Reptile & Amphibian Forums

helga is a wild caught mali that i rescued from some evil people so i do not know much about her history except that she was not well taken care of. she is finally shedding off those 4000 layers of skin and there is a section on her side that is completely white with a piece of skin in the middle that looks unaltered in color but sort of looks like an old cut. (i cannot get a good look at it since she is irritable and wiggly) before she peeled, her old skin did not show this anomaly. i figure it is scar tissue but has anyone ever seen this before? do scars not normally show up in old skin? do you think the colors will come back?
-----
vonnie
***Marriage is a great institution, but I'm not ready for an institution yet. Mae West ***

A picture would be really helpful if you have access to a digital camera, or the like. I have not run into this but I believe that burns can cause this sort of skin color anomoly. Hopefuly some of the people on the forum that have worked with the rescued Uros will have more insight on this. If I remember correctly a few of them had been badly burned by either lights or hot rocks when they were rescued.

Congratulations on getting your new friend! I am sure he is thrilled to be in the care of a loving person now.

Elizabeth
-----
1.0 Uro Archimedes
0.0 Fish
0.1 Sulcata Minnie
1.1 Iguanas Flik and Loki
0.1 Newfoundland Jasmine
0.1 Feline Winter
Indiana & Wisconsin

Wow I cannot believe that people would treat such beautiful animals like crap.

If you know where the people live and there is an ASPCA in your state, call them. Those people need to be punished for doing what they did to that animal.

*I'm sorry but I am very passionate about people treating animals properly and those two people must not care very much for anything.*
-----
_____

Signature file edited; oversized banner removed. Please update/correct to an acceptable size. [phw 9/13/04]

well it was these three people who worked at a mom and pop pet store. i actually bought the lizard, i know i should not have but i could have never lived with myself knowing she was in there, but i concider it a rescue and trust me i tried everything i could to get this place in trouble. in fact everyone i called knew about this place but if they take them to court all they have to say is they are fixing it and they are let off. she was in a tank with no lights and no heat. she only has three viable back toes, three that are falling off and 4 that are all gone from autoamputation from incorrect shedding. she had mild MBD and was only 190 grams when she should have been 270 which she is now. i have had her since mid-may and everything is good except that her toes got bad again a couple weeks ago and i cannot keep her on a substrate. it is so pleasant when i get to listen to her dig at the bottom of her cage for hours oh i did get one guy fired though
-----
vonnie
***Marriage is a great institution, but I'm not ready for an institution yet. Mae West ***

It could possibly be an old thermal burn. They usually keep a white pigment once the area is damaged. My Storrs monitor had one when I got him and it is just a white spot right between his head and neck. In the picture it is on his left side. Just a thought.

Pam

i was reading some stuff online too and it probably is an old burn since it is on her side which is optimal spot for a burn mark. i also read something about uros biting each other there when trying to fight so perhaps she lived with or was captured with a mean uro but it is such an odd shape that i think it is an old burn. oh well it is just another cute helga marking that makes helga, helga
-----
vonnie
***Marriage is a great institution, but I'm not ready for an institution yet. Mae West ***