jajeanpierre
Chameleon Enthusiast
I finally did it--yesterday I splooshed a tiny baby in the door on the hinge side of an Exo-Terra. Silly baby was escaping in the opening. I had caught him once but he snuck up on me a second time as I shut the door.
The door caught him in the thoracic part of his back. He was immediately paralyzed from the mid back down. Having bred Dachshunds, I knew that what you see isn't necessarily what you get in the end so I put him safely in a jar in the dark with a fogger. When he got over his initial shock, he seemed pretty alert and bright eyed so I offered him fruit flies which he seemed interested in but I didn't watch to see if he ate any. That's all he needed after such a traumatic injury--a big monster peering in on him when he was paralyzed and helpless.
This morning he seemed a lot better. He had a bowel movement and I saw him eating a fruit fly. His tail was curled in a normal curl, so that was a good sign. When he was dragging himself, he grabbed a plant stem with his right hing leg but couldn't let it go. I took him out and found that he could move his left foot and went shocky from apparent pain when I was handling him. Throughout the day, he seems to be getting better and better. He is now able to bring his right leg forward and grasp but is still having trouble letting go. His grasp in his right hind foot is pretty good. He was using his arms to pull himself up when his right hind leg had another branch in its grasp and he ended up lifting it up. I figured the traction wouldn't hurt. I think he can move his left leg forward a little and grasp very weakly.
I'm very happy with how he is after only about 24 hours. I know with Dachshunds who become paralyzed from disc problems in their upper back (about where this little guy got splooshed), they can be so damaged that they are unable to void their bladders but with time, can pretty much completely recover from their episode. The fact he had a bowel movement and went from not being able to move legs, feet or tail to grasping strongly with one leg is very encouraging.
I need suggestions on housing. He drags himself and definitely wants to be on branches but his tail and pathetic legs have been getting caught in the twigs. Sometimes his right foot will grab onto a branch and not let go and he ends up pulling with all his might with his front legs while his hind leg holds tight. Plus, the twigs/stems roll. I need to anchor them so they don't roll but also be able to get him out if I need to. I tried putting a damp cocofiber layer in but I didn't like it when he ended up in it. He can end up in pain and goes shocky. He has a lot of trouble staying upright at the moment. He doesn't need anything that might get in his eyes. He also needs a really small enclosure so the fruit flies are easily. I wanted to give him cover but he gets tangled in it. I have him in a big gallon jar inside a black bag so there the only movement he sees is from directly above.
I feel he deserves a shot. If I thought he was female, I would cull her because she just does not need to deal with egg laying with any sort of nerve damage.
In the first picture, you can see a light area on his rib cage. That's where the door shut on him. He looks pretty normal, but most of the time both hind legs are hang uselessly, bent at the knees and drawn up to his belly. Both feet do work, the right one stronger than the left. In the second picture, you can see how teeny tiny he is--those are fruit flies on his face. He is MUCH better at keeping himself upright today.
I think I should name him Sploosh. @Andee
The door caught him in the thoracic part of his back. He was immediately paralyzed from the mid back down. Having bred Dachshunds, I knew that what you see isn't necessarily what you get in the end so I put him safely in a jar in the dark with a fogger. When he got over his initial shock, he seemed pretty alert and bright eyed so I offered him fruit flies which he seemed interested in but I didn't watch to see if he ate any. That's all he needed after such a traumatic injury--a big monster peering in on him when he was paralyzed and helpless.
This morning he seemed a lot better. He had a bowel movement and I saw him eating a fruit fly. His tail was curled in a normal curl, so that was a good sign. When he was dragging himself, he grabbed a plant stem with his right hing leg but couldn't let it go. I took him out and found that he could move his left foot and went shocky from apparent pain when I was handling him. Throughout the day, he seems to be getting better and better. He is now able to bring his right leg forward and grasp but is still having trouble letting go. His grasp in his right hind foot is pretty good. He was using his arms to pull himself up when his right hind leg had another branch in its grasp and he ended up lifting it up. I figured the traction wouldn't hurt. I think he can move his left leg forward a little and grasp very weakly.
I'm very happy with how he is after only about 24 hours. I know with Dachshunds who become paralyzed from disc problems in their upper back (about where this little guy got splooshed), they can be so damaged that they are unable to void their bladders but with time, can pretty much completely recover from their episode. The fact he had a bowel movement and went from not being able to move legs, feet or tail to grasping strongly with one leg is very encouraging.
I need suggestions on housing. He drags himself and definitely wants to be on branches but his tail and pathetic legs have been getting caught in the twigs. Sometimes his right foot will grab onto a branch and not let go and he ends up pulling with all his might with his front legs while his hind leg holds tight. Plus, the twigs/stems roll. I need to anchor them so they don't roll but also be able to get him out if I need to. I tried putting a damp cocofiber layer in but I didn't like it when he ended up in it. He can end up in pain and goes shocky. He has a lot of trouble staying upright at the moment. He doesn't need anything that might get in his eyes. He also needs a really small enclosure so the fruit flies are easily. I wanted to give him cover but he gets tangled in it. I have him in a big gallon jar inside a black bag so there the only movement he sees is from directly above.
I feel he deserves a shot. If I thought he was female, I would cull her because she just does not need to deal with egg laying with any sort of nerve damage.
In the first picture, you can see a light area on his rib cage. That's where the door shut on him. He looks pretty normal, but most of the time both hind legs are hang uselessly, bent at the knees and drawn up to his belly. Both feet do work, the right one stronger than the left. In the second picture, you can see how teeny tiny he is--those are fruit flies on his face. He is MUCH better at keeping himself upright today.
I think I should name him Sploosh. @Andee
.
