Just found Meelo on the Floor! HELP!

[inukawaii]

Sometime last night, Meelo jumped out of his tank. My roommate found him curled up on the floor. Luckily, he was still alive, I picked him up and put in a tub of fresh dechlorinated water to wash off the fuzzies/hair on him. I put him back in his tank. He didn't feel too dry. He is moving around/swimming a little.

What is my next step?! I'm completely freaked out! I use the reptisafe conditioner which I heard was good for slime coats.

Here are a few pics of him. Ignore the phone reflection. He has a few white marks on his side....

 

[TheJadeAxolotl]

Looks like he scraped his tail getting out. I would look to see where he got out and close it up.

Maybe put him completely in the dark. Like cover the tank with a towel or something.

Sorry I am not much help.

 

[xxianxx]

It doesnt look too bad tbh, just watch out for fungal infections due to a potentially damaged slime coat. Axolotls who dry out from jumping out of their tank tend to shed a lot within a few days , depending on how much they dried out.

 

[inukawaii]

That's good to hear.
He just devoured a whole trout worm (his favorite) and I've had a towel over his tank for a few hours now.

What should I do if he starts to peel? A tea bath?

 

[xxianxx]

What should I do if he starts to peel? A tea bath?

Its shedding rather than peeling, the damaged slime coat sloughs off. It may leave him vulnerable to fungal infections. I personally would just leave him in a bucket of chlorinated water or add a few almond leaves to the tank.

 

[inukawaii]

Can I use something other than Almond leaves? I'm allergic to almonds and I don't know if I'm allergic to the leaves... (like almond extract and what not)

Can I use Melafix? That what I use for my fish.

 

[TheJadeAxolotl]

I wouldn't use Melafix it is pretty harsh of a med/chemical. Here is a link to illnesses and treatments. Caudata Culture Articles - Illness Part 1

 

[inukawaii]

Looks like he just started to shed a little. He rejected worms tonight. He has never done that.

Should I do water changes as he sheds? Any other suggestions?

 

[Quentari]

One of mine had a little trip the other day (an hour and a half!) and he's perfectly fine now.

I put him in a container for 24 hours in clean dechlorinated water and left it somewhere cool and dark with some tea in it (check the tea bath tutorial) and then the next day put him back in his tank. Of course, his tank only had a filter and one plant in it, bare bottomed and 2ft to himself so it wasn't much different to the tub really, more space to move.

He got better really quickly, the tea helps stop fungus from forming plus has a nice soothing effect on their slime coats.

 

[inukawaii]

Right now he still won't eat and his tail is curled. I did a small water change.
Maybe he need some alone time. I'll try a tea bath tomorrow.

 

[xxianxx]

Dont worry about the curled tail, a kincked tail is a sign of near death in very small larvae not bigger axolotls.

 

[inukawaii]

Meelo still hasn't eaten since Sunday. He looks angry, arched back, curled gills and his tail is hooked at a 90 degree angle.

Tried Bloodworms and Trout Worms. Took my water to our local fish store, said his water was fine (not the strip test). Gave him a tea bath. And still no happy axie. His skin only shed a little bit.

Any help? I'm just sad that he looks so mad.

 

[xxianxx]

If it was going to shed loads it would have done so by now, just continue to keep it cool and in clean water till it stops shedding and put it back in the tank. Its probably off its food because it has been out of its tank and you have been dumping it in tea baths. It ate a worm two days ago and is in no immdeiate danger of starving. Stop stressing out.