First Burn Experience, Not Severe but I feel bad.

[Archimedes]

I'm so mad. My family unplugged my temp control for my UTH.

I was gone for ONE NIGHT. And there's signs all over the thing saying not to touch it. Do I really have to put signs on the outlet too?!

Thermometer read 158.0 when I took a reading. The burn itself isn't the worst I've ever seen, just some pink belly, but he looks like he's in pain, moving slowly. A little help? What can I do? I don't have betadine tonight, I will tomorrow, but there's no open sores or anything, so will it do any good? I'm waiting for the UTH to come back down before putting paper towels down. (He's on cypress mulch, but he pushed it away, which is how he got the burn in the first place.) Should I unplug it completely until he heals??

I've not had to deal with this at all yet, please help me.

[MootWorm]

Yikes! Hope your little one is okay. I would unplug it completely to let it cool, then reset your tstat. Betadine is used to prevent infection, so I'm not sure it would help in your situation. However, I do think you should have some in your emergency kit should you need it in the future. Best of luck!


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[Archimedes]

Well, I was awake til 4am, keeping an eye on him. Pyrate gave me a call to talk me through it, and I decided on putting down paper towel over his cypress mulch. He roamed for hours after I put them in, but he was moving a lot more easily, so I think the paper towels feel better on his sore belly. After a few hours of the UTH completely unplugged, I turned it back on with a max heat of 88, which, after getting through the probe, the cypress, and the paper towels, brings his belly heat to about 84 or 85. He spends so much time in his warm hide that leaving him entirely without heat until his skin heals seemed cruel. When I woke up, he was jammed right on top of the hotspot at that temp, so I think it feels good for him. I'm still going to skip this week's feeding because I don't want him to digest improperly with the cooler temp. Also debating on whether to get some silver burn cream, because I'm pretty sure that helps to speed healing of even minor burns. He doesn't really need the betadine though, not for some pink belly.

Sigh. I'm just upset because this was so preventable...


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[Shera]

Wow 158! My ZooMed only got up to 125 when run wide open, and I thought that was really high! I don't think my Exo Terra can get over about 110. What brand are you using? Sorry about the burn, it sounds like he'll be ok if you put him on paper towel, but I too have never dealt with a burn before.

[southbay54]

have pictures of it?

[Archimedes]

I can get some when I get home, I was a little too panicked last night to get pics. It runs the full length of his belly starting about 5 inches beneath his head all the way down to the top of his vent, and it was a bit swollen last night, although I hope the swelling will have gone down a bit once I check on him after work.

[NH93]

That is VERY frustrating... I'd be so mad.
But I hope everything goes well! Doesn't sound too bad. Luckily it was just one night

[4theSNAKElady]

Id say get some silver sulfadiazene(sp) cream. If you can, post pics so we can see how deep the burn is. Just be aware when he sheds, it may look worse and be very tender there on his belly. Do all you can to prevent it from becoming infected. Poor lil Magnus! Hopin he gets better soon.

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[Archimedes]

These were the best I could get. :/

Crystal, I think I knew that instinctively, but it's still a bummer to hear.

The swelling's gone down quite a bit, but the pink is darker today.


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[Neal]

I know there is a reptile version of like antiseptic that will numb on contact, but I haven't seen it in years. That's what I'd recommend to take the feeling off.