Fractured arm? Stuck shed on head?

[uhhhlexi]

Hi all, I recently purchased my first bts, a beautiful juvenile Northern. I've noticed that since I've had it it's had a knobby elbow that seems a little weak and sometimes it will just keep it up against its side. However, when it walks it still has a great range of motion which leads me to believe it's not broken. I've had a leopard gecko fracture her arm and the knobbiness looks similar to that but I just wanted to get another opinion. I plan on taking it to the vet for sure when I get my next paycheck. Just thought I'd get some insight from more experienced keepers/someone that has had this issue before. My second question is about the wrinkliness of the scales on its head. From seeing other blueys I've noticed that the scales should look smooth? But mine has a lot of wrinkles and they don't feel smooth at all. My humidity is at 40% according to my digital hygrometer. Any insight on fixing this problem would be appreciated as well, as this is also an issue it had when I purchased it. I've already tried to soak, and wrap in a warm damp towel as well as using a little coconut oil to massage in but nothing seems to help. Thanks and here are some attached pics of the issues.

[Janella]

Awe poor baby, that are doesn't look right at all. Definitely get it to the vet as soon as you can.

As for the shedding issue, what substrate are you using? Have you provided a humid hide? Sounds like you did everything else with it right.

Keep us posted on what they find at the vet.

[kingofnobbys]

.... poor boy.... I agree - you have no option but to have this seen to by a good herp certified vet .... that arm and elbow is going to be very painful for your BT.

Could be a dislocated elbow , or a break .... fixing a dislocation will likely be cheaper than fixing / resetting / pinning a broken bone .... maybe ???

he's about the same size my George was when he broke his arm (in George's case the left arm, and it was the upper bone between the shoulder and the elbow and a spiral fracture). Make sure Xrays are taken , the first vet who saw George spent less than 5 minutes and then said strain, he'll be fine in a little while , no xrays despite my requesting them, George didn't improve and his arm swelled up and so I found another vet who immediately took xrays, first set showed nothing, second set showed a fine spiral break and I was asked what I wanted to do .... no brainer .... by lizards are my much loved and pampered pets so price was not an issue even though I'm retired and not rich.

The vet put him under a general that afternoon , to open up the arm and insert an custom made stainless pin , and then immobilised his entire arm from the shoulder to his left hand (only fingers were sticking out of his shoulder - arm straight cast).... didn't slow George down , especially on the pain relieve injection days (every other day) .... 6 weeks later and yes I was told to give him CalciVet by mouth every day to boost his calcium levels .

The vet needs to see to this IMMEDIATELY. And if it's a break , it wont be cheap so have your credit card handy.

Hope he can have his injured arm fixed SOON.

BTW he's a very handsome boy.

[Scotts1au]

You bluey looks to have been beaten up by a larger bluey at some stage. The dimpling on the head is telling. I'm guessing the arm problem is related to trauma, possibly a historical break or dislocation. Hopefully something that can fixed easily. Fingers crossed.

[uhhhlexi]

Thank you all for your insight. Trust me, I will be taking it to the vet, I don't like to let my animals suffer. I go to an affordable family vet that sees many exotics and want to make 100% sure I will have the funds for it before I go. I'll keep y'all updated on what the vet says. As for the "being attacked by a larger bluey", that is extremely likely, the whole litter I think lived together and the guy said there was one that was bigger and meaner than the others (which would explain why it was skinny when I got it also) and it has some bluish scarring under the chin on the neck area (pictured) that looks like attack wounds. The thing was supposedly 6 months and jumped from 85 g to 125 over the course of the two and a half weeks I've had it. Eats like a champ. Just want it to start feeling better I feel so bad but I'm glad it came into my hands because my animals are all spoiled and this thing will live a wonderful life now! I'll keep y'all updated on what the vet says. Thanks again for the advice.

[uhhhlexi]

Awe poor baby, that are doesn't look right at all. Definitely get it to the vet as soon as you can.

As for the shedding issue, what substrate are you using? Have you provided a humid hide? Sounds like you did everything else with it right.

Keep us posted on what they find at the vet.

I am on eco earth and I spray it a few times a day but I already live in a humid region as well. Brought the humidity up to the mid-high 50s for a while to see if it would "rehydrate" the scales but no luck. It has a humid hide but prefers the open one mostly.

