Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I purchased an adult female dragon a few months ago. I noticed when she arrived that her tail was blackish and didn't look quite right. Last night I gave her a good look-see and the bottom 1/2 of her tail is dying. A bit of redness then blackish skin down to the bottom 1/3 that is black, dried out and hard as a dried up twig.

I'll be calling the vet tomorrow or Tuesday to get an appointment. Any opinions out there on what this can be? I'm sure I will, at a minimum have to have some amputation done. Any diseases that cause the tail to whither and die?

Here's a pic of her tail

Another pic of her tail. I also noticed her tail makes a crunchy sound when gently squeezed.

I will be taking her to the vet, but our reptile vet only works a few days a week.

What happen to it tail? it looked like it got salami cut deli style.

A vet appointment is a good thing to get as soon as possible. The tail deffinitely looks infected and dying off near the tip. This can be caused by several things. Skin not shedding off the tail tip properly, can cut blood circulation causing the tail to die off. Injuries to the tail (bites from other dragons, damage from cage decore falling or pinching the dragon, cricket bites (this is more likely if the tail was bit or injured before hand, giving the crickets access to non scaled covered areas).

Till you see your vet, I suggest moving the dragon onto papertowel to prevent sand etc from sticking onto the tail. Give the dragon a soak and gently wash the tail with a milk non perfumed soap (very dilute) or a diluted beradine solution. The soak will also help loosen any unshed skin off the tail and dead parts may fall off. After the bath, apply neosporin (or other antibiotic ointments lacking any pain killers) to the affected areas of the tail. This will help kill bacteria. Your vet should do bloodwork to get a better ideal how intensive the infection is, and may prescribe anti-biotic injections to fight the infection from the inside.
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PHLdyPayne

Thanks a bunch for your help! I will be placing her in a clean quarantine until I can get her to the vet. I did slather Neosporin on her tail after her bath last night. She was in with my Male, so he could have taken some nips at her tail. She is quite bossy and usually doesn't take any crap from him. She is usually laying on his head when I check on them. Poor whipped fella! lol She may be gravid as well...

I do believe this tail problem started well before I received her, as her tail just wasn't quite right when I first got her. Will let you know what the vet says and does.

argh! What is the deal with the lack of reptile vets. There were two near me and now there are none. Back to my 80 mile drive for my reptile vet care. I'm trying to talk my DD into becoming a reptile vet so I can get free reptile care. I might as well get some kind of benefit for paying her way through college.

Pumpkin will be going to the vet today for her tail issues. She is not happy being in "clean quarantine" and is giving me the evil eye. I guess it is better than the "I'm gonna bite you" mouth gape that she used to give me. lol

quick update on my Dragon with the tail problems. The vet amputated the lower 2/3 of her tail and she is doing great. She is not to happy taking her antibiotics, but is looking and acting much better.