Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey guys,
I just got a new female red ackie to add to the male I allready have. the female is full grown and twice the male's size (see pic) I am introducing them slowly but we had a problem. I was soaking them together, and that might be the first problem, and the female chomped down on the male's head, his eye was bulging out so I scooped them both up and doused them with vinegar, she let go and his eye returned to normal. I treated the wounds on both lizards with betadine and triple antibiotic ointment. I am leaving town for about five days and I am taking the male with me so I can watch him. Am I doing all that I can? Anything else I should try? Suggestions etc.

Tootles,
Sera

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1.0 Red ackie monitor (Frederick)
0.0.1 Bosc's monitor (Normand)
0.1 Chinese water dragon (Basil)
0.0.1 Ornate Box Turtle (Silas)
1.0 Cavi (Gromit)
0.2 Rats (Dolce and Gabbanna)
1.0 Beta (Draco)
0.1 Calico cat (Saffron)
0.1 Red Chicken (Pumpkin)
0.1 Greyhound (Erin)

Soaking monitors can be stressful to them, soaking a group of monitors (looks like a sav in there too) can be more stressful, soaking a group of unfamiliar monitors can be extremely stressful. The monitors being soaked don't know that you are doing it for their own good, they most likely think they are drowning. Try and address whatever husbandry issues there are that require you to soak your monitors.

Having said that, monitors are very resilient and usually will heal without much intervention from their keeper.

Good Luck

I had 2 Argus and when I put them together the bigger one chomped down on the smaller one. This left a very deep and long cut into the muscle. If I had of had a cut that bad I would have gone and gotten stitches. In a week the deep cut was healed. Their recovery time is amazingly fast.
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Ed

These heat lamps make my electric bill to high.

thanks guys, you were completely right, they both healed up just fine in two days! astonishing!

also, I have learned my lesson, no more community baths.

Tootles,
Sera
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1.0 Red ackie monitor (Frederick)
0.0.1 Bosc's monitor (Normand)
0.1 Chinese water dragon (Basil)
0.0.1 Ornate Box Turtle (Silas)
1.0 Cavi (Gromit)
0.2 Rats (Dolce and Gabbanna)
1.0 Beta (Draco)
0.1 Calico cat (Saffron)
0.1 Red Chicken (Pumpkin)
0.1 Greyhound (Erin)