[kingofnobbys]

Thank you all for your insight. Trust me, I will be taking it to the vet, I don't like to let my animals suffer. I go to an affordable family vet that sees many exotics and want to make 100% sure I will have the funds for it before I go. I'll keep y'all updated on what the vet says. As for the "being attacked by a larger bluey", that is extremely likely, the whole litter I think lived together and the guy said there was one that was bigger and meaner than the others (which would explain why it was skinny when I got it also) and it has some bluish scarring under the chin on the neck area (pictured) that looks like attack wounds. The thing was supposedly 6 months and jumped from 85 g to 125 over the course of the two and a half weeks I've had it. Eats like a champ. Just want it to start feeling better I feel so bad but I'm glad it came into my hands because my animals are all spoiled and this thing will live a wonderful life now! I'll keep y'all updated on what the vet says. Thanks again for the advice.

Be sure he has experience with reptiles, as many vets , even exotics specialists don't and have little reptile vet care / surgery knowhow.

,

[kingofnobbys]

Awe poor baby, that are doesn't look right at all. Definitely get it to the vet as soon as you can.

As for the shedding issue, what substrate are you using? Have you provided a humid hide? Sounds like you did everything else with it right.

Keep us posted on what they find at the vet.

I am on eco earth and I spray it a few times a day but I already live in a humid region as well. Brought the humidity up to the mid-high 50s for a while to see if it would "rehydrate" the scales but no luck. It has a humid hide but prefers the open one mostly.

All my skinks love a nice luke warm bath (about 33oC) , for the BTs I make sure they only have water deep enough to come up to their just over their legs and arms, and I prop them up on a soaked submerged towel to ensure they keep their head above the water all times in order to make sure they didn't accidentially down or inhale water (BAD), all my skinks love a good long guzzle while in the water ....
Unlikely to hydrate a skink unless the water enters via it's mouth as their skin is quite impervious to moisture.

When I had water skinks they were real water babies, would swim about, splash about, dive and swim underwater , and generally behave like a tiny crocodile, and even float like one, 'when I took them out to dry them or put them back into their tubs to bask and dry more often than not they would leap out of my hand straight back into the water and pick up where they left off wrt having water fun.

[kingofnobbys]

Awe poor baby, that are doesn't look right at all. Definitely get it to the vet as soon as you can.

As for the shedding issue, what substrate are you using? Have you provided a humid hide? Sounds like you did everything else with it right.

Keep us posted on what they find at the vet.

I am on eco earth and I spray it a few times a day but I already live in a humid region as well. Brought the humidity up to the mid-high 50s for a while to see if it would "rehydrate" the scales but no luck. It has a humid hide but prefers the open one mostly.

I've used http://www.vetnpetdirect.com.au/herpashed_reptiles on my BTs occasionally when shedding , not entirely sure if actually helped lift the shed , certainly didn't seem to harm them.

[uhhhlexi]

You bluey looks to have been beaten up by a larger bluey at some stage. The dimpling on the head is telling. I'm guessing the arm problem is related to trauma, possibly a historical break or dislocation. Hopefully something that can fixed easily. Fingers crossed.

Do you think the scales will plump back up over time or do you think they're permanently scarred like this? I hate to think of all the other blueys continuing to get beat up and starved by the bigger meaner one back at the breeder's place

[Maplefish]

My previous skink had some damage to the scales on the top of his head that faded and eventually disappeared over time.

[kingofnobbys]

You bluey looks to have been beaten up by a larger bluey at some stage. The dimpling on the head is telling. I'm guessing the arm problem is related to trauma, possibly a historical break or dislocation. Hopefully something that can fixed easily. Fingers crossed.

Do you think the scales will plump back up over time or do you think they're permanently scarred like this? I hate to think of all the other blueys continuing to get beat up and starved by the bigger meaner one back at the breeder's place

A lot of breeders are just money hungry jerks who don't care about the welfare of their "stocK"

Same applies even more to petshops.

I can't see where Mildred bit George on his head .... the scaring has faded.

[uhhhlexi]

You bluey looks to have been beaten up by a larger bluey at some stage. The dimpling on the head is telling. I'm guessing the arm problem is related to trauma, possibly a historical break or dislocation. Hopefully something that can fixed easily. Fingers crossed.

Do you think the scales will plump back up over time or do you think they're permanently scarred like this? I hate to think of all the other blueys continuing to get beat up and starved by the bigger meaner one back at the breeder's place

A lot of breeders are just money hungry jerks who don't care about the welfare of their "stocK"

Same applies even more to petshops.

