Wounded Leachie--Help appreciated

[radera5]

I everyone. I was hoping some Leachie owners/breeders might be able to help me out a bit.

So I got a proven pair of Nu Ami's yesteday and when I opened the box (from FedEx) I saw the female had a nasty looking wound on her head. The man I got them from said he didn't see it while packing them to be shipped and it was probably from breeding. I just wanted some other opinions. I will post 4 pictures. The first two were taken yesterday, (she was in shed when she arrived, I took the first two pictures just after she removed her shed) and the last two were taken just minutes ago.

I have put Neosporin on it overnight and kept her well hydrated. We are hoping this is indeed from breeding, but it is a nasty wound either way so I figure early opinions would help.

So any leachie lovers have any thought?? Any will be appreciated!

Thank You, Amanda Rader

 

[radera5]

Pictures....

 

[defcon222]

I'm no expert, but that looks to be what happens after a bad shed(s). My Mali uros went through the same thing this winter (I thought I had them hydrated enough, but they got that on a small patch on thier back). The stin dries out and eventually contracts and falls off (or needs to be removed).

Hopefully it's not that, but I'm not sure how breeding would cause a would like that.

 

[rcarichter]

Any chance she's been fed hornworms? I've seen burns like that on cresteds from hornworm acid. It can be particularly bad if they the worms were wild caught.

Noelle

 

[radera5]

Thanks for the responses, and sorry I have been a way for a while.

Christine--No hornworms. Thank you for the guess though

Nathaniel- So it isn't a bad shed either...
I have spoken with a couple of Leachie breeders who claim it def. IS a breeding wound. I knew leachies were obviously bigger, and have "real" teeth (compared to cresteds anyway) so I figured they would be a bit more rough, I just had NO idea they would leave flesh wounds. It almost seems in person as though you are looking at her skull!! I don't actually think it is her skull though, I just think I is a pretty nasty wound. Either way, she is in her own enclosure, and has been drinking and feeding well. I have put Neosporin on her both nights I have had her so far as well. I will keep everyone informed of how she does.

Again thank you for the reply's!!
Amanda Rader

 

[radera5]

Sorry for the spelling errors. My phone is not friendly :/....

 

[pakinjak]

I don't see how anybody could miss that unless they never looked at the animal at all.

Looks like breeding damage to me too, I don't think there's any way a wound that big would come from a bad shed. A crestie, sure maybe, but a leachie head is a lot bigger and that wound is HUGE. they really can beat the crap out of each other when breeding.

Sounds like you're doing it right though. Please be sure to update when it's healed, I'd like to see what the spot looks like after.

 

[LaxGekko25]

If you haven't already, put her in quarantine, away from others in your collection (including other reptile species). Apply some Silvidine cream to the wound using a Q-tip to keep from cross contamination. If you have it in your herp first aid box, give her Trimith Sulfa Suspen orally. Also give her ReptAid and soak a Q-tip in Provodine Iodine and cover the wound with it. Then, if possible, soak gauze bandaging in Provodine Iodine and wrap it around the wound. Please get her to the vet soon!
Hope this helps,
B & K

 

[LaxGekko25]

Also please remember that my viewpoint and treatment is not from a professional reptile vet's, and DO NOT SUBSTITUTE MY OPINION FOR A VET'S. Forget about putting the bandage on her head... I was mistaken about that. The treatment I described is what my vet told me to do with my leo's wound, and he had a successful recovery.

 

[pakinjak]

Do keep in mind that as with any wound, this one requires more than anything a good dose of common sense.

Keep the animal by itself.
Keep the animal clean, and the wound the same.
Apply antibiotic ointment if you feel comfortable doing so, and if the wound starts to look funky take immediately to vet.

Remember, most vets have never seen a leachie and are going to treat them like a leopard gecko. This is normal injury (however nasty it may be) and can be treated like any other scrape.

 

[pakinjak]

Do keep in mind that as with any wound, this one requires more than anything a good dose of common sense.

Keep the animal by itself.
Keep the animal clean, and the wound the same.
Apply antibiotic ointment if you feel comfortable doing so, and if the wound starts to look funky take immediately to vet.

Remember, most vets have never seen a leachie and are going to treat them like a leopard gecko. This is normal injury (however nasty it may be) and can be treated like any other scrape.

 

[Carlene16]

The man I got them from said he didn't see it while packing them to be shipped and it was probably from breeding.

Oh my, was this man BLIND? Honestly don't know how he could've missed that, but either way I hope she heals nicely for you! Wish I knew more about leachies.

 

[SamanthaJane13]

Any chance she's been fed hornworms? I've seen burns like that on cresteds from hornworm acid. It can be particularly bad if they the worms were wild caught.

Noelle

I've heard the same thing for butter worms. NASTY caustic burns!! There WERE pictures on Pangea, but they were removed from the OP's photobucket.

Defcon22-you may want to post this on Pangea, because we deal with all kinds of Rhacs there, and there is a "resident" vet and several vet techs that post there. I'm sure you'll get more help on a Rhac-specific forum than a general forum like Fauna.

Good luck to with your leachies!! I hope the female recovers soon!!

 

[pakinjak]

How's this gecko doing? I'm very interested to hear how the wound is healing.

 

[radera5]

She is healing up nicely I am happy to say. We had originally housed her by herself and started with Neo treatments. I ended up just keeping her enclosure (30g tank) quite moist, and putting the Neo on every other day. After about the first two weeks, she was eating like a machine and had properly shed. Since then we have went to adding the Neo as needed. (usually twice a week now). Two days ago on Wednesday, I reintroduced her to the male and we are keeping our fingers crossed.

Thanks to everyone for all of their concerns and suggestions.

 

[radera5]

I don't see how anybody could miss that unless they never looked at the animal at all.

Looks like breeding damage to me too, I don't think there's any way a wound that big would come from a bad shed. A crestie, sure maybe, but a leachie head is a lot bigger and that wound is HUGE. they really can beat the crap out of each other when breeding.

Sounds like you're doing it right though. Please be sure to update when it's healed, I'd like to see what the spot looks like after.

Forgot to add :
I will add those pictures in the AM Thanks again

 

[pakinjak]

That's great to hear. Any chance of getting a pic of the healing wound?

 

[radera5]

Okay Kevin so I just got done doing some cage cleaning and I was going to take some updated pictures of the leachies....BUT I have NO batteries

My husband works during the day, when he get's home I will do what I can to get some batteries for my camera. My luck!
--Amanda

 

[radera5]

Hey Kevin.....better late than never right

After a long awaited time....here is the healing Nu Ami female. These pictures were taken about a week ago. This is after sauna's, and aLOT of Neosporin. She isn't completely healed yet but she does appear to be doing well. Thanks for everyone who has followed and I am VERY sorry about the late pictures :/

 

[pakinjak]

Thanks for sharing the pics. Please share again in a several months, I'm really curious to see what the injury looks like after it's completely healed.