N.v.v. new efts skin very dark and dry

[Crystalann0219]

This post will also serve as an update on my babies. Out of my 60 eggs I have 10 survivors. Im sad to say i had to move homes and I did lose some during the move. I have 9 living aquatically. They are doing great, eating frozen bloodworms, frozen daphnia, and live blackworms. I have only 1 being rasied terrestrially. I was having so many loses terrestrially vs aquatic. My one terrestrial guy is in a small plastic "critter keeper" with paper towels and some live moss and a few leaves. He eats only springtails. I know i need to vary his diet but he is just so small. A couple of days ago i noticed his skin was turning extremely dark and very dry looking. I spray his habitat every day. And he doesnt look dark like an olive green like the aqautic efts look, its more of a black color! I will try to get some pics and upload them here but i want to know if he is ok? Has anyone experienced this? It doesnt look normal or healthy to me and im worried about losing him.

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[Crystalann0219]

Here is a picture of him, I hope its decent quality, it was taken with my phone.

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[Otterwoman]

Maybe he is about to shed.

 

[slowfoot]

Is that how wet he is kept? If so, he really needs a place he can dry out a bit. I keep mine very slightly moist, but never wet.

The skin looks bad - never seen one look quite like that

 

[Crystalann0219]

Is that how wet he is kept? If so, he really needs a place he can dry out a bit. I keep mine very slightly moist, but never wet.

The skin looks bad - never seen one look quite like that

No, I dont usually keep him that wet. When i had some others that died and they were all dried out they were dark looking like that, i thought maybe i had let him get too dry, so ive been keeping him extra wet if that was the case. Do you know what it could be? Keeping him extra wet hasnt seemed to change it. Ill add some small rocks so he can climb onto them to get off the wet ground. Ive searched all over these forums and havent been able to find anything like this. I wish someone knew what was up with him.

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[Crystalann0219]

Ive just set him up in a bigger enclosure, thats tilted so that one side will be wet and one dry, so that he can choose. I threw out all moss and leaves from thr old setup. Ive put nothing except paper towels and leaves and a few stones in the new one. I sure hope he will get better.

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[Crystalann0219]

I have a happy update! When i checked him last night he was looking even worse and inwas losing hope, he was almost solid black. However tonight he is almost 100 percent better!!!! His skin looks great, a nice light orange color and supple. Not wrinkled or dry looking. Only all of his legs are still black, but im taking the rest of his body changing back to be a good sign!!!!

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[Otterwoman]

See? He shed. He probably ate the skin, so you won't find it.

 

[Crystalann0219]

Maybe it is harder for him to shed the skin from his legs?? Here is a pic, he looks so much better right!?!?

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[Otterwoman]

Yes, he still has some skin on his legs. Does he have things in his tank he can rub against? Otherwise he looks fine.

 

[slowfoot]

I'm glad he's doing better. But that substrate still looks way too wet to me.