Strange tail happenings:(

[WilliamTheLeopardGecko]

It's great to be back online! I was waiting for days to ask this question, Google wasn't much help...
So anyway I'm pretty sure a cricket bit Oliver's tail, and a scab formed on the tail, I put neosporin on it daily. After his newest shed the scab came off, and it was looking better. I continued to use the neosporin on his tail, and everything went fine for a few days. The on Saturday, I was holding him at evening time, like I always do. Suddenly his tail started twitching against my hand, I looked at it, and decided it was no big deal, Oliver was just being silly lol. A few minutes later I took a closer look and saw something horrible.
(It is hard to describe, so I will try to make sense.)
Part of his skin in the middle was cracked, only a tiny bit, and was bleeding, I also saw his tail in the middle lopsided, like he was trying to drop that part of his tail. I immediately started freaking out and crying, like many 10 year old girls do, when their animal is hurt.
So to sum up:
His tail is unattached in the middle part, and it's causing him pain.
My questions are:
How do I get it off?
If not, how do I heal it?
Is this causing him pain?
Please give me some advice!!!
Julie

 

[Lindz0518]

I have never had to deal with any of my geckos having an injured tail. I wouldn't do anything to try to get it off, if he's going to drop it then there is nothing you can do. I have read on here that you just continue to put antibiotic ointment on it. I hope someone with better advice then me. Sorry I am not much help.

 

[Jordycakes]

Sounds like a one way visit to the vet they will know what to do! hope all goes well!

 

[WilliamTheLeopardGecko]

I don't care if he drops his tail, I'm just worried about an infection happening, and I forgot to mention that cleaned his tank and put only his hide and his humid hide, no decor in there, for fear of snagging his tail on something. Yesterday he only ate one meal worm, and refused a wax worm. Today I will feed him some more mealies. The only good thing about this is he's drinking more water. I may take him to the vet, but I would like to try a home remedy first, and I don't want to amputate it all.

 

[katie_]

Sounds like maybe he was trying to drop it when you were handling him. How often and how long to do you handle him? Do you squeeze him or do you let him wander across your hands at his own will?
I would discontinue the neosporin. The antibiotic properties are so small , its a useless product. Let it air heal. Ointment keeps it from drying out.

 

[WilliamTheLeopardGecko]

Sounds like maybe he was trying to drop it when you were handling him. How often and how long to do you handle him? Do you squeeze him or do you let him wander across your hands at his own will?
I would discontinue the neosporin. The antibiotic properties are so small , its a useless product. Let it air heal. Ointment keeps it from drying out.

I never squeeze him. And when he wanted to "drop his tail" I was not squeezing him at all.

 

[fuzzballofdoom9]

You know, i had a baby leo do this to me once, i was having to rescue him from sand impaction and doing warm baths and baby food dinners daily. One day i went to care for him and he "halfway dropped" the end of his tail overnight. I think he scared himself shedding or something. The best thing i could think to tell you is just leave it alone. Keep his tank clean and monitor his intake and output of foods, normally you should only worry if he isnt eating at all. My baby Shoebox's tail healed up fine without any treatment. He dropped the part that was bugging him and kept the good part. He looks sorta silly now because where the tail "dropped" his body started growing a new tail, so he has two tail tips. But perfectly healthy. Eats like champ.


Just my 2 cents. <3 good luck to you both.

 

[sausage]

I would say leave him alone for a while. no contact whats so ever its clear that he is stressed out at the moment. and stop using the spray.
If your lucky it might just be a cut on the surface which will begin to scab and heal.
If theres no improvement then he has to see a vet to determine the damage to the tail and they will tell you what needs to be done.

 

[DrCarrotTail]

I don't handle my geckos much before they're 40 grams or so to prevent issues like this from arising. You don't have to be doing anything wrong for a hatchling to drop its tail. Its an instinct, they do it if they feel threatened in order to escape whatever the threat is (real or perceived) with their lives intact while whatever was threatening is occupied with the tail. The smaller they are the more prone to feeling threatened they are since they are lower down the food chain. Tails can drop or geckos can freak out for lots of reasons. For example, if your mom comes in the room, a bird flies by, the lights flash, there are millions of everyday occurrences a baby may feel threatened by. Sorry to say but the more you handle a hatchling the greater the chance that they'll get hurt.

I would agree that if his tail doesn't look 100% you'll need to see a vet to determine what would be best. Letting the cut dry out and heal without treating it everyday with OTC meds would be best. They're hardy resistant buggers.

Best of luck!

 

[WilliamTheLeopardGecko]

What spray?
BTW I'm pretty sure Ollie is a not a baby, he's really big. Thanks for the advice!

 

[katie_]

The picture you posted of him with his belly, he is still a baby.

 

[SC Geckos]

BTW I'm pretty sure Ollie is a not a baby, he's really big.

I agree with Katie. From the looks of the picture you posted in the thread on sexing, That is a pretty young gecko. Im guessing just a couple months old.

 

[WilliamTheLeopardGecko]

Yeah I thought he was only a few months old too... I thought that was classified as juvenile. Thank you for informing me.

 

[chastity]

can you take any pictures of him? i wouldn't hold him while he's trying to heal, but i hope his little tail gets better!

 

[WilliamTheLeopardGecko]

can you take any pictures of him? i wouldn't hold him while he's trying to heal, but i hope his little tail gets better!

I took pics of his tail a few days ago. Here:
That bump in his tail is the part of his tail I'm worried about.

 

[SC Geckos]

I took pics of his tail a few days ago.
That bump in his tail is the part of his tail I'm worried about.

I would also be worried about the tip of his tail. Perhaps its just me but the end of that geckos tail looks to be badly chewed up.
Do you leave crickets in the geckos enclosure?
You either need to monitor his feeding and remove any and all crickets that are not eaten or switch to a different feeder like mealworms put in a bowl. (JMO)

 

[WilliamTheLeopardGecko]

I would also be worried about the tip of his tail. Perhaps its just me but the end of that geckos tail looks to be badly chewed up.
Do you leave crickets in the geckos enclosure?
You either need to monitor his feeding and remove any and all crickets that are not eaten or switch to a different feeder like mealworms put in a bowl. (JMO)

Yeah it's chewed up. I know about the crickets, I switched to mealworms a few days ago.

 

[sausage]

I meant stop using the neosporin

 

[WilliamTheLeopardGecko]

I meant stop using the neosporin

Oh. Thank you for clearing that up.

 

[SORROW89]

Picture is kind of blurred. It just looks like the tail in bent in the center. He never dropped it right?