Critter Mom
New member
I don't know what to do! My newt's skull is showing through his skin on his head!! (I am not even sure if he still has skin in the area in the middle.) It is getting thinner in other areas too. He seems fine but it is progressively getting worse. The funny thing is that I don't know how to explain it other than it LOOKS healed, but is wet and the area is getting bigger. I just don't understand. He is eating but losing weight. Perhaps I need to feed him more frequently which I will do. He became bloated all over about two weeks after receiving him from the pet store, including under his chin, but since he swam fine I thought he must be ok (and it went away).
Now about a week ago, he got this weird thing on his head where it was like it was super slimy and it was like his whole face was going to rub off. I was afraid he was going to lose his eyelids, but luckily they are still intact. It may have been an injury that happened when I didn't see, like maybe he got his face caught under the rim of the water "pool" they swim in, but I can't imagine that...it isn't that sharp....or maybe he was bitten. Then his body peeled in strips (I could rub it off on accident) for a bit and then he must have shed normally when I was not watching. His face seemed to heal after that, but now the area looks wet all the time, and I can see the area that is the flat part of his head go from being a brown to light brown, to a white...and the wet area grows. Is this bacterial, fungal, or viral..or what? I think it looks clean...just wet and growing more bare. It is not festering or anything. Maybe that is from the skin shrinking with healing but it would not explain it looking wet all the time and that area growing when the rest of his body is dry at the time. Why is it happening, and what can I do to stop it? How do I save his eyes and keep the others from getting it? His eyelids are thinner. I do a water change every day, because they are in a 10 gallon tank with smooth river rocks I boiled first, and a small container with dechlorinated water and smooth stones for bathing. They also have a structure to hide in and a fake plant. They HATED the 1/3 land to 2/3 water set up I had before with the filter. They were always crowded on the land part back then. Now they are crowded in the shallow pool.
Not sure of any vets in area that will know what to do!
Thank you! Any advice will be appreciated!! These little guys ARE my kids and mean the world to me.:happy:
Now about a week ago, he got this weird thing on his head where it was like it was super slimy and it was like his whole face was going to rub off. I was afraid he was going to lose his eyelids, but luckily they are still intact. It may have been an injury that happened when I didn't see, like maybe he got his face caught under the rim of the water "pool" they swim in, but I can't imagine that...it isn't that sharp....or maybe he was bitten. Then his body peeled in strips (I could rub it off on accident) for a bit and then he must have shed normally when I was not watching. His face seemed to heal after that, but now the area looks wet all the time, and I can see the area that is the flat part of his head go from being a brown to light brown, to a white...and the wet area grows. Is this bacterial, fungal, or viral..or what? I think it looks clean...just wet and growing more bare. It is not festering or anything. Maybe that is from the skin shrinking with healing but it would not explain it looking wet all the time and that area growing when the rest of his body is dry at the time. Why is it happening, and what can I do to stop it? How do I save his eyes and keep the others from getting it? His eyelids are thinner. I do a water change every day, because they are in a 10 gallon tank with smooth river rocks I boiled first, and a small container with dechlorinated water and smooth stones for bathing. They also have a structure to hide in and a fake plant. They HATED the 1/3 land to 2/3 water set up I had before with the filter. They were always crowded on the land part back then. Now they are crowded in the shallow pool.
Not sure of any vets in area that will know what to do!
Thank you! Any advice will be appreciated!! These little guys ARE my kids and mean the world to me.:happy:
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