Bad wound!!! Help!!!

[mazais]

Ok, so Baltumins, my beardie, has had dead scales around the end of his tail, for the past few weeks. I didn't think much of them, didn't worry. But, today, baltumins rubbed the dead scales, and, they came off. Under the scales was yellowish skin, I don't think it's fungus because it doesn't look spungy, cottony, or well you know, fungusy! But, later, he started rubbing again, I think, and more dead scales came off, and under them this time, was pinkish, raw looking skin, with blood. So my Question is, why are/were there dead scales in the first place, what is that yellowish skin that was under them, and what should I do to treat that wound. Please answer!!!!!!!! here's a link for the pics: http://s1345.photobucket.com/user/Mazaisbaltumins/media/image_zps58cb222e.jpg.html
http://s1345.photobucket.com/user/Mazaisbaltumins/media/image_zps14f2185f.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0
http://s1345.photobucket.com/user/Mazaisbaltumins/media/image_zps7bdcfe57.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

 

[mazais]

Please replay, help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :!:

 

[AHBD]

Hi there, it might be tail rot, or it may be yellow fungus so can you post a few pictures ? How is he acting ? Is he housed alone or with another ? A good treatment for wounds is Betadine, but it should be diluted to look like weak tea. You can give him a shallow lukewarm bath in for 10 minutes 2X daily. Or you can get a small jar or pill bottle filled with it and stick just his tail in while you're holding him if that works better for you. If the infection spreads, you may need a vet. Hopefully it will heal with some treatment. Others might chime in to help as well.

 

[mazais]

Tail rot? Is that serious? How does tail rot look? :? Oh, yes, he's acting normal, except for the tail rubbing. And yes, he's housed with another beardie, but beardies can't cause dead scales.

 

[AHBD]

O.K., thanks for adding the pics. It does look serious. Being housed with another, there's a chance it was bitten....even if not, it may be something contagious if it's Y.Fungus. Also, beardies are attracted to blood, so the other one may bite it now that it looks like that.It looks like it needs vet care, if you have a qualified reptile vet, and ask about the possibility of it being fungal. A good wound dressing is raw honey, it's a natural antibacterial, antibiotic. But it must be unpasteurized, from a health food store or beekeeper. But I think he needs to be separate from the other dragon, and kept on clean [ no loose] substrate. I hope you can get on top of this ASAP. Best wishes for a good recovery.

 

[mazais]

I can't afford a vet, or a new enclosure.

 

[Esther19]

Get a big Rubbermaid tub for the healthy one. A cheap clamp on light fixture can probably be found at a home improvement store. A plain clear household bulb can be used for heating. Take the healthy one out in the sun for an hour a day. That will be enough UVB for him.

Or consider surrendering one of them to a dragon rescue organization.

I strongly suggest separating them ASAP. I also suggest cleaning the wound and getting honey and a dressing on it as soon as possible.

 

[AHBD]

Yes, exactly what Esther said, the dragon can live reasonably well in one of those large totes, and will receive plenty of UVB if taken out in partial shade [ be sure not in full sun, unless it's early a.m. before the sun gets very hot ]

 

[mazais]

Good news! I found this reptile shop owner and reptile owner, who has owned a lot of reptiles ( including beardies), for the past 36 years. ( he actually owns 3 beardies, snakes, geckos, etc.) he also sells these kinds of reptiles and takes very good care of them while they are in his shop. Well anyway, I brought Baltumins to his shop, and showed his wound to him. So the shop owner, said that that yellowish coloring you saw in the pic is just raw skin. (I know it does look a little like fungus in the pic, but its not.) he also said that Baltumins probably has a bacterial infection. And that its spreading up his tail. So he prescribed dipping his tail in iodine solution, (50% iodine and 50% water), 3 times a day. He also said to take out the alfa alfa meal bedding until all this is resolved. So I'll put newspaper in instead. Oh, and he said that overall, except for the bacteria problem, Baltumins is really healthy. And yes, he said that he is, a bit undersized, ( 1 foot long at 10 months.) but he is a healthy weight. He also, has a stubbed tail, that got bitten off when he was a baby I think, b/c when we got him it was like that too. So he probs would be about 3-4 inches longer if he had his whole tail. oh, yes, and he said that the beardies should be ok together, and they are, they are together in a box right now ( I'm cleaning the tank and taking the substrate out right now), and I'm not going to give anyone away. That's cruel. And that store owner believes in beardies living together, as long as they are both females. ( which they are).

 

[mazais]

Ok, so Baltumins is acting completely normal, eating insects, and greens.
These are pics of him and Mazais: http://s1345.photobucket.com/user/Mazaisbaltumins/media/image_zpscc9f0869.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

 

[Esther19]

What an unbelievably fast recovery! You must be delighted! If you have any further troubles, please come back. We are here to help these small creatures who depend exclusively on us for their health and well-being.

 

[mazais]

He still has his wound, but I think he feels MUCH better. So the reptile shop guy told me to put betadine iodine on his tail thrice a day, and, he prob. Still has the infection, so he's not recovered yet. He's just feeling much better, and prob. Is not in pain.

 

[daner923]

That's great. For the future, you should start saving up money for a vet visit. It's important to be able to provide that care just in case there is an accident or he becomes sick. You really need to have a small emergency fund set aside. Good luck!

 

[mazais]

I have another question... Under that yellowish skin I can kind of see scales. Are those new scales growing in? :? I'll post a pic of that later today, but I don't think it'll be easy to see, since I don't have a camera. Just a bad cell phone camera and a iPad camera. I also think the reptile shop guy isn't picking up my calls on purpose- since I called him like... 5 times on Wednesday! But who can blame me? I'm so worried and have so many questions!

 

[Esther19]

Perhaps you should go to the pet store in person. You value his opinion very highly.
If you post a picture, we'll try to help.