help! i dont know what is on my babys tummy!

[blastoise91]

Hey i went to repticon yesterday and i got a beautiful leopard. Its gorgeous. Great shape pretty smooth shell very symetrical. No weezing or stuffyness that i can tell. He looks healthy from everything ive read over months of research but on his belly there is a like dirt buildup stuck to his/her plastodon. Looks like is can be picked or washed off but wen i touched it a messed a little bit he made a little squeek so i didnt wanna take the chance ill hurt him. Its raised maybe a good cm off his belly. Brown color like some kinda dirt or poop or something is dryied. Id have pics but this site dont work with phone uploading. Anybody?? Its not rot im almost possitive cause rot is skin discolor and all that. This looks like something stuck or possibly slightly attached. Need to know what it is so i dont hurt the little guy trying to take it off or somerhing. And he is about 2.5 inches. Deff under 6 months old. Bought from lllreptile vendor on saturday in reno. Any other info just ask thanks for ur help and blastoise will love yhe help too lol. Thats what ive named him

 

[coreyc]

It could be a piece of dried up umbilical cord a pic will help . give him a warm soak and see if comes off

 

[blastoise91]

Ive seen u all around this leo forum if u wanna pm me ur email id be happy to send a pic. The app on my phone and website give me nothing but errors.

 

[coreyc]

Ive seen u all around this leo forum if u wanna pm me ur email id be happy to send a pic. The app on my phone and website give me nothing but errors.

PM sent

 

[coreyc]

Just looked at the pic's looks like dried up yolk sac

 

[Tom]

You ought to soak that baby a couple of times a day, and put him in a brooder box with damp paper towels until that is all absorbed. You need to get him out of the enclosure and off the substrate right now. I use a plastic shoe box, line the bottom with damp paper towels and keep him warm. If you don't have a warm room, you can put him high on a shelf in the warmest room of your house and put a human heating pad on LOW under only 1/2 to 1/3 of the box. Make it so that he can get away from the heat if it gets to warm and check those temps frequently all heating pads are different and some can get too hot, so you will need to watch it carefully.

Can CoreyC post the pics here for all to see?

 

[DesertGrandma]

This baby was too young to be sold. If you any problems contact the seller.

 

[blastoise91]

Oh gosh :/ now uve got me frraking out a little. Hes sitting in very shallow warm water in a clean baking dish with paper towels on the bottom at this second. Will do so for 30 mins. Then i should make a warm box. Should there be my mvb on him? what should i put in box as substate? and should i mist down the box for humidity. I plan on taking care of this guy right. One day and i love him.

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I planned on soakin him couple times a day and misting to prevent pyramiding anyway. Im just scared for my torts well being now.

 

[Kvoigt]

awe sounds like a tiny new hatchling good luck you should do ok with all the help on here

 

[blastoise91]

Yeah as u can see in my pic lol. As far as my rollout measure says hes about 2 inches.

 

[Tom]

James, if he still has a yolk sac, he needs to be in a brooder box, not an enclosure with substrate and a light. A brooder box is our man made way of simulating the inside of their nest. When babies hatch in the wild, they stay underground in their nest chamber for a while. During this time their yolk sac absorbs and, some research suggests, they eat their eggshell among other things while they are down there. When the time is right they all dig up and out and start their young lives.
You don't need a basking light or substrate or food or any of that. You can put a little food in if you want, but its likely that he won't eat for a while. They can live off of their yolk for quite a while. The idea is to keep them warm, humid, and prevent anything from injuring that fragile yolk sac.

 

[blastoise91]

Thank u so much for your help. I wasnt expecting to get such a youngster. I will do this. Just do so untill the little bit is dissolved/avsorbed off? Or longer? Whatever is on his belly is only maybe as big as ur pinky toe nail is if that makes sense. Easiest relatable medaphor i can think of. Its not crusty or look infected or anything. Looks as if some kinda poop is stuck there but it is solid. Not hard. But no change in shape if touched and not movable by the very gentle touch i have given. Just for better description to u all. Thank u. Warm dark humid box. Got it

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Im sry i didnt understand and greatly appreciate the explaination.

 

[blastoise91]

Oh and yes corey if u can please post those pics. I think my phone filesize is toobig. I cant figure out how toconvert. Most sites doso automatically

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And pic was taken asap wen i got home. I hadnt soaked or anything yet. It looks way better even after what little as been done so far. its much more moist (not soggy but not dry) and he looks more comfortable (less running around more relaxing). Got him in humid warm area. Hes been sleeping it seems. Plastic box with my nighttime warm light (he is in shade still even though its nighttime bulb). Will be getting pad today. I have a temp/hum meter in there also. Reads about 80 degrees and i have a warm water bottle to keep humidity up. I thank u again. I really wasnt expecting a hatchling so young.

 

[coreyc]

Ok heres the pic's it took an hour to up load but here they are
http://i10
97.photobucket.com/albums/g350/coreyc1/littleleo2.jpg

 

[blastoise91]

Wow. Thanks. Like i said looks smaller and moist already. He hasnt been moving much since i took him out of table.

 

[Tom]

If it is not infected or damaged it should absorb within a couple of days. I usually wait a few days after that for the umbilical scar to close up a bit and then move them into a regular enclosure. Its usually 7-10 days in the brooder boxes from hatching to enclosure for me. Just keep him warm, even at night. I like 80-90 degrees for my brooder boxes.

Good luck. I hope everything goes smoothly. You'll have a unique opportunity to start your new baby right since he is so young. He won't have to suffer through the usual few weeks of the "dry" routine like so many of them do. This will also give you time to make sure your set up is really really ready for him and that all your temps are right, day and night.

 

[blastoise91]

Yes! And thank goodness i took the entire weekend off work and my girlfriend will be here to watch temp and check for flipovers lol ended up just using a medium sized pot. I did research and saw pics. In my nooby oppinion id say its very close to gone. Looks kinda like a scab with thinkness and brownish color. No weird colors. All one color so i see no sign of infection. Thank you so much again i couldnt say it enough times. But really made me worry untill i did much much much reading about hatchlings. I think i have it under control but please subcribe to this. Ill post if i have any further questions or updates and u could do the same. Im happy to raise him from the start just takes a little more effort of course

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But since i am a noob what would i be looking for as far as infection or damage to the sack? Wanna be looking for the right signs.

 

[blastoise91]

Btw he is eating good it seems. Ill let him go at it for a good 20 minutes or so. I really think hes alright. Deffinately gave me a fright not knowing anything about it though.

 

[blastoise91]

Hey again i have another concern i cant seem to find reliably online. So his tummy condition is doing good it seems but if he is to stay on damp paper towels for days will i be risking any type of shell rot or anything like that? Just being too worried im sure but i dont wanna just assume if im not sure

 

[Tom]

I always keep newly hatched leopards and sulcatas on damp paper towels in a closed shoe box. I have never had a problem ever. No shell rot. No nothing. No issues whatsoever. Just keep them warm. 80-90.