Is this Tail Rot?

Hello Everyone -

My first time posting and I appreciate your feedback, in advance!

Thomas, our beardie, is almost 8 years old - we've had him since he was 2 months old.

When he was a hatchling his tail caught in the cage top which caused the little kink at the end which he's always had and it's always been slightly darker than the rest of his tail.

Yesterday we returned from vacation and noticed the almost 2 inches at the bottom of his tail were very dark. His cage was very hot - we didn't have the air conditioning on and his cage was much hotter than usual. We did turn one of his heat lamps off. He doesn't seem stressed, is eating and pooping normally, etc. His tail has not been injured in any way that we know of.

We are treating with Betadine soaks and Neosporin twice a day and have an email out to the vet and will take him in if necessary on Monday.

Wondering if you think this is tail rot?

Thank you very much for your help - we're worried!

Caren

Bumping - Please help!

Hi there,

It doesn't necessarily look like tail rot. Does he get bothered when you touch it? If you try to move it or bend it does it feel stiff?

I know my boys tail on the tip will go a darker colour if he is excited or stressed.

However, the picture you posted does not really show any signs of tail rot. The colouring can be a bit concerning to an owner I can definitely understand that. But with tail rot the actual appendage will begin to literally - rot - and will start showing signs of necrosis.

Sometimes the tips of their tails just become darker for whatever reason. I would wait a little while and just see if you observe any changes.

I would stop with the neosporin as it has ingredients in it that can damage their scales. Try some raw / organic coconut oil if you have any but like I said it doesnt seem like tail rot to me.

Best of luck.

Kaylee

Thank you Kaylee! No, doesn’t seem stressed at all or bothered when we touch it. I haven’t tried bending it bc I’m so worried to upset him! It’s just odd that it’s been dark for 2 days now. Is that normal? This has never happened before and he’s almost 8!

You can continue with the betadine soaks - that will not harm him. Only submerge the tip of his tail though.

In the last picture when he is outside looks completely normal to me. Perhaps it's just the lighting that is making it look different?

The only way to know for sure if it is tail rot is to go to an experienced reptile vet. They would be able to determine signs of infection through a blood test.

Most of the time tail rot only occurs in reptiles that have sustained injury to that area. Other times tail rot can be attributed to poor calcium intake or poor UVB exposure.

What type of UVB do you currently have on him? And what is his calcium schedule like?

Considering the fact that he is 8 years old and this just started happening I would say that it is not tail rot since obviously he has been well taken care of up to this point.

Your boys tail looks a lot like mine. The little kink and everything. That's exactly how my boys tail looks lol. Sometimes I think we just tend to over analyze things.

If he is not showing any signs of stress or injury then I wouldn't worry so much. If it makes you feel better you can certainly bring him into the vet but dont let them prescribe you any meds or antibiotics unless they run a full blood panel to confirm an infection. Otherwise - the antibiotics could make him ill if there is actually nothing wrong with him.

Try giving him a bath in warm water and see if that changes the colouring of his tail at all. Sometimes a change in temperature can alter the coloration of their scales.

Kaylee.

Thanks again Kaylee. We have one of those long UV bulbs and I change them every 6 months. He doesn’t eat every day but whenever he does I put calcium powder and a separate vitamin powder in with his veggies.

Today he is the same. Continuing the soaks. I emailed the vet and will follow up tomorrow if I don’t hear back. May take him in if he thinks it’s necessary. We have a great local vet who is really knowledgeable about reptiles.

We have another beardie in a separate cage/room - they never see each other. That beardie almost never gets black. It’s just strange it’s going on for 3 days now so that’s why we’re concerned. He’s acting his normal self otherwise. I’m hoping it’s nothing! Praying the tail just maybe needs to shed and will start shedding soon if this is the issue!

Thanks again- you really put my mind at ease. We love him so much - you understand as a beardie owner yourself!

Caren

Hi Caren,

No worries. I know how much they can mean to you and they do certainly know how to worry us! My boy worries me every day in one way or another lol!

That's great you have an experienced reptile vet in your area. I was lucky enough to find a reputable one for my boy as well - although it is a 45 minute drive from where I live! But we will do anything necessary for our babies.

Have you tried shining a light on his tail? Sometimes, when the shed is first starting out, it can make the scales appear darker (especially on the tail area). My boy has always had a heck of a time shedding the tip of his tail for some reason and when he is about to shed that area I do notice the tip getting darker. If you shine a light on it you should be able to see the surface layer of the shed on top of his scales.

I went through a phase where I swore my boy's tail was turning black just like you are describing. Worried the soul out of me. About a week later I noticed he was beginning to shed that area and once he finally did - his tail colouring went back to normal! Like I said, my boy (Malakai) has had issues shedding in the past and a lot of his sheds do become retained so I need to help them along with daily soaks and some good old coconut oil. It takes some time - but eventually it sheds off.

Best of luck and keep me updated on your baby.

Kaylee.

Thanks Kaylee - I tried the flashlight- I honestly think the black is just on the top of the tail. It’s not on the back of the tail and doesn’t appear to be through the tail - just on the surface. So we’re continuing with soaking it. I think it might be getting a little lighter - hopefully that’s not my imagination! When I bring him outside in the sun it looks a lot lighter. Thanks for your feedback and for putting my mind at ease a whole lot!

Hi Caren,

How is your baby doing? Is the tail looking any different?