# Tail rot?



## Moody (May 7, 2017)

Something g is wrong with Balthazar, this was not there the day before yesterday.. I think the tip of his tail got caught now it's gone. I feel horrible.. But I'm worried this could be tail rot, the tip was white and obviously it's gone now and capped off.. I believe it may have gotten closed in the enclosure door. His enclosure is 95 degrees, I have a humidifier in there but I turn over the mulch every day so it's not moist to prevent any scale rot from occurring. The picture is blown up, you can't really see it that close just looking. Should I take him to the vet? I'm a new tegu owner, I feel awful about it and I'm a nervous mommy.


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## Walter1 (May 7, 2017)

Pour Hydrogen peroxide on it, watch it fizz, do, again. Dry and add neosporin. 

Enclosure should have a thermal gradient running from a 110-115f basking spot, Mid-80s f middle, and a hide at rhe other end of mid-upper 70s f.


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## Moody (May 7, 2017)

Thank you so much, his basking spot was actually 105 but I got out the old temperature gauge and lowered his lights a bit, it got up to 112. The middle is 85 and the other end where he hides is 76. I go in every day when I feed him and turn over the mulch so that it doesn't get moist underneath due to the humidifier, and he doesn't relieve himself anywhere but the water bowl that I have found. I sent the pic to my vet and she told me to do the same thing with peroxide and neosporin that you did (not that I didn't trust you I'm a nervous mommy)  and watch it if it isn't better by or continues to look worse bring him in Thursday. I feel terrible I went to shut his cage and I thought he was clear, I didn't think and he didn't act like I caught the tip in the hinge but I opened it back up just to be safe, and moved his tail, I know that is when it happened.  I feel so bad.. He's so sweet. PS.. I don't leave the thermometer in there I'm scared he will eat it, I read a forum on here about one eating a thermometer. I have added pics of his enclosure it's 6'x3'x3' when he gets bigger we are planning on letting him free roam. He really isn't in there that much when I'm home because he likes to cuddle up under my neck and wrap himself around my neck and I feel like I need to enjoy it while he's still small. He seems to enjoy my company most days... Anyways here is the set up any advice appreciated!


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## Walter1 (May 7, 2017)

Moody said:


> Thank you so much, his basking spot was actually 105 but I got out the old temperature gauge and lowered his lights a bit, it got up to 112. The middle is 85 and the other end where he hides is 76. I go in every day when I feed him and turn over the mulch so that it doesn't get moist underneath due to the humidifier, and he doesn't relieve himself anywhere but the water bowl that I have found. I sent the pic to my vet and she told me to do the same thing with peroxide and neosporin that you did (not that I didn't trust you I'm a nervous mommy)  and watch it if it isn't better by or continues to look worse bring him in Thursday. I feel terrible I went to shut his cage and I thought he was clear, I didn't think and he didn't act like I caught the tip in the hinge but I opened it back up just to be safe, and moved his tail, I know that is when it happened.  I feel so bad.. He's so sweet. PS.. I don't leave the thermometer in there I'm scared he will eat it, I read a forum on here about one eating a thermometer. I have added pics of his enclosure it's 6'x3'x3' when he gets bigger we are planning on letting him free roam. He really isn't in there that much when I'm home because he likes to cuddle up under my neck and wrap himself around my neck and I feel like I need to enjoy it while he's still small. He seems to enjoy my company most days... Anyways here is the set up any advice appreciated!
> 
> View attachment 11904 View attachment 11905


Don't beat yourself up. Could have learned a much harsher lesson!


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## Moody (May 7, 2017)

I know i just feel so bad cause he is so sweet. He has only hissed and tried to bite one time and that was the 1st day I had him, he doesn't even get pissy when I uncover him when he's hiding. He poses my hand with his nose until I pet him like a dog and when I feed him I do so by hand. When I first got him and was feeding he gingerly took the food out of my hand and I assumed he was just scared to death but he still takes it very slow from me, once he has it he chomps away but he's so sweet that I feel awful I hurt his little tail!  I just hope it gets better and they don't have to snip it off or anything.


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## dpjm (May 7, 2017)

I had a free roaming tegu for over 12 years. It was lots of fun but hell on the floors. Feel free to ask if you have any questions.


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## Moody (May 7, 2017)

Thanks! We have hardwood so I'm hoping if I keep his nails clipped I won't have too much of a problem.. If so it can always be refinished I guess and he only poops in his soaking water.. He doesn't relieve himself anywhere else that I have found. Fingers crossed lol pp


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## dpjm (May 8, 2017)

> he only poops in his soaking water.. He doesn't relieve himself anywhere else that I have found



Hopefully he will keep that up as a free roamer. Mine just went wherever.


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## Moody (May 8, 2017)

Oh wow. I hope so lol. I haven't actually seen him relieve himself I just find it.. Maybe he's shy ha ha


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## Trede (May 9, 2017)

Talia got a similar ouch on her tail from my previous roommate rolling over the tip with an office chair. Same advice from a vet, healed up nicely and now you can't even tell. 

YMMV, of course, but I had good luck with potty training my free roamer to go on puppy pads. When she went somewhere I didn't want her to, I'd make a point to move the offending stuff on to a puppy pad while she watched and show it to her, then I'd give her head rubs. I only had to "show" her like that a few times before she caught on (I also put the pads in her most likely places, so we compromise  ).


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## Moody (May 10, 2017)

Well here's an update on Balthazar, tail was looking worse and worse.. Took him to the vet he is there now, she just called they had to amputate part of his tail, but only like 1/2 inch or so, it was neurotic.. Good news is she said it wasn't my fault! She said it looks like he has a tiny spot on the very tip where it started, maybe he got nipped when he was in the wild or with other tegus. She said it would have taken longer than three weeks to spread that far so that made me feel better! I'm not a bad mommy! Good news is he's out of surgery, no parasites, and is recovering well. I can pick him up after 7 woo hoo!


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## Walter1 (May 10, 2017)

Moody said:


> View attachment 11908 Well here's an update on Balthazar, tail was looking worse and worse.. Took him to the vet he is there now, she just called they had to amputate part of his tail, but only like 1/2 inch or so, it was neurotic.. Good news is she said it wasn't my fault! She said it looks like he has a tiny spot on the very tip where it started, maybe he got nipped when he was in the wild or with other tegus. She said it would have taken longer than three weeks to spread that far so that made me feel better! I'm not a bad mommy! Good news is he's out of surgery, no parasites, and is recovering well. I can pick him up after 7 woo hoo!


That's great news. Problem solved.


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## Moody (May 10, 2017)

Yeah, she said it was caught early and wasn't infected because I had been cleaning it like you suggested, thanks btw! Good news is we have no parasites which surprised her from being wild caught.


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## Moody (May 10, 2017)

He got 2 stitches... Aww


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