How do I treat wounds from rat attack

Hawaii_tortoise

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Last night a rat got into my red footed tortoises enclosure and ate into both his front feet (IM NOT HERE FOR THE I NEED A SAFER ENCLOSURE LECTURE EITHER I KNOW !! My sons are devastated)

However I treated the wounds with a little peroxide and neisporin as that’s all I have on hand …. And there aren’t any vets in my area that can or will take him …. Until I can find one how should I better treat its wounds and make him comfortable PLEASE HELP ME image.jpg
 

ZEROPILOT

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Keep him clean. House him on paper towels and apply antibiotic cream twice a day.
Do not use betadine because it will slow the healing.
Seek veterinarian care. Those wounds are deep and I'm sure quite painful.
While he is indoors healing. Place rat traps outside and get rid of any rat that sees a tortoise as a good food source
 

wellington

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Oh wow so sorry. I would for one keep him inside while he heals on paper, no substrate.
I would also try to wrap them lightly with some gauze. Do this with water cleaning daily and apply a antibiotic cream daily.
@Yvonne G
As for the rats, it's almost impossible to keep them out. Maybe bring him in every night once he is healed and can go back out.
 

Yvonne G

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I'm so sorry this happened, but so glad to see the picture. We've always warned people that rats will chew on brumating tortoises but I've never actually seen it, I just repeated the warning. I know your tortoise wasn't brumating, but being able to see the damage a rat can do reaffirms what we've been saying.

This is more serious than a skinned knee, so I think more than just first aid is called for. Any vet can treat this damage, doesn't have to be a tortoise vet. Also a vet can give him a pain killer. Meloxicam is used in tortoises for pain.

You can't allow the tortoise to be outside until he heals. Flies will be attracted to the wound and will lay eggs there. It looks like it has started to dry and will soon form a scab. You really need a vet's experience here, for example, a serious wound like that on a horse would require you to continually debride the proud flesh. Please try to find a vet that will help you.
 

mark1

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Should I dress it as a wound on a human ? Damn I feel horrible …. Cant believe this happened
my opinion is yes you should treat it like a human wound , that tortoise needs a doctor ..... if a human had such wounds i assure you you they'd be getting skin grafts ......... that tortoise needs a vet , even then i'd guess what he's got going on there is enough to kill him .....
 

ZEROPILOT

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my opinion is yes you should treat it like a human wound , that tortoise needs a doctor ..... if a human had such wounds i assure you you they'd be getting skin grafts ......... that tortoise needs a vet , even then i'd guess what he's got going on there is enough to kill him .....
It's deep into the muscle
 

wellington

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Yes, keep it clean but do not keep using peroxide on it. Wrap it with gauze and treat daily with a warm soak and antibiotic cream.
This is all until you can get it too a vet. It had to see a vet!
 

Hawaii_tortoise

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my opinion is yes you should treat it like a human wound , that tortoise needs a doctor ..... if a human had such wounds i assure you you they'd be getting skin grafts ......... that tortoise needs a vet , even then i'd guess what he's got going on there is enough to kill him .....
The only vet I can get him to can’t see him til Saturday
 

wellington

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The only vet I can get him to can’t see him til Saturday
Have you told them what happened and that he needs to have an emergency visit?
If not try that. I would hope a vet would have a heart and fit him in. They vet I worked for many years ago sure would have.
Give it a try at least.
But until then keep him inside, wound clean and keep him warm, enclosure at 85.
 

Chefdenoel10

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The only vet I can get him to can’t see him til Saturday
I am soooooo sorry this happened.
Please,please listen to everyone’s responses.
1)-Luke warm water soaks..(not to warm that would hurt the wound and cause more pain).
2)- loads of neosporin or at least a good covering.
3)- you need that “Meloxicam”. (From vet)
It is the only thing to take away the absolute pain he must be in. 😱

and yes, I would LIGHTLY wrap them with gauze.(just till you can see a vet).
But make sure you have neosporin on underneath it so it doesn’t stick to the wound.

Again, I am soooo sorry.
And no judgment here. We all go through things. It’s not like you watched this happening and did nothing.
I mean… who would think a rat was gonna appear out of nowhere!????
Punk rat!!! He needs a good butt kicking!
😤

Good luck and please keep us posted!!
I will put you in my prayers tonight! 🙏❤️
 

AmandaF

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i‘m so sorry this has happened to your little one. I have no advise to give, I just wanted to say I‘m so sorry this has happened.

amanda x
 

jeannettep

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I'm so sorry this happened, but so glad to see the picture. We've always warned people that rats will chew on brumating tortoises but I've never actually seen it, I just repeated the warning. I know your tortoise wasn't brumating, but being able to see the damage a rat can do reaffirms what we've been saying.

This is more serious than a skinned knee, so I think more than just first aid is called for. Any vet can treat this damage, doesn't have to be a tortoise vet. Also a vet can give him a pain killer. Meloxicam is used in tortoises for pain.

