Photo: T. shanjing rare problem

Hi I have at a long date one T.shanjing adult female purchased as juvenile, possibly CB.
This newt had a great progress and growth and became what it is at the present a very beautiful animal. I never had any problems with it. But some 4 weeks from now I´ve seen some different behaviour. Not such a big appetite. Al the rest was cool. He is in a good weight but very different from the past were it was almost the double fat.
He changed his skin recently and there the major problems started. One or his back foot and tail have serious problems. The foot have red fingers with some rests of old skin that couldn't get out, and the tail is very very smooth like ruber or jelly never seen such thing... I just got shocked.. This is by far my favourite newt of all and I really didn't want to lose this animal specially for some stupid problem as a skin change that is so normal...
I let here some photos to some people that might have some ideas... Just shoot what ever do you have in mind either you keep or not this species please help. The newt is fine in the rest 3 legs, in the back and in the head 100% normal. the back foot and tail are really a mess.
Photos:


UP:



BACK FOOT WITH PROBLEM 1



BACK FOOT WITH PROBLEM 2



BACK FOOT WITH PROBLEM 3



BACK FOOT WITH PROBLEM 4



TAIL PROBLEM:


TAIL FROM BACK:


Front part of the newt (healthy):



HEALTHY FOOT, PROBABLY WITH PROBLEMS IN NEAR FUTURE



Thanks for all the help mates...
Chip.

On the toes, it looks like pieces of skin coming off. But if the skin on the toes and tail looks abnormal (wet-looking?), this is not a good sign for T. shanjing.

What kind of substrate does he/she live on? I would consider the possibility of acidic substrate. Or overly-wet substrate. Even if neither of these is the issue, it would be a good idea to change the substrate.

In 'cool period' keep them real dry, but also cool. At that moment shanjing has less appetite, even when the temperatures are higher. This could be the problem for weight loss.

Hey thank you very much both! I keep her in dry substrate really really the most dry I can the substrate is a mix of dry moss with dry paper towels!
And I am keeping her in a cooling period for months from 4ºC to 15ºC.
I´ve took her out of it yesterday... I think if it can hurt even more...
Yes the toes are really wet as the tail...
thanks you both,

eljorgo

Hey guys here is the setup i was keeping the animal from the last times...



And here is the one i improved today at some time ago and this is a photo taken right now and how he is (trying to escape?)


Hope answers please.
thanks all,

People any guess please? Stop the cooling period or continue?
thanks

as long your shanjing has less appetite, I should keep her cool. Or it will loose lot's of weight

And also use a little waterbowl, so it can choose for dry or wet places

ok thanks! I will do it right now.. is the setup I am using good?

looks allright by me. I still use peat litter. Works fine by me.

Her toes look much thinner than the usual, also brighter
It´s in cooling period again.. Any guess about this? Every second matters if anybody know something please shoot it.
thanks,

I would take your newt out of cooling. It needs warmer temps to stimulate it's appetite. Also a change in temperature may help it to fight off whatever it is that it is having troubles with.
I have found with this species -which is previously mentioned - that cooler temps must accompany a much more dry set up than many other newts require.
Also in my experience, sick shanjing don't necessarily relax well in a wet paper towel set up. I would suggest a terrestrial set up with new dirt and lots of dark hides. I would make sure that the set up has an incline where you can regulate humidity and dampness. Keep one side drier and the other side misted with a water dish. That will allow it to choose it's optimum conditions. Make sure to provide dark hiding places in all the different conditions. I would take a small piece of damp paper towel and cut up small nightcrawler pieces and dust them with vitamin powder and leave then outside it's hide in the evening and change them out daily.
If the problem persists I would take your newt to the vet and ask for a baytril injection. Tylototritons do not handle being force fed well and do not take medications orally well at all. Hopefully it is not at this point.
It can go without eating for a longer time than you would think but that is an indicator of stress. Also handling it as little as possible would be helpful.
Good luck, keep us posted.

Hey Audrey. Well thanks for all the suggestions and help. Between the t.gran died.. too small morph..

But regarding T.shanjing, All my setups were really dry...
I just wanted to say I can get nightcrawler but there aren´t any Vitamin powder for sale around here, also there isnt any exotic products.. I guess I am the only one in this island to keep such animals.. Consequently there aren't any exotic vet around, my cousin and my father are vets but only for cats and dogs and those things..
I´m so worried that i pass all the time handling it.
Really thank you very very much Audrey, I will make the setup right now.
I shall keep this Posted.

I am sorry to hear about your little T. gran It happens but it is never pleasant.

If your set ups where dry then I think maybe work towards a variant of moisture -

Nightcrawlers are a pretty nutritious food without supplements so that would be good anyway.

Since you can't take it to a vet I would advice you to do everything you can to keep it stress free so that it's own immune system can kick in and heal itself.

Dark, cool, clean terrestrial tank with lots of hides. No touching at all. Put it in the tank facing a hide and it will walk right in....then just put the food on the outside and see if it is gone in the morning - try to check on it only once a day - when it is dark so you can peak in - if you need to look at is more closely then try to do this by removing the hide and just looking it over quickly - but it needs stress free time to heal.

I attached some pics of how I like to make my hides - T. kweichowensis in the pic.

eljorgo said:

... my cousin and my father are vets but only for cats and dogs and those things..

Click to expand...

Before trying Baytril (enrofloxacin), which has potential side-effects, I would suggest that you might want to try silvadene cream (a product available for cats and dogs). If your relatives are currently-practicing vets, it seems that they could provide one of these products, at least for topical use, even if they wouldn't do an injection.

eljorgo said:

I´m so worried that i pass all the time handling it.

Click to expand...

I hope I am misunderstanding this... handling the newt is the worst thing you could do for it right now.

I agree with Audrey's idea to put it in a proper terrarium, except for one thing - if the substrate would stick to the wet-like skin, then this wouldn't be good. But the newt should be given more hides for sure.

Hello.
Nice terrarium Audrey, very nice indeed. and nice newts.
Jennifer when i said i handled him was because in some positions you cant see the back leg and I just handle to swift position and see it well.
He doesn´t have a wet like skin Wright now and is in his new setup for 9hours i shall go and see if it´s all OK.
Here are some pics.

How i find him yesterdat evening:



New setup:



New setup from side:



New setup from upside:


And here it is. I´ve let him there for 2hours and in that time i opened slightly and first time he was on the top of left coconut then second on top of the right coconut and third at the dark hide in the moist zone with only his head out.

Thank you,