Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can anyone help me identify this fungus looking spot on my Iguana's tail? We rescued him from a person who wasn't taking very good care of it and we were wanting to know what to expect before we took him to a vet. The dead parts of it are starting to fall off and I can see the green coming back. It doesn't appear to be spreading (yet).

Thanks in advance!

-----
BB
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2.3 Normal Adult Ball Pythons
5.5 Normal Baby Ball Pythons
1.1 Pastel Ball Pythons
1.1 Het Orange Ghost Ball Pythons
1.0 Albino Ball Python
0.2 Het Albino Ball Pythons
1.0 Poss Het Pied Ball Python
0.2 Het Pied Ball Pythons
1.0 Cinnamon Ball Python
1.0 Butter Ball Python
1.1 Bearded Dragons

I should probably add that before we got him, he was found in Georgia during the winter. He had some frostbite and some other weather related damage. It's a wonder that he is still alive.
-----
BB
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2.3 Normal Adult Ball Pythons
5.5 Normal Baby Ball Pythons
1.1 Pastel Ball Pythons
1.1 Het Orange Ghost Ball Pythons
1.0 Albino Ball Python
0.2 Het Albino Ball Pythons
1.0 Poss Het Pied Ball Python
0.2 Het Pied Ball Pythons
1.0 Cinnamon Ball Python
1.0 Butter Ball Python
1.1 Bearded Dragons

I'm not an expert. However, in the November 2010 issue of Reptiles magazine there is a photo of an iguana whose tail looks identical to that one and it is explained as a visible part of a bad infection in the tail bone. That iguana required six months of treatment. Good luck.

Thanks for the info. We do plan on taking him to the vet as soon as we can scrape up some extra cash. His/her tail seems to have improved a little. The woman we got him from was feeding him lettuce, squash, pellets, and sometimes cheese. That was it. He also didn't get baths or have water in his cage to soak in. Since his diet has improved and he has water to soak in his tail does look a little better. I am so hoping that its not anything serious. Anyway, thanks again
-----
BB
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2.3 Normal Adult Ball Pythons
5.5 Normal Baby Ball Pythons
1.1 Pastel Ball Pythons
1.1 Het Orange Ghost Ball Pythons
1.0 Albino Ball Python
0.2 Het Albino Ball Pythons
1.0 Poss Het Pied Ball Python
0.2 Het Pied Ball Pythons
1.0 Cinnamon Ball Python
1.0 Butter Ball Python
1.1 Bearded Dragons

It could be crazy built up shed that has had time to form lymph fluid and then crust over like a scab/ scar tissue

Also it could be fungal, in which case you would need a fungal ointment and I couldnt tell u which would be safe for an iguana.

Best to take him to a vet, but you can also try warm water soaks, clean it with betadine and if it is build up shed, mineral oil may help relieve it.

Thank you for the advice. He has water in his cage to soak in and I catch him soaking his tail in it several times a day plus we have been soaking him in warm water. Some of the dead skin has started coming off. I hope that's a good sign. His tail definitely looks better than it did. Not a drastic improvement but enough for me to notice. We do plan on getting him to a vet in a couple weeks. Cash is a little tight right now. Seems like 50 emergencies pop up at once to take all the extra money I have lol.
-----
BB
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2.3 Normal Adult Ball Pythons
5.5 Normal Baby Ball Pythons
1.1 Pastel Ball Pythons
1.1 Het Orange Ghost Ball Pythons
1.0 Albino Ball Python
0.2 Het Albino Ball Pythons
1.0 Poss Het Pied Ball Python
0.2 Het Pied Ball Pythons
1.0 Cinnamon Ball Python
1.0 Butter Ball Python
1.1 Bearded Dragons

it looks like were the shed rubbed off or was removed before it was ready to come of and got infected or possibly got to close to a heat source and got burned . when the sluff is removed before it is ready it constantly Hertz and therefore they cant tell if it gets burned as it is all ready a pain source . at least that is what it looks like to me . of course it could just be a fungal infection , but it is a infection of some kind . David of DS Reptile Rescue ,Removal & Rehabilitation