You can't allow the tortoise to be outside until he heals. Flies will be attracted to the wound and will lay eggs there. It looks like it has started to dry and will soon form a scab. You really need a vet's experience here, for example, a serious wound like that on a horse would require you to continually debride the proud flesh. Please try to find a vet that will help you.
I lost 2 tortoises 1 night from what the vet thinks was a rat. It was horrible! 1 tortoise was euthanized, the other one had surgery and lost part of its front leg. I chose to let her stay there under their 24 hr care for a week, but all thought she would be best at home with me to get her to eat & I kept her in a incubator. Water soaks are important, so I held her backside for frequent soaking. I had to give her shots. Please try to get your baby to a vet. There's things they can put on it and wrap it to help it heal. I wasn't able to get mine to pull thru, but I think yours will. Make sure to hold her for her backside in water to keep her hydrated.
 

Hawaii_tortoise

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Have you told them what happened and that he needs to have an emergency visit?
If not try that. I would hope a vet would have a heart and fit him in. They vet I worked for many years ago sure would have.
Give it a try at least.
But until then keep him inside, wound clean and keep him warm, enclosure at 85.
I have a
Have you told them what happened and that he needs to have an emergency visit?
If not try that. I would hope a vet would have a heart and fit him in. They vet I worked for many years ago sure would have.
Give it a try at least.
But until then keep him inside, wound clean and keep him warm, enclosure at 85.
I have my little
Have you told them what happened and that he needs to have an emergency visit?
If not try that. I would hope a vet would have a heart and fit him in. They vet I worked for many years ago sure would have.
Give it a try at least.
But until then keep him inside, wound clean and keep him warm, enclosure at 85.
I been explaining to every vet that gave me
I am soooooo sorry this happened.
Please,please listen to everyone’s responses.
1)-Luke warm water soaks..(not to warm that would hurt the wound and cause more pain).
2)- loads of neosporin or at least a good covering.
3)- you need that “Meloxicam”. (From vet)
It is the only thing to take away the absolute pain he must be in. 😱

and yes, I would LIGHTLY wrap them with gauze.(just till you can see a vet).
But make sure you have neosporin on underneath it so it doesn’t stick to the wound.

Again, I am soooo sorry.
And no judgment here. We all go through things. It’s not like you watched this happening and did nothing.
I mean… who would think a rat was gonna appear out of nowhere!????
Punk rat!!! He needs a good butt kicking!
😤

Good luck and please keep us posted!!
I will put you in my prayers tonight! 🙏❤️
thank you I hav
Have you told them what happened and that he needs to have an emergency visit?
If not try that. I would hope a vet would have a heart and fit him in. They vet I worked for many years ago sure would have.
Give it a try at least.
But until then keep him inside, wound clean and keep him warm, enclosure at 85.
I am soooooo sorry this happened.
Please,please listen to everyone’s responses.
1)-Luke warm water soaks..(not to warm that would hurt the wound and cause more pain).
2)- loads of neosporin or at least a good covering.
3)- you need that “Meloxicam”. (From vet)
It is the only thing to take away the absolute pain he must be in. 😱

and yes, I would LIGHTLY wrap them with gauze.(just till you can see a vet).
But make sure you have neosporin on underneath it so it doesn’t stick to the wound.

Again, I am soooo sorry.
And no judgment here. We all go through things. It’s not like you watched this happening and did nothing.
I mean… who would think a rat was gonna appear out of nowhere!????
Punk rat!!! He needs a good butt kicking!
😤

Good luck and please keep us posted!!
I will put you in my prayers tonight! 🙏❤️
Have him inside he has a vet visit at 9am he’s moving around he ate a Little I just wanna get him comfortable and not suffering 😣😣😣
 

COmtnLady

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Those wounds are big enough that its really important not to let any of the gauze (or anything else) imbed in the open surface. There are kinds of non-stick pads that would be good to put on top of the Neosporin, then wrap the gauze over/around it to hold it in place. That would make doubly sure the gauze doesn't embed into the open wounds. The infection possibilities are daunting, so at least redress twice a day.

For people with bedsores and other major tissue disruptions, there is a kind of synthetic skin type dressing that seals the edges of the bandage to the healthy skin a little away from the damage and slowly releases antibiotic (not sure how well it would work with our buddy's scaly legs). It only gets changed every two days (sometimes longer), but might be something to ask about. I have never used it in an instance where the area also needed soaking to keep hydration up.

Its good (s)he's eating.

Keep us posted. Our thoughts are with you.
 

ColumbiaJane

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Jun 1, 2017
Messages
43
My little Russian tortoise managed to get into my (much larger) desert enclosure and she chewed him up a bit. Nothing like this. But you could see that he was completely hiding in his shell and where he was being attacked by her.
Hoping for the best outcome for your beautiful tortoise. I can’t imagine how awful this is for you and your tortoise. Please let us know h it’s going.
 

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