Spikes turning black, half of one gone?

[kelseyinchains]

I posted this thread in Health and once I put up the picture showing what I meant, nobody has replied. I'm really concerned about my little man because I honestly have no idea what it is/could be and I can't get a vet app till next week.

Someone please help?

link vvv
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=138690

 

[athenacp]

I don't know, this is a new one on me, maybe when Tracie comes on she can see this?

Has anything changed recently, new food source, new viv? Different lights? Maybe if you can post your set-up that would help too.

I wish I could help, I honestly don't know, but I am bumping this up.

 

[kelseyinchains]

No nothing has changed. Same food, same lights, same viv.

I'd put up a picture but I can't right now. But his set up includes:
40 gallon breeder tank. (In the process of building a custom bigger one)
Repti-sun 10.0 UVB (less than four months old)
I don't remember the brand of basking light, but his basking spot gets to 98 degrees (tested out diff temps, he seems to like it at 98 the most)
He has his skull that he basks on since the day I got him, as well as a rock he lies on on the cool side, and a tree that he sleeps on.
I use non adhesive self liner as substrate.
I've tried many different feeder worms and he'd eat them for a while, but sadly he prefers his stinky crickets. Going to get a dubia colony from the guy I got him from, see if maybe he prefers those. *crosses fingers*
He eats his greens ALMOST every day. He refuses to eat it unless it has calcium sprinkled on it, so the two days I don't give him Calcium he refuses to eat it. Rotation of Collared and Mustard Greens, Kale, Escarole. He usually has different types of squash on it, along with the occasional strawberry, apple, or pear.

Thank you for replying though. I'm just worried because I've never heard of this happening before.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Sorry that I have not had a chance to check back in with you on your other thread. Too much going on lately I guess.
Are you sure that he has not had any retained shed in that area? How often are you soaking him?
It doesn't not appear to be fungal, but it is still a remote possibility.
I would begin dabbing it with diluted betadine daily right now. Do you have any antibiotic ointment on hand, or some silver cream you could start using on that area?
Your set up is fine, so, it is nothing that you are doing wrong. Sometimes, these things happen. For instance, when humans get dry skin, they can get complications from dry cracked skin & reptiles are really no different.

Let me know how he is doing.
Tracie

 

[kelseyinchains]

It's alright, I understand. I have regular Neosporin on hand, as well as a more powerful antibiotic ointment that I'm using for my surgery wound, but I don't know if I should use that or not? He became accustomed to pooping in the tub, nowhere else, so he goes in the water daily. It's funny, he loves the water so much, if I'm carrying him around and he sees the sink, he tries to jump in. But he usually soaks in it for 20 minutes or so every other day or so.
Honestly, I'm not sure what you mean by retained shed?

 

[athenacp]

Someone will correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is retained shed is shed that did not shed right away.
I am not a good explainer, but I'll give it a shot....Digger was shedding, it usually is a greyish, thens turns to white then finally it comes off. Well maybe 4 years ago? the top of his head was greyish,never thought nothing of it, well it turned back and I thought maybe he was moody (I only had him 2 years at that point)it stayed like that for about 4 weeks and at that time I did';t take him to the vet (I shoulda I guess)well fast forward 4 weeks and it started lifting off...it was ultra thick shed :shock: No clue why it was like that and it was a perfect triangle too! Ever since then he has'[t had a difficult shed as he is hydrated and bathed a lot.

That help a little?

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

What type of antibiotic ointment do you have? It should be appropriate for your boy. Can you read the ingredients off to me please, so I can make sure of its safety before use? Thanks.
The spikes are difficult areas for them to shed. If the skin retains on that area for too long, it will constrict the circulation in that particular area & eventually the area will dry or shrivel up & die. It is the same thing that happens with the fingers & toes when they become necrotic due to retained shed.
That is fine for bathing, it should be sufficient for him.
Let me know how he is doing.

Tracie

 

[kelseyinchains]

There are two ointments, but I can only find one at the moment. It's called Mupirocin. The ingredients aren't listed on the tube, but what I can find online says:

Each gram of Mupirocin ointment USP, 2% contains 20 mg Mupirocin in a bland water miscible ointment base (polyethylene glycol ointment, N.F.) consisting of polyethylene glycol 400 and polyethylene glycol 3350.
Mupirocin is a naturally occurring antibiotic. The chemical name is (E) - (2S,3R,4R,5S) - 5 - [(2S,3S,4S,5S) - 2,3 - Epoxy - 5 - hydroxy - 4 - methylhexyl]tetrahydro - 3,4 - dihydroxy - ß - methyl - 2H - pyran - 2 - crotonic acid,ester with 9-hydroxynonanoic acid.

Now that you've explained, I'm pretty sure it's retained shed. He has some spikes that still haven't shed. I get them wet, but I can't put too much water near his face. He just got rid of a respiratory infection a few months ago, so I get nervous. Is there any way to help him shed them?

He seems to be doing completely fine. I can touch near the broken/dead spike and it doesn't bother him.

Thanks everybody for the help :lol:

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

That will safe for him to use. If you want to put some of that on the retained shed areas, it may help to stave off any infection that could be going on right now. There probably isn't any infection, but, that will help nonetheless.
If you soak him daily, to help soften the retained shed area, it might encourage the areas to slough off sooner for him. The spikes tend to be a hard part to get off sometimes.
Is he eating well then?
Keep us posted on him.

Tracie

 

[quigleysmom]

If you are afraid if getting his head wet, could you take a moist wash cloth and rub the spikes? It will ad moisture with out getting him sopping wet and the rubbing might get the shed to let loose. Just a thought. Good luck.

 

[kelseyinchains]

Okay, I'll put some on him in the morning. And I will soak him daily. Some of the spikes came off today, and now his spikes are a grayish black. Does this mean they're going to do the same thing the one did? Or since the shed is off, will it go back to normal? Or will it just stay gray/black?

His appetite hasn't changed a bit. He's still a little fatty chowing down on anything put in front of him.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

The spikes that have had retained shed might return to normal, it will just depend on how long they have had retained shed on them. If they are already black or discolored, then, they will most likely dry up & eventually fall off also.
Once the shed is off, if it is a grayish color the healthy tissue around it should return to the normal color.

Let us know how he is doing.

Tracie