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Axolotl got out of container

lukekillgore

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Hi everyone I’m a new member here an have never posted before. I’m in a bad situation right now.
So my axolotl (George) has been struggling with a fungal infection, so I decided to fridge him followed with salt baths until he got better. Now this is where the problem comes, I had to leave state for a few day for work. My sister agreed to look after George while I was gone and I gave her the full run down on what to do (how and when to change the water, declorination, what the temp range should be, how to do the salt baths, etc) I also told her to call me if she needed help.
On my way home the next thing I know I get a call from my sister crying saying George somehow got out of his container during a water change and couldn’t find him because she got distracted after moving him to a new container. (She changed him from one container to the next and forgot to put the lid on)
When I arrived home my sister had found him and already put him in a tub of fresh cold water. I don’t know what to do, he was very dry and wrinkly (don’t know how long he was out of water) and has hair and dirt all strung in his gills (possibly due to being on the carpet when he got out) Should i fridge him to help it heal or just isolate him from his tank in a container and let it do it’s thing. He looks very weak but is flapping his gills still also should I try to remove the skin that is coming off his gills and body.

Any help is appreciated!
 

lukekillgore

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Here are some pictures but this is the best I can’t get right now

65A88447-F677-4690-9F9B-23859F6D9F25.jpg

E47FAED4-E951-47EF-B689-0FE2EB964F2B.jpg
 

Hayleyy

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Okay keep him in clean cool water (around 16*C). Tea baths should help with the slime coat but I haven't used this before so can't say much about it. You may want to stop the salt baths for a few days at least (unless the fungus gets bad) to reduce stress.
Don't try and remove the skin, it will come off naturally when it's ready.
Keep us updated on how he's doing.
 

lukekillgore

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Okay he looks like he’s doing a lot better this morning. So I shouldn’t remove the skin but there is a few strands of hair that are tangled in his gills what should I do about that? Also what is a good way to cool the water down in a container. The coldest I’ve been able to get it is 64-68 degrees Fahrenheit which is what his tank range normally is.
 

Hayleyy

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If you can keep the water at 64 that's great. A small fan pointed to it will drop the temp, but make sure it isn't making too much of a current. You may need to put it some distance away.
Try and pull the hair away, since it's in water I imagine it should come out. You can try a soaked cotton bud maybe? Just be super gentle about it, and take your time doing it.
 
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