Photo: Axy Beaten Leg

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Freewilly

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Greetings from Greece !
i am a new axolotl and tank owner ! I faced up a problem.My axolotl was beaten bad on his leg by his tankmate(a little bigger axolotl).What do i have to do to protect it from infections?Can you give me some steps for treatment? I attached a photo of him to see what i'm talking about...Any further information about axolotl injuries etc would help me a lot! Waiting for your help!
 

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Looks like amputation to alow a new limb to grow..
 
Also, please change your substrate as gravel that is that size can get in the axies mouth and lead to impaction.

Try sand or rocks/pebbles bigger than the axies mouth.

check

Axolotl Sanctuary

for ideas for substrate.

Aaron.
 
really?is that bad?what can i do to help it or prevent further problems?


*i will change the gravel as soon as possible with sand.
 
Im sure you can see, but alll of his bones are showing to the shoulder (where the limb attaches to the body)

So he wont be able to repair it, ive seen axies with only fingers showing bones and having to amputate.

Dont worry the axie will regrow its limb, they are wondrous creatures for their healing capabilities.

The gravel is a problem as it can get stuck inside the axie and eventually can kill the axolotl, you should really check out axolotl.org and the axolotl sanctuary and do further research.
Sand is a prefered substrate here, and good that you are changing it :D

P/S there are a few threads on the forum and on the net about axolotl amputation and if you arent sure of doing it, try check for a local herp vet! here is a useful link - Herp Veterinarians for herp vets.

Hope this helps, and if you need anything else please ask

Aaron.
 
Oh the poor little thing

Amputation is probably best for that limb... but it can be risky... you should probably try to find a vet that deals with these animals.

As for dealing with future problems... once the limb is gone watch carefully for infection or fungus (looks like cotton wool). You might even want to keep your axi in the fridge for a small while.

Also if your looking to keep more than one axi make sure they are of the same size, and in a big tank so they can get away from each other if they want too. Oh and have plenty of hiding spots. For now though I think it would be better to keep this fella on his own.

Apart from that he looks like he could use a good feed up and plenty of TLC

Good luck

Please update us on his condition =)
 
I completely agree with boo,

Have you got another tank set up or a tank divider ?
 
Aaron thanx a lot for your help. Tomorrow i ll change the gravel with suitable sand.Do i have to amputate it by myself?In Greece there aren't any herp veterinarians.Can you suggest me a good site/forum with instructions for amputation?:(
Boo penguin how many hours must i leave it in the fridge?In what temperature?Also,what is TLC?My tank is quite big (100lt) for having 2 axolotls.i ve put 2 big caves on the corners for them to hide.
 
No problem, make sure you get suitable sand and wash it properly!

You may have to do the amputation yourself if you cant afford/get it to a herp vet im afraid.

Here is a link for fridging procedure - Axolotl Sanctuary

Sorry i cant find a good one, well i dont have the time to look sorry! ile try update you tomorrow.

Try putting in a few pieces of pvc pipe or more caves, most people have 1 - 2 caves per axie, and as yours is showing signs of aggression (probably due to size difference or age if its still young about a year old ) it would be better to have more hides. Or just separate the 2 with dividers but it definitely needs to be kept separate for a while.
 
i ll inform u about my progress tomorow:(.thanks for all ;)
 
We wish you goodluck,

please keep us updated i will be watching this thread for more info on this little lotl
 
Axi's can quite safely be left in the fridge for a few days, in fact I know someone who keeps one in the fridge all summer. I would say a minimum of 24 hours after the amputation. However if anything looks off you can keep in there longer. If you can turn the fridge up to about 10 degrees C... but lower temps are alright. Also you'll want to keep a couple of jugs of declorinated water in the fridge with your axi... as you'll have to do daily water changes if he's in there any longer than a day.

Oh TLC stands for tender loving care. Its just a saying which means to give your pet the best care possible... and maybe spoil them a little.

I agree with Aaran about putting a few more hiding spots in the tank... and a divider cause the other axi you own is the one who inflicted this damage. Best to keep them apart right now
 
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By the time i ll put it into the fridge do i have to feed it?May i start the salt baths to prevent any infection?Can i put together the declorite with antistress coat(aloe vera and vit c)in the retreatment aquarium?
*I will post later some photos of process.
 
I would not use stress coat or any other treatments intended for fish as they can be harmful to axolotls. I'm sure your axie will get better with a nice low temperature (but not lower than 5 degrees C). I don't know about salt baths - it may stress out the axie or make the open wound sore.
Just keep the fridge water clean (dechlorinated) and cold, keep the axie in a dark place. I would not do salt baths unless fungus develops. Good luck with him!
 
Please do not attempt to amputate the leg. Keep your axolotl in cool clean water and watch out for fungus like growth, this will look a little like cotton wool. If you see fungus, then proceed with twice daily salt baths. If you do not see fungus, you will not need to do salt baths.
While your axolotl is being fridged, do offer food, but remove if not eaten.
I do think however that it would be kinder to take your axolotl to a vet .
 
I will not amputate it for the moment.I ll wait to see his progress.i put it in fridge with clean dechlorinite water and one drop of antistress.Here,in greece there isn't any vet for heprs...Especially in the town where i live.I ll send u some photos.
 
Ι changed fast the aquarium's set up because i turned my attention to other's axolotl's situation.I hope that your advice will help little Lupo (his name) !

We will stay on touch about his situation.
 

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That new set up looks lovely. I like those hides!

Just be warned that the large pebbles can hide waste. Axolotl poo tends to disintegrate into 'poo dust', and get trapped between the pebbles. When you do your water changes, siphon under the gravel too!
 
I agree with Julia... unless you see fungus don't salt bath. Salt baths are actually really bad for your axi's protective slime coat... so only do them is strictly needed.

Also I love that new tank setup but those rocks will hide waste... so be diligent with your cleaning
 
I've had this happen to one of my axolotls in the past and you shouldn't have to do much apart from keep the water clean and watch out for fungus (as mentioned above). The leg should just fall off by itself after about a week. The wound will then heal over and a new leg will slowly start forming. If you don't have it in the fridge then I would also feed it if it's willing to eat. Best of luck and keep us updated.


Regards Neil
 
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