Tail rot problem??

i just bought a pair of veild's about 3 weeks ago from the REPTILE SUPER SHOW in Pomona...

Bought them from FLCHAMS vendor booth, and just about a week ago (two weeks after i bought them) my MALE chameleon started to show a little tail rot at the tip of his tail.

i did some research and people say that it might fall off... although there is a risk of it spreading, i do understand, but to take him to the vet is going to coast me over 100 bucks....

it has been on the tip of his tail for about two weeks, and does NOT seem to be spreading nor does it seem to be getting any better.... i was going to just wait it out until his next shed and hope for it to come off....????

does anyone have any other suggestions??

Take him to the vet anyways.. no matter what it will cost.
Better to be safe then sorry..

My first chameleon lost his tail, I took him to the vet, but he died 4 days later.
So be smart take him to the vet.

Can you post a couple pictures?
Would you complete the "how to ask for help" information - this will help us help you.

IMO, A hundred bucks shouldnt be a barrier. If it is, you really ought not to be a pet owner. Being responsible for a living creature means taking it to the vet when it is necessary.

ok well i just dont want to take him to the vet and pay 100 bucks for them to just snip his tail and put some blood stopping powder on it. Because to me that is not worth 100+ dollars if i can find the powder and research how to do it myself...or any other suggestion of a way i can treat my baby myself??

keep in mind i have had him for about a month and he has had the rot for like 2 weeks and it has not gotten ANY worse. i know that for a fact because i have been measuring it. haha but please help out if you guys know any other way to go about this problem rather than the vet....

also, WHat is the cause of this...? i understand it has to do with a shedding problem but what caused the problem to begin with?? low humidity? high temps?? what am i doing wrong??


i will post pictures later on tonight. thanks for the time guys!! your help is appricated!

ok well i just dont want to take him to the vet and pay 100 bucks for them to just snip his tail and put some blood stopping powder on it. Because to me that is not worth 100+ dollars if i can find the powder and research how to do it myself...or any other suggestion of a way i can treat my baby myself??

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Dont do it yourself, surgery without anesthesia is cruel and inhumane, period. Pay the $100 bucks you tightwad ! If you cant afford that, you cant aford the cham.
Cheap and Nasty

also, WHat is the cause of this...? i understand it has to do with a shedding problem but what caused the problem to begin with?? low humidity? high temps?? what am i doing wrong??

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plain old poor husbandry and ignorance, lack of research. My educated Guess: It failed to shed the skin of its tail tip, perhaps several times, you failed to notice and the old skin tightened around the tail tip constricting the bloodflow and causing tissue death.

Jojackson she/he's coming here for help, not to get yelled at, are you trying to scare people away? ( I know for a fact if I received that sort of reply on a thread of mine I would NOT come back).

Anyways. I would take it to the vet, even if it costs 100$. If you say it's not bugging him, maybe it's something that will shed off? You haven't shown us pictures so there's not much we can tell you.

By the way, how do you KNOW it's a shedding problem?

I can understand not wanting to spend money... but if that's something that could potentially be fatal for him, you should at least CALL the vet.

I don't know if it's helpful to tell this story, but when I was young my mom amputated our gerbil's tail (for a similar reason, I think) and the vet/doctor told her how to do it (since he knew it'd be cheeper to do it herself). The gerbil was obviously much happier after that.

BUT. That was a mammal, not a solitary, easily stressed reptilian species. At least call the vet, see if there are ANY alternatives. And if you're still willing to attempt it yourself, see if the vet even recommends it or knows of a way to numb the tail, etc. But even if there's no pain it may still stress him out, and THAT would be just as bad.

See what the vet says. Phone calls are free. Good luck!

But yes, please take some pictures. It can only help.

By the way, how do you KNOW it's a shedding problem?

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He /she dosent, though my scenario is very likely and the most common cause of tailtip problems in any lizard or snake. A festering wound/infection may also be the cause but the poster dosent mention one. Ok.

yes, a good clear pic or two can help determin possible cause, but only a vet can help your cham, if , as you think, the tip needs amputating.

Then I suppose we shall see in a picture once one is posted, but PLEASE you should be a bit less cruel and more caring for the sake of keeping people on the forums.

Point taken, But im direct and to the point, Because I care, more about the animals themselves than the membership of a forum, or the feelings of somebody who wants to butcher his cham at home to save $100

I agree dont buy an animal if you cant afford everything for it. Vet bills are sometimes included with animals.

SYeretzian said:

I agree dont buy an animal if you cant afford everything for it. Vet bills are sometimes included with animals.

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Or to be more precise: vet bills are ALWAYS included with animals.

