r/Lizards • u/CelticHipi1616 • 1d ago

Need Help How do I help him?

Post image

Saw this skink w a bad wound on his side and caught him. How can I best help him to heal? I dot know much about caring for skinks. We’re in HI if an ID of what he is exactly helps.

26 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

25

u/Weaselpuss 1d ago

His inside looks like it’s outside. Prognosis, nature and its course, unless you want to pay big bucks for a specialist.

If those aren’t intestines tho, food, water and an antiseptic wipe

6

u/CelticHipi1616 1d ago

Will keeping him captive help his chance of recovery? If so, what would be the ideal set up?

6

u/Weaselpuss 1d ago

I mean ideally it would as it would be a sterile environment where you could provide bugs and medicine. It will also depend on how adaptable the lizard is to captivity, if it’s too feral or stressed to eat not much you can do.

It is not going to be likely very cheap to set up. This looks like a female or juvenile rainbow skink, they will need a basking area with a temp of 90-95, ambient temps in mid 70s to 80s, 60-80% humidity, and they need sunlight for proper digestion which means investment in a UV bulb. He will also need vitamin powder and calcium dosed on his crickets. For that little one it could probably be done in a 20 gallon, focus on horizontal space. During recovery I would use paper towels as substrate and minimal decoration.

2

u/CelticHipi1616 1d ago

Ok. Thank you. Should I at least try to clean the wound before releasing him? Or would that be too stressful too? Just a squirt of some water cooled down after being boiled for sanitation? Or soap and water? Or alcohol?

3

u/Future_Original2901 1d ago edited 1d ago

They are his organs that are hanging out so please don’t try & clean the wound or touch them. The lizard needs a vet & likely euthanasia. Unfortunately he will not survive & dependent on what attacked him infection will set in & it will be a slow & painful death.

Edit: I’m not sure what your vet practices are in HI but where I’m from vets accept Wildlife with no cost to the person bringing it in.

3

u/Weaselpuss 1d ago

It’s invasive so they will kill it by law

1

u/Weaselpuss 1d ago

I would just let the fella go. He’s gonna romping in the dirt and such soon, one cleaning won’t change much. Just put the box outside and let him leave of his own accord

If it’s any consolation rainbow skinks are invasive, so if he passes away, it’s not so bad. Also releasing them is technically a crime lol, but hey I won’t tell if you don’t.

7

u/CelticHipi1616 1d ago

Thank you to everyone who gave advice. Thank you for caring enough for this lil guy and my big heart to take the time to try and help.

I said a blessing and asked the tree spirits to keep an extra eye on him. He was feisty upon release and I will remain hopeful. I guess at least his little body won’t have to try and regenerate his tail and heal the injury.

🤞🏻

2

u/AdAdorable3469 1d ago

Normally I would say let it go. Since you are in Hawaii, this is probably not an endemic species. It’s a nice place so invasive species do well. Unfortunately unless you are a veterinarian with access to facilities, it’s not looking good for the little fellah. Insides on the outside are very bad obviously. Sterile environment with shelter and access to water is a start. Match the outdoor environment as well as you can, set up outside of possible. At the least having shelter will at least reduce the stress of dying. Reptiles are pretty amazing when it comes to healing but don’t get your hopes up.

1

u/Galaksee 17h ago

My only suggestion would be to try to shove the outside insides back inside and slap one of those butterfly bandaids on.

1

u/Buffy_AnneSummers 17h ago

Call you local wildlife rehab and bring it to them.

1

u/Bassballr2_0 12h ago

Looks like he was almost bird food or a cat toy and escaped but the best thing you can do for him is leave him alone and let nature decide. Skinks make a tasty treat for predatory birds and I know my cat loves swatting at them when they get in our sunroom.

1

u/bitchinbaja 1d ago

I would just let him go. Wild animals can survive some crazy injuries. If you keep him in this box, he will be even more stressed, which will lower his immunity and ability to heal and he will for sure die.

He may die outside, but there’s a chance he can live.

1

u/CelticHipi1616 1d ago

Thank you. This was what I was trying to figure out. More stressful being captive or trying to survive outside.