Help for bite wounds/leg removal :-(

[MoonNova]

Can someone please give me a step by step guide to helping my little Moon girl. I had posted in the introduction forum that her MUCH bigger new sister ate her front right leg and most of her back leg...I sadly, but most necessarily so, took Nova back to the pet store and Moon has her 3 foot tank all to herself to recuperate.
Salt Baths? Fridging? which one? Both? how long for? what concentration of salt to water?
Please help me help my Moon. She has cheated death twice already, and is a total champion. She needs to get through this.
thanks in advance,

 

[Jen10s]

Can you post a photo so we can see how severe her injuries are ?

Also please post water parameters PH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. Oh and temperature too.

You may not need to either salt bath or fridge her depending on the answers ..... Providing your water is perfect and cool enough, she may heal quite well where she is. :happy:

 

[MoonNova]

Thanks Jen10s, I will upload some photos of my little Moon now, if I can figure it out! I'm fairly savvy with technical stuff, but this is a bit new. ...it's why it took my so long to find your reply, thanks so much ...I will upload pics...

 

[MoonNova]

Hi again, I hope these worked!
In order, they are
1. Moon and Nova
2. Moon after tail bite :-(
3. Again before legs bitten off :'(
4. Not long after incident :-(
5. Just this morning...arm 'stump' bare of flesh and leg a bit 'fluffy'?

She still has a great appetite...water: pH - 7.2
Ammonia - 0 ppm
Temperature MAY be an issue..it's been warmish here a bit..but cool nites and her house is under the fan...
Salt bath (1tsp to approx. 1L ready)

thanks again for your help...I'm worried for her and love her, she's been through so much, I wish I could turn back time...I'm feeling guilty cos I feel I should've taken Nova back after the tail incident...but we loved her too, and they seemed to settle...Size must've been the issue.

cheers, Fiona

 

[snuggly time]

I would hold off on the salt baths unless the wound looks like its infected or got fungus. It's a little hard to tell on photos. Does the fluffyness look like cotton wool, or just loose skin?

The best healer is cool, clean and fresh water. She also looks a little skinny. Make sure she's well fed, earthworms are the best diet for axies.

To be honest you did what's best for her by taking Nova back. It looks like she would have continued to bite Moon if she's done it that many times already. It must have been a hard decision but you were being a responsible owner before it was too late. :happy:

 

[MoonNova]

Thank you Beks. I did love Nova, she was incredible, but Moon has been through too much and I've loved her just that little bit longer. It does look a little 'fluffy' on her back leg. And I'm a little concerned that her shoulder joint is rather 'open' looking. She used to be so fat, the big gorgeous thing. But if you were able to see my intro, she not long ago passed a large stone she had ingested in her previous owners tank. Suffice it to say, they were all removed, she survived after passing it a month or so ago. Nova was a buddy treat for her, because I hated seeing her by herself, but I am really kicking myself now..as much as Nova was awesome! :-/
I am actually a little worried now that her digestive tract has been damaged because she still has a wonderful appetite...LOVES bloodworms, garden worms and Mysis shrimp. A friend gave me some meal worms today that her axie wouldn't eat...not sure if they too 'crunchy' for my little Moon? They look revolting, but I really want to fatten her up, and fix her fluffy leg.

 

[Petersgirl]

You could try a 'treat' food such as a defrosted prawn, which contains lots of protein, but also a little fat. Go easy on them, of course, but they will get the weight up in no time. To be honest, I wouldn't recommend mealworms as their hard chitin exoskeletons can block up your little Moon's insides and make her constipated. Prawns and worms are good for weight gain - this is what I have my new baby Galaxy on, as she's a little on the skinny side.
You said Moon's leg was fluffy. Is it cotton like? If so, it may be fungus and need salt bathing. Can we have a clear picture of her fluffy leg to be sure? I don't want to suggest it if it's not necessary.
Hope your little Moon noms away soon, and sorry to hear about Nova, she was beautiful, but we have to do what's right by our little guys. It was just a shame a tank divider couldn't separate them for you

 

[racheljritchie]

My Female ate my males leg and all of his gills on one side. i removed him from the tank and put him in a cool dark room in a large plastic dish, he had no signs of fungus just really messed up skin
I changed his water every twelve hours ish and he healed up perfect (it took a while)
His gills grew back 'special' and so he has two stems with double gills he is ever so cute!!
they are friends again and it hasnt happened since (touches wood quickly!!) I didnt think he would regenerate his limbs as well as he has i was expecting a stump not perfect little fingers :happy:
Sending big love for your little fighter