Syns Quote: --Then I suppose we shall see in a picture once one is posted, but PLEASE you should be a bit less cruel and more caring for the sake of keeping people on the forums.----

Syn - Im with ya on this one, actually the only reason I pay attention to this site is. I found a place where I see Chameleon lovers helping Chameleon lovers. and I must say Ive been Pro Chameleon for over 13 years. They are an inticate species and need to be treated as such, with alot of dedication time and money involved. I feel a site like this is to help! and thats what we are all to do.
Anyone comming here for help should get at least respect. That they have come here for that reason & that they care for their new pet. Even if it is something they purchased that is over their head in up keep!!! Problem is there are to many so called Chameleon shufflers, passing on the species without educating the proper care and expence of owning this amazing creature! Go bash the dealers, & Chameleon pushers not the ones comming here for help. Enough said.

And Jojackson, Thanks for editing your threads, and cleaning up your wording. Now anyone reading wont understand why we responded so seriously, but I will leave mine the same. Anyhow lets stay clean and help each other in educating the overall experience of Owning and Raising Chameleons.

PS : i have owned about 5 chamaeleons in my life, I have spent well over 500 bucks at the vet before - trust me im not afraid to give these animals all my time, love, and care.

Im sorry if you guys took it the wrong way, i will spend 100 bucks no problem but I would totally like to try some things myself while its not spreading and it is obviously not life threatening at this point.

Plus i can tell he is not in pain nor is he irritated.

Thank you guys all so much for the help and i hope i can get some more feed back with these pictures.

ill put more pics up if you guys need -

As of now im mainly concerned as to WHY this happen in the first place so i can avoid it from happening to my other chams.

thanks alot!!

As of now im mainly concerned as to WHY this happen in the first place so i can avoid it from happening to my other chams

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As I said, it looks a lot like its failed to shed the tip of the tail, since chams spend a lot of time with the tail wrapped around something, or rolled up sleeping, its been overlooked. over time, usually several sheds, the unsloughed off skin drys out and shrinks, hence becoming tighter and cutting off blood flow to the tail tip, the tissues then die off due the lack of circulation/oxygen and turn black or hard or both.

Observe your cham closely for 10 minutes each day, inspecting for such problems, differences in appearance/behaviour etc so that you always catch problems at the earliest.

This problem is circumvented by daily observation and ensuring sufficient/extra humidity during its shedding period. Also ensure branches are suitably rough to allow it to scrape off dead skin.
If its still stuck, a gentle stroking of the tail tip between your fingers wiith a moist terrytowling cloth can help remove that last bit of tail tip skin. mist the tail more, whatever is nessesary.

A larger closure pic of the tail tip might reveal more. Another possibility you must eliminate, is that its caught its tail somewhere causing damage? Again, daily observation
will ensure you notice such things.

Please take the animal to the vet anyway (good excuse to show off your cham), It may not require surgery but perhaps ointment etc??? Your vet may not charge you for more than consultation, either way, youll know exactly how to deal with it.

When you look very closely, is the dodgy bit raw? bleeding? or just black? does touching it cause indication of pain? does it use the tail normally?

'tail-rot' is a rather dodgy diagnosis, im sure tails dont rot for no reason, this leaves tissue damage from unshed skin, or physical damage/infection as possible causes.
if its infection, the animal may need some form of antibiotic and your vet will be able to give you specific instruction on any special recovery period care.

sorry if im not as soft and lovey as folk seem to expect, I am a guy.
good luck with it ok. I do hope it turns out ok and heals and your pet thrives.
cheers

Howdy Justin,

While there are certainly other possibilities for the tail problem, here's a few links to previous posts discussing tail tip rot. You'll see one theme is lack of vitamin A. Further in that thread is another post that discusses dosages. Be careful not to overdose if you choose to use vitamin A.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/help-my-chameleons-tail-11481/

In the same thread where vitamin A dosages are discussed:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/help-my-chameleons-tail-11481/#post91527

From another thread about tail tip rot:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/help-my-chameleons-tail-11481/#post91527

From another thread about tail tip rot:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/help-12564/#post101854

Very Informative Dave, What would be cause of deficiency of vit A in the normal diet?
Foods containing something the blocks absorbtion? insufficient uv of correct lengths (A & B) ?
Id like to read further on this.

jojackson said:

Very Informative Dave, What would be cause of deficiency of vit A in the normal diet?
Foods containing something the blocks absorbtion? insufficient uv of correct lengths (A & B) ?
Id like to read further on this.

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Some believe chameleons dont convert beta carotene into vitamin A. Depending what their prey is, and what the prey eats, there may or may not be vitamin A getting into the chameleon through diet.I personally do not suggest directly providing Vitamin A to a chameleon, but a little getting to them indirectly through prey is likely okay. Be wary of providing too much vitamin A.
I've referred back to these threads several times regarding Vitamin A.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/food-thought-12472/index2.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20060502...rnals.com/vet/index.php?show=5.Vitamin.A.html