Weird tail problem ?????

ChristinaM · 11-25-03, 09:43 PM

I don't know what this is, or what do I do about it?

It appears to be dead skin....there's no feeling in it....do I just snip it off? It wasn't like this before....I don't know what could've happened.

very puzzled.

Fritz · 11-25-03, 10:03 PM

That looks like retained shed has cut of the circulation to that part of the tail. If it was a toe I'd be a little more concerned, but that will most likely just fall off and grow back. The good side is that when tails break that close to the tip, they usually look pretty good after they grow back.

Is there a humid hide in the tank?

Youkai · 11-25-03, 10:28 PM

Perhaps it's just the angle, but it almost looks like that leo is showing begining stages of metabolic bone disease. That front left leg looks soft in places it shouldn't be.

Improper shedding (which like Fritz said, cut the circulation off) is often a sign something else is wrong. It could be simple that there is no humid hide provided. But it can also be from other health issues.

ChristinaM · 11-25-03, 10:58 PM

ack. I hope not.

Yes there is a humid hide in the tank.
Calcium provided daily (there's a bowl of it in the tank at all times), feeders are dusted before being fed. I can't think of any reason for MBD....

Youkai · 11-25-03, 11:04 PM

Does the limb look funny to you at all?? It's hard to tell with just the one picture.

How long did it take for that to happen to the tail? Did you notice any retained skin from past sheds??

ChristinaM · 11-25-03, 11:22 PM

I will try and get some more pictures tommorrow, as well as doublecheck on the limb.

As for the tail....it happened within the last 36-48hrs or so. Sat. it was fine, normal tail. Sun was the show. Yesterday, I "think" it was normal. I can't see not noticing it.

Never any retained shed....her last shed was ummm, 2-3wks ago.

Youkai · 11-25-03, 11:34 PM

Is it possible she got in a fight with a cagemate? That could have caused such immediate damage.

In any case, for now I'd maybe put some polysporin on the wound, and keep her clean and also on her own.

And thanks for trying to take more pics, those are always helpful.

eyespy · 11-26-03, 12:16 AM

It could also be cricket bite wounds that caused it. Those guys can do a real number in a surprisingly short time.

Dani33 · 11-26-03, 12:19 AM

Youkai, the limb does seem a little weird. Like it's bending in two places. I hope that she is ok. Kepp us updated!

ChristinaM · 11-26-03, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by eyespy
It could also be cricket bite wounds that caused it. Those guys can do a real number in a surprisingly short time.

Cricket bites could cause that???????

Bartman · 11-26-03, 11:51 AM

Yea ive heard of people putting in crickets for feeding time and the ones that hied out come out at night and munch on anything they consider to be food. The do become canabalistic to eachother when they dont have food so maybe they got hungry for your leoparrd. Hope its nothing serious..keep us updated!

eyespy · 11-26-03, 12:30 PM

Yes, they sure can, and the bites often become infected because crickets carry a lot of bacteria in their mouths. If you suspect cricket bites a soak in diluted Betadine plus some triple antibiotic ointment is important to avoid a systemic infection.

sketchy4 · 11-26-03, 01:54 PM

whoa. ive never seen anything like that before. i think its most likley to be the shedding that caused that.

as for the leg, im not too sure. possibly fell off something in its enclosure and landed on it funny or broke it. does it walk funny on it? with the calcium supplement i dont think its mbd.