Whites shedding problem??? plz help

[illadelfyaEAGLE]

I have an XL exo terra terrarium and the UV and heat lamp are set outside the tank above the screen top, so theres no contact there. It certainly looks like necrotic tissue. Today i was closely examining the enclosure and i saw a little black ant. I think its Monomorium minimum according to my Audubon field guide. I have no idea how it got in there. I did recently order moss from black jungle, maybe some hitched a ride. I think they're fairly harmless, but that got me thinking, what if its another insect/spider bite? Maybe i should remove all the substrate and add new stuff. This really has me dumbfounded as i take really good care of my frog. Could it have been a problem shedding where the old skin didn't slough off properly leading to death of the underneath skin?

[illadelfyaEAGLE]

btw, I give him a warm water bath once a day (he hates it) and i've been putting neosporin (the original no painkillers) on the wound. He is still active and has a healthy appetite. I did notice that he does not bask under the heat lamp at his usual spot anymore, instead during the day he's been laying off to the side out of direct heat exposure. i turned the heat lamp off because im guessing the heat is aggravating the wound? Its like 76F without the heat lamp, 83-84F with it on.

[Leefrogs]

just checking back to see how it's going. I hope for the best. Keep us posted on the condition. It helps us learn, and support you. I read somewhere that high temps helps them fight bacterial infections, although this is not the case, maybe heat helps them heal too. Maybe aim light away from his sleeping spot. Good luck and best wishes

[DonLisk]

My smallest whites has the same mark in the same spot as your pics at the beginning of this thread. Hes been himself and sometimes its dark and sometimes its lighter colored. He has not changed his routine and soaks nightly.

I originally though bite mark from one of the larger frogs... or a burn.
I was also thinking he is getting under a lg he is usually near and rubbing his head off it.

Hopefully yours get well soon.

[wesleybrouwer]

That does not look OK at all.
Better let him check with a vet.
Could be an infected wound or something,
guess when i would have this on my back i would be running to the hospital
My best bet would be something like a bacterial infected wound, burn or not.
Looking at the edges of the wound, this isn't something that will heal overnight,
it is a nasty flesh wound.
Or the picture must be decieving me.

[TheBambooGoanna]

That does not look OK at all.
Better let him check with a vet.
Could be an infected wound or something,
guess when i would have this on my back i would be running to the hospital
My best bet would be something like a bacterial infected wound, burn or not.
Looking at the edges of the wound, this isn't something that will heal overnight,
it is a nasty flesh wound.
Or the picture must be decieving me.

I agree...it looks like it's a big chunk of skin that's gone. Could he have some how burned that area then shed, taking a few layers of burnt skin with the old layer, leaving that kind of wound?

Is he acting normal and eating alright? If it starts looking worse, find a good herp vet. Otherwise, I would keep an eye on it (and him) and make sure it starts looking better soon.

[illadelfyaEAGLE]

@ Ginger Lee-- yes since they're ectotherms an increase in temp would increase their metabolism and help stave off an infection, however it looks like a mechanical wound. I did move the light away from his basking spot though so the overall temp will be elevated in the tank.

Well its been 2 weeks since i have noticed the blotch, and subsequent necrotic-looking wound. Last night he must have ate 10 small crickets. He doesn't bounce around the terraruim at night like he did before this, but is still active. The wound does not seem to be spreading, in fact it may have shrunk slightly. For those of you with much much more experience then me, if it was fungal/bacterial wouldn't the state of the frog be much worse in two weeks then it is now?

I will be removing substrate today in an attempt to remove any insects/spiders that may have hitched a ride in. Oh on another note, several weeks ago i added an english ivy (Hedera helix) to the tank, and he seems to love hanging out in it. Does anyone know if the ivy secretes any substance that may irrate the skin? I figured it was safe but along with the moss I ordered from black jungle, this is the only other change i made to the terrarium in recent memory. Again, thank you all for your support. I will keep everyone posted.