TheDarylaccount
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- Sep 24, 2023
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Hello,
I have had a morphed axolotl for almost two years now. The friend I bought him from believes he morphed to a terrestrial form due to his proximity to a salt lamp as a juvenile, but, it may have been that his environment was unclean and stressful or even just a dormant trait, we can't know for sure.
He is a goofy boy and his derpy face inspired joy.
However, back in July 2022, I noticed that the top of his tail where it connects to his body appeared to be pinched in. By September, there was an open sore (picture 1, September 2022). I treated it by removing his reptisoil, wiping down his enclosure with diluted bleach, and keeping him on damp paper towels until the sore went away. His behavior did not change at this time and he stayed hungry and active (as active as these little dirt dragons do, anyway). Once the sore went away (by October), I returned his reptisoil.
April 2023, though, the open sores are back and it looks like his tail somehow exploded outward (picture 2, April 2023). I apologize for the pictures being out of order in this post, this is how they uploaded and I am working from my phone. Each should be titled.
I repeated the sterilization and paper towels process again and the sores came and went all the way through June, but that, I believe, is my fault for choosing to use diluted hydrogen peroxide on the wound. That definitely made the wound worse. When I stopped, however, the wound healed over.
I eventually gave him his dirt back and he was good for only a little bit before his tail got infected and, worse, this black stuff built up on his skin that flaked off when I gently rubbed it (picture 3 and 4 and 5, September 2023). At this point, I wish he would drop his tail and am afraid that this is only going to get worse. I reached out to the nearest vet that sees salamanders and they are 3 hours away. I have a terrible fear of driving in places I am not familiar with.
I use spring water with him. His usual diet is red worms, but he is currently fixated on superworms, but I doubt the superworms caused this as the sores precede them. I thought at first that the issue was how inconsistent I was with changing his soil, but this last infection happened only three weeks after the last time I changed his soi. I have heard of black tea baths and salt baths, but am afraid to mess them up without further instruction given how the hydrogen peroxide went. He has a pool and the wet paper towels to keep his humidity up.
Any advice would be helpful. Thank you for your time and patience.
(Picture 5, September 2023)
(Picture 4, September 2023)
(Picture 3, September 2023)
(Picture 2, April 2023)
(Picture 1, September 2022)
I have had a morphed axolotl for almost two years now. The friend I bought him from believes he morphed to a terrestrial form due to his proximity to a salt lamp as a juvenile, but, it may have been that his environment was unclean and stressful or even just a dormant trait, we can't know for sure.
He is a goofy boy and his derpy face inspired joy.
However, back in July 2022, I noticed that the top of his tail where it connects to his body appeared to be pinched in. By September, there was an open sore (picture 1, September 2022). I treated it by removing his reptisoil, wiping down his enclosure with diluted bleach, and keeping him on damp paper towels until the sore went away. His behavior did not change at this time and he stayed hungry and active (as active as these little dirt dragons do, anyway). Once the sore went away (by October), I returned his reptisoil.
April 2023, though, the open sores are back and it looks like his tail somehow exploded outward (picture 2, April 2023). I apologize for the pictures being out of order in this post, this is how they uploaded and I am working from my phone. Each should be titled.
I repeated the sterilization and paper towels process again and the sores came and went all the way through June, but that, I believe, is my fault for choosing to use diluted hydrogen peroxide on the wound. That definitely made the wound worse. When I stopped, however, the wound healed over.
I eventually gave him his dirt back and he was good for only a little bit before his tail got infected and, worse, this black stuff built up on his skin that flaked off when I gently rubbed it (picture 3 and 4 and 5, September 2023). At this point, I wish he would drop his tail and am afraid that this is only going to get worse. I reached out to the nearest vet that sees salamanders and they are 3 hours away. I have a terrible fear of driving in places I am not familiar with.
I use spring water with him. His usual diet is red worms, but he is currently fixated on superworms, but I doubt the superworms caused this as the sores precede them. I thought at first that the issue was how inconsistent I was with changing his soil, but this last infection happened only three weeks after the last time I changed his soi. I have heard of black tea baths and salt baths, but am afraid to mess them up without further instruction given how the hydrogen peroxide went. He has a pool and the wet paper towels to keep his humidity up.
Any advice would be helpful. Thank you for your time and patience.
(Picture 5, September 2023) (Picture 4, September 2023) (Picture 3, September 2023) (Picture 2, April 2023)(Picture 1, September 2022)
