Injured Tail

[GeorgeMiechael]

Hi All,

New here! I just check on my dude and they were just chilling in their usual spot under the lamp. Well, the tail was wedged between to vines. I freed him/her and they moved around. He/She eats a TON and is very healthy otherwise, but the tail looks significantly atrophied to me.... Advice?

Also don't know sex yet, so attached a pic in case someone wants to tell me!

 

[GeorgeMiechael]

Should have also stated:
Panther
~ 2months old

 

[Millz&Jukka]

I'm not sure but definitely looks like a vet visit is needed, it looks like it's about to fall off in the first picture but could be the angle.

 

[GeorgeMiechael]

Here is another pic

 

[Millz&Jukka]

Here is another pic

It's hard to tell from pictures but to me it looks almost like it's been skinned to the bone or has its circulation cut off by stuck shed and is dying... its not an open wound right?? Please tell me my phone is just not formatting the image well, but regardless this certainly looks like one for a vet

 

[Beman]

Looks like a male to me off the size of its tail base...

But you need a vet that knows reptiles... This could potentially cause major issues. The end is necrotic and dying off. if it continues to move up the tail is where the concern is. Check this link to see if you have anyone near you https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661

 

[Millz&Jukka]

Hi All,

New here! I just check on my dude and they were just chilling in their usual spot under the lamp. Well, the tail was wedged between to vines. I freed him/her and they moved around. He/She eats a TON and is very healthy otherwise, but the tail looks significantly atrophied to me.... Advice?

Also don't know sex yet, so attached a pic in case someone wants to tell me!

I've just re-read the post and thought I'd add that this will not be as a result of the tail being wedged between 2 vines, things like this happen over long periods of time. This seems like stuck shed or loss of blood flow to me but it's definitely a medical emergency, book an emergency vet appointment with a vet who has experience with chams

 

[GeorgeMiechael]

Went to the vet, she gave antibiotics and said the tail will fall off naturally and if it doesn't they will remove the end. Just hoping its not any larger of a chunk

She is clearly out of sorts now, still eating regularly, but the tail is fairly extended and rarely curled up. Giving antibiotics to a 2 month old chamelon is not fun...

 

[Beman]

Went to the vet, she gave antibiotics and said the tail will fall off naturally and if it doesn't they will remove the end. Just hoping its not any larger of a chunk

She is clearly out of sorts now, still eating regularly, but the tail is fairly extended and rarely curled up. Giving antibiotics to a 2 month old chamelon is not fun...

Did they show you how to properly give the antibiotics? Sometimes you can inject it into a feeder if the cham is eating without issue.

 

[kinyonga]

Hope it will be ok.

Keep an eye on it that the necrosis doesn't continue to move up the tail. As @Beman said...that will be a concern.

 

[GeorgeMiechael]

Yea, I am watching very closely.

Nope, just to basically piss her off until she opens her mouth and squirt it into the side... The feeder options sounds much easier and I thought about that too, just didn't want to ignore the vet!

 

[Beman]

Yea, I am watching very closely.

Nope, just to basically piss her off until she opens her mouth and squirt it into the side... The feeder options sounds much easier and I thought about that too, just didn't want to ignore the vet!

So it is important to squirt it towards the back of the mouth. Their airway is in the front so if your just squirting in the front you can aspirate them http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/2014/05/how-to-give-different-medicines.html

 

[Millz&Jukka]

Also you should probably do a husbandry review to check that nothing in your husbandry cause the necrosis of the tail if you can

 

[kinyonga]

You said..."just to basically piss her off until she opens her mouth and squirt it into the side"... I would say don't SQUIRT it in ..ease it in to give your chameleon time to deal with it.

 

[GeorgeMiechael]

Thanks everyone. She seems ok (eating, playful etc). I rearranged the cage a bit to provide sturdy sticks in her basking spot as opposed to weaker leaves. The tail still hasn't improved and I suspect the dead portion will fall off. My major concern now is that I have seen her fall three times since the tail was injured and she keeps it mostly fully extended and rarely curls it up anymore.

 

[Lindasjackson]

I wonder why she keeps falling. That’s not normal.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi. The falling is concerning. Can you post a pic of your entire enclosure, including the lights?

 

[Millz&Jukka]

I wonder why she keeps falling. That’s not normal.

Could it be some sort of infection from the tail spreading and causing neurological issues? That's the only thing I can think of as it sounds related to the tail but also neurological

 

[GeorgeMiechael]

I intend to convert to a live terrarium when she(?) gets a bit bigger. Likely another month or so. Haven’t seen her(?) fall since I last posted and the dead part of the tail fell off. She seems fine now I guess

 

[Lindasjackson]

I’m glad she’s doing better and not falling any more. It would be good if you could take out the wood chips in the bottom of her cage and replace the fake plants with real ones. She will appreciate it to. The bark chips just trap moisture and can grow bacteria which isn’t good for her and chams just prefer real plants over fake. It helps with humidity as well.