HELP! MY BEARDIE JUST BIT ME!

[jings55]

My 1 1/2 year old male Beardie, Stryker, bit me for the first time tonight! I was trying to feed him some applesauce with olive oil by dropper because he hasn't gone to the bathroom for a week and a half, which also was the last time he got a bath, and he bit right thru my fingernail and back of my finger! :evil:

First of all what do I have to worry about getting bitten, infection wise? Besides washing it and bandaging, do I need antibiotics? I mean this was a very bad bite!Second, if anyone else has experienced this, will your nail grow back together? It's near the base? :?:

As far as Stryker, he is alert and everything, but doesn't eat much in the way of crickets and supers. Never has. But now he is not going to the bathroom every few days and only seems to poop in water, which we have been remiss about soaking him often lately. I know this sounds like I've answered my own question, but even when we bathe him 3X a week, he still doesn't go, but when he does, they are normal.

Of course, I'm mainly worried about Impaction. That's why the applesauce, etc.

I need some advice...I'm so surprised he bit me! :shock:

 

[AHBD]

Yikes !! I know you were shocked !! You might consider an emergency room visit if it's really deep....you might need a tetanus shot if you haven't had one in the past 10 years, and a really good cleaning, antibiotic cream, maybe a stitch or two. As for the beardie, try more frequent baths to help him poo.

 

[jings55]

Thanks!

I didn't think of a tetnus shot, but fortunately just got one about a week ago when my dog bit me! I'm not having much luck lately!

I Think it's stopped bleeding, but I can't put cream under the nail! I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on it.

He didn't blackbeard me or anything! It happened so fast! But I didn't get mad at him cause I thought it was probably something I was doing wrong.

I plan to bathe him again Wednesday. So hopefully, that'll help, too! Funny, but he seemed to like licking the applesauce off his nose and lips! I got some into him afterwards, that way.

Hurts like the Devil!

 

[CooperDragon]

Something probably just startled him or he just miscalculated his bite if he wasn't black bearding or acting scared. Both of you should be just fine. You could put some neosporin on the nail and put a bandaid over it to help disinfect the area but I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[jings55]

Thanks, Cooper-Dragon!

I couldn't guess why he did, but we all have our bad days! :lol:

But now I think my Beardie is a little croc in disguise! :lol:

 

[CooperDragon]

They do look the part a bit, don't they. Watch out for that sharp little front tooth!

 

[KadajsMommynDaddy]

Awww I am sorry you got bitten I am not 100% sure about beardies, but with iguanas, you *have* to go to the doctor for their bites because of gram-negative bacteria. You might want to go just incase or if you see signs of infection. Though if I am not wrong most if not all reptiles have gram-negative bacteria in their saliva.

Your little guy was probably scared. Mine freaked when I put him in the carrier to take him hope and I got my fingers nipped. Thankfully he is way too small to do any sorts of damage. He may also be cranky if he has not been pooping well(Which is common in many animal species and humans too lol). Careful with the olive oil, it is a powerful laxative in humans too!

 

[Tonja]

You may want to make a trip to the emergency room regardless. They don't have the cleanest of mouths. If you don't want to go and already had a tetnus shot then soak your finger in betadine at a ratio of 2 parts betadine to 1 part water and soak it for 20-30 mins. When done dry it well and apply an antibiotic cream to it and bandage it. Try to keep it dry and clean. If you have any bandaids with the antibiotic in the pad then use that if not a plain bandage will do and change it every day. As for your nail, since its at the base, you may see some discoloration in the nail and don't be surprised of you lose the part above the bite as it grows out. The nail itself will not grow back together If it gets to painful I would take some Tylenol or advil for pain as directed. Keep an eye on it for redness, heat coming from the bite, pus, or any red streaks running up your hand. If any of this occurs then I would get to the ER as its infected and may have gone to the blood stream.

 

[jings55]

Hi!

Thank you for your replies! It's been a few days since I was bit and everything looks good. No redness or swelling, BUT the tip of my finger, above the cut is numb! I suspect he damaged some nerves. I hope they grow back, cause it fees weird.

I've never heard of GRAM NEGATIVE SALIVA. Can anyone else weigh in on this? If he had it, I'm probably already infected.

Stryker has still not pooped! We were suppose to give him his bath last night, but were too buzy. We have a lot of negative stuff going on. My neighbor called animal control again for my dogs barking. The funny thing is they only bark at her cause she provokes them!

We will try a bath shortly and more apple sauce. But I'm smearing it on his lips and nose with the dropper!

 

[Tonja]

When my house flooded back in Sept my dog got really nervous and excited and not in a good way, he was scared. I went to pet him and accidentally put my hand in his panting mouth which excited him more and he bit down on my little finger. It was entirely my fault for not looking where I was petting him. He went through my nail and the back of my little finger. While it has healed fine and the nail grew back, its still numb. If there is nerve damage then I wouldn't expect it to go totally back to normal as in feeling. If it does heal it may have a tingly feeling or go numb at times so expect that. Otherwise if there is no sign of infection then keep it clean and dry and follow my directions above to stay infection free. After my finger started healing I crushed it cleaning out the basement, same finger and tore it open again. Why should you follow my directions, I was a paramedic for 25 years and worked part of those years in a military ER. Ive dealt with all kinds of animal bites.

 

[jings55]

Thanks, Tonja!

And I salute you for your service to our country! My husband is a Viet Nam Vet.

I am watching it closely! At first, I thought it was the bandages that made it feel strange, but it's not them. It's my Pointer finger of my Left hand. I can't type with it. At least not yet. It bends fine, though.

I've been bitten by dogs and cats before and had to get antibiotics. My greatest fear was that they would have Animal Control seize my animals, although their shots are always UTD. And in most cases, it was my own stupidity or inattention that caused me to be bitten.

I don't blame Stryker. I was just shocked! And the blood! You would have thought he bit off the finger! It's ok, now.

And he keeps smiling at me... :evil:

 

[Tonja]

You should be ok, just watch it and I wasn't in the service, I worked in the Er as head paramedic taking care of our troops and their families. Sometimes it felt like I was part of the Army lol.

 

[jings55]

Well, it might not be the same, but it sounds like you provided an invaluable service!

 

[KadajsMommynDaddy]

Hi!

Thank you for your replies! It's been a few days since I was bit and everything looks good. No redness or swelling, BUT the tip of my finger, above the cut is numb! I suspect he damaged some nerves. I hope they grow back, cause it fees weird.

I've never heard of GRAM NEGATIVE SALIVA. Can anyone else weigh in on this? If he had it, I'm probably already infected.

Stryker has still not pooped! We were suppose to give him his bath last night, but were too buzy. We have a lot of negative stuff going on. My neighbor called animal control again for my dogs barking. The funny thing is they only bark at her cause she provokes them!

We will try a bath shortly and more apple sauce. But I'm smearing it on his lips and nose with the dropper!

Gram negative bacteria inhabiting a reptile's saliva. As I said I am not 100% sure about Beardies having that in their saliva but it is always a possibilty. I know iguanas for sure have that bacteria in their mouths. Basically it has to be treated differently with different antibiotics than normal, gram positive infections...how I know this? Bitten by an 8 month old iguana 7 yrs ago.

 

[jings55]

Oh, Dear! Thank you Kadja's Mom/Dad for the heads up. I think I will google it or maybe call my vet tomorrow morning. They should know for sure!