I can't see where Mildred bit George on his head .... the scaring has faded.

I'm glad that the scarring will fade. I'm hoping the guy sells the big mean one, for all the other lizards' sake...

[uhhhlexi]

Thanks again for yall's help. The reptile vet isn't on site today so I got an appointment scheduled for Monday. I'll update you guys then on the status of my baby.

[uhhhlexi]

Hi guys. Bad news from the vet. Got x rays taken and it looks like the joint had been broken long before I had it and because it had no proper care it completely degenerated over time and now there's nothing they can do. They can't splint it and there's no procedure to fix it. My baby is going to be in chronic pain for the rest of its life. All they were able to offer me was pain meds and once it gets full grown they can offer me steroids to aid with the chronic pain. I wish I knew where this guy lived so I could go and take all of his skinks from his enclosure so they can live a much better life. This man should not have these animals as he can't pay attention to them enough to tell when one has a BROKEN ARM. Now because of his failure to properly care for these innocent creatures mine has a lesser quality of life than I can offer it and I'm heartbroken.

[Janella]

Awe no, I am so sorry to read this. Poor little guy. I agree it can be extremely frustrating. I wish more people cared for their reptiles properly. It drives me crazy!

[uhhhlexi]

So after calling the vet back to talk options, because I REALLY don't want my baby to be in pain forever, the topic of amputation came up. She said that is a very good option because being on pain meds and steroids forever can eventually start to have downfalls of its own. Also over time the bones can fuse together causing a deformity that has the potential to get more damaged from catching the arm on objects when it moves around. We have decided to amputate the arm, I think at the elbow. I know reptiles can usually adapt nicely to changes and I think that it will ultimately be in less pain than having to drag a chronically injured limb around on its side. I'm nervous but am looking forward to a much better outlook on life for my little buddy.

[tcopitho]

I think you've made a good decision in the best intrest of your skink. Sometimes it can be hard to know what to do or to make a tough decision like that, but it's what distinguishes a great pet owner from the rest.

I wish you and your skink all the best and hope your little one will recover swiftly. He/she is lucky to have you looking out for her now.

[kingofnobbys]

Hi guys. Bad news from the vet. Got x rays taken and it looks like the joint had been broken long before I had it and because it had no proper care it completely degenerated over time and now there's nothing they can do. They can't splint it and there's no procedure to fix it. My baby is going to be in chronic pain for the rest of its life. All they were able to offer me was pain meds and once it gets full grown they can offer me steroids to aid with the chronic pain. I wish I knew where this guy lived so I could go and take all of his skinks from his enclosure so they can live a much better life. This man should not have these animals as he can't pay attention to them enough to tell when one has a BROKEN ARM. Now because of his failure to properly care for these innocent creatures mine has a lesser quality of life than I can offer it and I'm heartbroken.

Gee that's no good.

I was watching a show called Bondi Vet where a small dog (a pet that had been mistreated , not properly cared for) came in with a similar issue, the vet said the choices were
'>> do nothing (not a good outcome for the animal)
>> amputate the broken badly set leg
>>put the dog under a general , rebrake the leg , remove the boney growths that were causing pain, pinned it and reset it , and put in a cast and they showed the dog 3 months later and he was running about like any other dog and showing no signs of pain.

I'd find a second vet and ask if this can be done. 'He's going to be better off without a painful disabled unuseable limb even if the amputation is the best option. Plenty of pet lizards are "tripods" (only 3 legs) usually because of an attack by a tank mate or other babies in a crowded rearing tank.

[kingofnobbys]

So after calling the vet back to talk options, because I REALLY don't want my baby to be in pain forever, the topic of amputation came up. She said that is a very good option because being on pain meds and steroids forever can eventually start to have downfalls of its own. Also over time the bones can fuse together causing a deformity that has the potential to get more damaged from catching the arm on objects when it moves around. We have decided to amputate the arm, I think at the elbow. I know reptiles can usually adapt nicely to changes and I think that it will ultimately be in less pain than having to drag a chronically injured limb around on its side. I'm nervous but am looking forward to a much better outlook on life for my little buddy.

Probably your best surgical option as rebreaking , removing bone that is in the wrong places , and pinning the bone will be complicated and take a long time ,all that under a general which is risky for lizards , as well as much more expensive.

Keep us update on how things go .... I hope be comes through the surgery OK and recovers soon.