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I came into from work and my tegu (was about 18" had dropped the last little 2" of the tip of his tail over to the side of the enclosure! I have no idea why. He lives alone, sheds perfectly, eats great, very active and curious, and has always been perfectly healthy. Temps and everything are fine. He doesn't seem affected by it, he didn't even flinch when I touched the tip where it broke off. Has anyone EVER heard of this? This is reaching a little, but what I think MAY have happened is that he was digging over by his hidebox (just a lightweight upside down potting plant, see pic) and it caved in on the tip of the tail, he got scared and dropped it?!? This seems highly unlikely, but I have never heard of anything like this any where. I know they drop their tails, but I always figured you had to really upset them and grab them by the tail or something. Also, I would figure they would drop a large portion, not just the tip. Any info will be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks for your time.
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-Bill

1.0.0 Albino California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Colombian Red Tail Boa
0.0.1 Axolotl Salamander
0.0.1 Red Flame Crested Gecko
0.0.1 Argentine Black and White Tegu

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BoidsNTegus@insightbb.com

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-Bill

1.0.0 Albino California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Colombian Red Tail Boa
0.0.1 Axolotl Salamander
0.0.1 Red Flame Crested Gecko
0.0.1 Argentine Black and White Tegu

My Home Page

BoidsNTegus@insightbb.com

It happened to me too. But I think it broke off (I didn't know Tegus actually dropped their tails). When my female Columbian was smaller, I housed her in a cage that was too short. She did alot of climbing on the screen top. I think she fell one to many times and snaped it off. That was 8 years ago, and she is fine, with regrown tail (without pattern). Something good did come out of the experience though - I now house all my tegus in appropriate housing.

Well, he's in a 5'x3' home right now, so it should be plenty big enough. I've only seen him climb 1-2 times, and never on the screen top (there is no way for him to get high enough). Maybe it did break, and not get dropped. Tegus do have fracture plates in their tales, unlike monitor lizards. I just always figured it would take some kind of trauma for them to drop, but then again I was not home at the time and I have no idea how it happened.
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-Bill

1.0.0 Albino California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Colombian Red Tail Boa
0.0.1 Axolotl Salamander
0.0.1 Red Flame Crested Gecko
0.0.1 Argentine Black and White Tegu

My Home Page

BoidsNTegus@insightbb.com

What is your hide made of? Plastic or pottery? You might make sure that you dig it down all the way to the floor, so if your little one digs, he can't tunnel under it. That way there is no way anything can fall on him. At least he seems none the worse for his adventure, whatever it was. I'm convinced that young lizards are just like young horses and young kids; if they can hurt themselves or get into trouble, they will!

Leslie

Sorry to hear that man, our are about the same size now,lol, is it possible he thought it was food and took a chomp at it? Just a guess. Take care.
Dan

I don't know the exact material it is made of, but it is light. I know even if the whole thing were to fall on him, he is strong enough to just crawl out. The one guys made a point, he may have climbed on top of it and fallen off, but I've seen him fall a couple of feet and be ok. I don't know, it just bothered me for a little while, but not any more because I believe these little critters have got to be tougher than we could ever imagine. After all, kids will be kids, right! =) Thanks for the concern by the way.
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-Bill

1.0.0 Albino California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Colombian Red Tail Boa
0.0.1 Axolotl Salamander
0.0.1 Red Flame Crested Gecko
0.0.1 Argentine Black and White Tegu

My Home Page

BoidsNTegus@insightbb.com