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TAIL INJURIES AND LOST TAILS
Bamboozoo
These happen very frequently in the wild. It is designed to be that way.
Never snatch your buddies tail. It tends to happen when we have them out. They make a quick move and we react. We are then left with a wriggling, spasming tail in our hands. I have been known to scream and toss it!
They may have gotten it caught in a piece of the furniture. Or it could have been bitten off when a hatchling.
Many species have tails that will grow back. Geckos of many kinds do. Skinks will. The tail will never be the same. Though my Giant Day Gecko is very close. For a Leopard Gecko it will be more bulbous, rounder, shorter.
There are general steps to be taken immediately.
You want to clean the wound. Betadine solution with warm water works. Warm water with a little salt added will also work.
If working with a natural substrate, either tear it down to the bones and replace with paper towel or newspaper for a few days. Or set up an emergency tank. Sterility will help control infections. This is only necessary for a few days, until you see the tip healed over.
After washing you can apply neosporin. (Neo is not ingestable. Wash it off if you see your gecko licking the area.) A second way to go is to coat it with Aloe Vera gel which has both pain and healing properties and is ingestible and will help from the inside out.
Once the tail has healed over he/she can be placed back into their vivarium.
For those lizards capable of regenerating: Tails will begin to sprout within the first week. It is quite astounding to watch. For species like Leopards that store their fats in their tails extra feedings will help to restore some of what they have lost at a faster pace.
Expect your buddy to be a little upset. Expect quiet and still. A little drepression. This is a shock and it will take 2 to 3 days to recover from it often. They may not eat for a couple of days. This is quite normal from my experiences.
An electrolyte in any water will help the reptile recover quicker by stimulating appetite and willingness to get on their feet and move.
Most tail injuries, toes can be handled in the above way. If the cartalige has been separated but the remainder is still hanging on remove the section that is hanging. Without the carlage the tissues die.
Depending on the amount that has been injured you may want to put some healing ointment/gel on the remainder. You can use a finger cott, the finger from a plastic glove or even a non lubricated condom. Do make sure that it is not constricted. Cut a hole in the other end as well for air circulation.
One more thing I would like to touch on would be dry gangerine. This is a serious complication that can happen to species that do not regenerate tails. The end of the original injury is where this will start. It is a creeper and will continue to move up the tail. It has to be removed by a vet. Once established it can cause death as the disease will enter the blood stream and attack vital organs. You will have to be observant for the entire life of the reptile in question.
Depending on the amount that has been injured you may want to put some healing ointment/gel on the remainder. You can use a finger cott, the finger from a plastic glove or even a non lubricated condom. Do make sure that it is not constricted. Cut a hole in the other end as well for air circulation.
One more thing I would like to touch on would be dry gangerine. This is a serious complication that can happen to species that do not regenerate tails. The end of the original injury is where this will start. It is a creeper and will continue to move up the tail. It has to be removed by a vet. Once established it can cause death as the disease will enter the blood stream and attack vital organs. You will have to be observant for the entire life of the reptile in question.