floating paper towel.

 

[AfroNewtkeeper]

Go with her advice, I have no experience with paddletails. :tongue:

 

[Shardas]

Alright, thankies!

 

[Shardas]

Okay, back from the vet at 11+pm, set up the meds for Takorr and went to sleep.

Doc says it's most likely his renal functions, maybe kidney problem (heard something about cannot pee), and possible bacteria carried by guppies. No more guppies for guppy munching Takorr! He gave Ringer's solution and an antibiotic to soak Takorr in constantly until the bloating subsides. This morning I checked on Takorr the solution seems to have worked; his throat swelling has gone down quite significantly, though he doesn't like the solution much. I took pics of the meds too.

Random: Takorr just doesn't like being picked up; he tried to protest at the doc by opening his mouth at him too! XD

Any idea who can ship some worms other than earthworms to Singapore? Planning to give them to Takorr as a treat.

 

[Kaysie]

Excellent news! Would you share the information about which vet you used, so that others might benefit?

 

[Shardas]

There, I managed to get his card. Takorr looks almost back to normal now... He even shed his skin! Should I leave him in there a little while more to ensure he's fine, or transfer him back to the tank?

 

[Kaysie]

Continue the course of treatment as you are until you've finished the antibiotics.

If I was in this situation, I'd dismantle and disinfect the tank.

 

[Shardas]

Disinfect with? And how long should I leave the solvent in there? Also, that means to cycle the tank again, yes?

Haha, many questions being a newbie.

 

[Kaysie]

Questions are what lead you from the land of the Newb! Ask as many as you need to.

Disinfect it with diluted vinegar. You can spray it directly on the bare tank walls. You'll have to soak everything in the tank; I usually let things soak about an hour. Rinse well and let stand to dry.

You'll have to re-cycle, but if it was in fact something in the tank rather than renal function, you'll at least have a clean slate to put your hopefully healthy guy back into.

 

[Shardas]

Takorr died last night :'( Maybe I've put him in the solution a tad too long, doc had said to put him back in the tank when he looks alright, which is whe I asked about whether to continue soaking him in the solution or putting him back in the tank. He was really soft all over when I took him out of the solution, buried him in my backyard...

On a somewhat good note, I now have the tank to disinfect and cycle while I mourn.
Do I soak the live plants in the vinegar solvent as well? What's the ratio for vinegar:water?

 

[Kaysie]

Oh no. I didn't know you were confused about the treatment plan. I'm so sorry.

 

[Shardas]

>< it's fine, lesson learned. I bought more plants and had to do some creative landscaping anyway, since the tank is kinda small, just big enough for a paddletail.

I didn't write Doc's instructions, so you didn't know >_<

So... The questions weren't answered; plant and concentration of vinegar.

 

[AfroNewtkeeper]

Sorry to hear about that... Seems like one problem after another.

As for the plants, there are multiple ways to clean them. I would let them soak in a solution that's 10% bleach, 90% water, then rinse them thoroughly and let them sit in a tub or container for 24 hours. After that, they should be fine.

 

[Chinadog]

I'm so sorry to hear about Takorr, I've never been keen on Paddletails but over the course of this thread I became a big fan of his!
I hope there's endless Guppys and Earthworms for him wherever he is now!

RIP Little fella.

 

[Shardas]

Everything is being soaked now... Will get everything set up before getting another newt; it won't replace Takorr though, he had spunk!

I can imagine Takorr chasing all the earthworms in the shallow land.