Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Greetings;

I have fallen heir to a 2007 baby Spotted who has a seriously bent tail. The last 1/4 inch or so of his caudel appendage is bent at about 45deg to where it should be causing him to look somewhat like an earring. This seems to have been a deformation from the egg and not an injury. He otherwise seems normal and appears to be thriving. I have gently tried to flex the bent portion but it isnt moving without something snapping.

I am wondering if it would be best to just go ahead and snip it off at the bend while he is small or let well enough alone for now? My inclination it to reach for the scissors and the superglue but the wife thinks that we should just let him alone.

Anyone have thoughts or seen this before?

Peter

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Peter and Sara
Beouf River Reptiles

So long as it's healthy tissue, I'd leave it alone. I've seen a trend with box turtles with persistent prolapses - most of them had bent tails. Which leads to the question, did nerve damage from the bent tail extend all the way to the cloaca?

Katrina
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0.1 Iguana - Tiffel
1.2 Eastern Mud Turtles - Fred, Ethel, Edith
0.0.1 Giant Mex. Musk Turtle
Foster turtles: More than I'd like the husband to know about.

I've seen both in the wild with bent tails as babies but I have never run into an adult. That's a good question about the corrolation to the bent tail and prolapse, perhaps that is why I havn't seen an adult with a bent tail...