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Illness/Sickness: Signs of Recovery?

OctoDruid

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Joined
Nov 15, 2018
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Location
Seattle, Washington
Earlier this week, my buddy Bandit was exposed to some pretty nasty chemicals (Bleach and a Minor Ammonia Spike) His gill feathers turned white, and he has since developed some redness on his feet, tail, and near his gills (I'm assuming chemical burns). He was promptly removed from the bad water, and is recovering in a tea bath in the fridge with water changes twice daily. He's no longer showing signs of stress, but I'm still anxious about his recovery, especially since I have an upcoming trip and wont be able to hover over him.

My Concerns So Far:

- His gill feathers and damaged skin seem to have absorbed pigment from the tea. I assume this is normal, but the damaged feathers have now started falling off. Is the feather fall a sign he's recovering/growing new ones, or should I be worried?

- He has taken to stretching his limbs out, forward, and up, and floats in his tub. He seems to avoid bending his legs towards his body at all. Is he sore? Does it have to do with being in the fridge?

- He hasn't had a bowel movement since being fridged, which seems odd to me since it's recommended for constipated axolotls.

- The fridge he's in is slightly unreliable when it comes to maintaining a stable temperature, and I worry about it dropping to unsafe levels. Will keeping him at a slightly higher temp (47°-52°F) speed up his metabolism too much? He has not eaten since being fridged but doesn't show signs of weight loss.

- Most importantly, When can I put him back in his (Bleach and Ammonia Free) tank? If the water parameters are stable, does he risk infection by going back too early? He's still a young-adult and used to being fed daily, and I'd like to get some food in him as soon as possible.

Thanks !
 
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