Big T: To answer your question...

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Posted by Bigtattoo on May 03, 2003 at 19:18:47:

In Reply to: Big T: To answer your question... posted by icequeen on May 03, 2003 at 18:21:57:

:I think Dill is doing well. She looks like she's gained some weight...although she hasn't eaten too much over the last two days...just a few bites of melon, and a couple of sweet potato.

Not eating could be that she's an adult and doesn't need to eat every day, or it could be that she's getting ready to shed, or it could have to do with her toe. If I had to guess I would say from your description that she's gotten back to her healthy weight and doesn't require as much.

:I'm worried about those bands of skin on her toes...especially the one...it bleeds when she uses her feet to try and get out of her bath and things like that. I'm just too scared to pick at it! but I also don't know if I should just leave it alone! I'm certain that if I took her to one of our vets...they'd be clueless as to what to do with her...probably would be clueless as to WHAT she IS as well!

If those bands of skin don't come off she'll most likely lose the toe or toes affected. The unshed skin will act like a tourniquet and cut off the blood flow. Succesive sheds will only exacerbate the problem. If you don't think a vet can help, I know you don't have a good herp vet nearby, you'll have to take matters into your own hands. Contact me through the e-mail link in this forum.

:I'm getting hooked on her though...that's for sure! She's a DOLL! She crawls down into my sleeve and will sit there for hours!!! I'm thinking she might turn out to be a cuddler just like Boulder...soon I'll be posting pics of me and Dill crashed out! hmmm...I guess I'll have to teach Zoe how to use a camera!!

I knew this would happen LOL

:Anyway...I think the other party is going to go ahead and file for a CITES permit, even though all we hear is gloom and doom as far as the likelihood of us actually GETTING one! But, we're going to try.

Without paperwork to show her origins before the CITES ban your chances are slim.

:I just don't know if I'm the person best "qualified" to care for her, as much as I love her. Not to mention, she too would need a new enclosure to stay with me...I wonder how my dad would feel about that...

Your compassion makes you better qualified than those who had her before you. I know you can learn to care for her and will do your best to provide for her as she needs. I still feel the best place is in a breeding project but she may not be a good candidate for breeding in her condition. PTS carry babies a long time and the missing toes and part of her tail would make it difficult for her to get around with those babies.

:I think she might be about to shed...and I'm nervous about that with her already having bad sheds previously.

Keep giving her the baths, contact me about the old sheds and keep the humidity up in her enclosure with mistings. Even add some sphagnum moss that you can dampen to keep higher humidity levels.

:*sigh* I'm such a softie!

Yeah a softie that's the impression I have of you.

I do monitor the skink forum, so we can stay on topic. I saw your post there but responded here. In the future if I feel I can help I'll be watching.

BigT

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