“Stick tail” is a lay term for weight loss in leopard geckos and fat-tail geckos. Your pet will require emergency medical attention if it’s bleeding profusely. Once the cause is known, treatment will be prescribed accordingly. Mouth Rot/Infection. After soaking the affected area, flush the stump with more Betadine. Treatment for Stick Tail The treatment for stick tail disease is dependent on the actual cause. You can tell the tail is regenerated (even though it looks similar to the original tail) because of the lack of grooves (rings) around the bottom of the tail. But common illnesses and health problems are worth being aware of. Leopard geckos periodically shed the outer layer of skin called the epithelial skin. This gecko is right about to shed, it is difficult to tell but she is more pale than usual. Unibrow1994 via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain, You can compare it to a leopard gecko that has an original tail. They pull the skin off of their bodies with their mouth and eat it, possibly to gain the nutrients contained in the skin. Listed below are the signs that your leopard gecko will be showing if it is happy: A happy leopard gecko will show a willingness to be held and handled without any screaming or tail raising. Hopefully you never have to deal with any of these problems with your leopard gecko. This is great info for people thinking about lizards as pets. Change the soak if the water gets too cold or if the lizard urinated or defecated in the water. Tail rot in leopard geckos: this is a health condition where the tail tip of your leopard gecko starts to look dry, black, and skinnier than the rest of the tail. Warning: If a leopard gecko continues to have shedding problems and the gecko is provided with adequate temperatures and humidity and the problem persists, please contact the local reptile veterinarian immediately. Some skin infections, like stomatitis (AKA mouthrot) or other inflammations of the mouth will also require topical treatment. For proper humidity, one should provide their leopard gecko with a humidity hut (placed on the cooler side) with a coconut husk substrate or with vermiculite or sphagnum moss substrate (these types of substrate absorb and hold moisture). Also, close observation of the pet leopard gecko—including its fecal matter, level of activity, weight gain, and weight loss—will help identify and eliminate possible health problems that may be causing shedding issues. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Remove all contaminants that could infect the wound. The exposed bundle of muscle will fold over the bone. Of course, it’s equally important to observe certain things to ensure your pet recovers from a dropped tail without complications. When the two layers of skin begin to divide, the leopard gecko will become more pale and dull (and sometimes even change color slightly). When a gecko loses its tail, it loses its main source of fat storage and the gecko should be housed alone until the gecko regrows the tail and regains its strength and fat once again. The key to making sure that your leopard gecko successfully regenerates its tail is to keep the area clean and to keep the housing at an appropriate temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. After the tail has dropped, the leopard gecko's body goes into a state of rapid vasoconstriction to minimize blood loss and repair the dropped tail. If your gecko has lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time, it is imperative that you make an appointment with a qualified reptile veterinarian immediately. You can take your leopard gecko to a vet and they can put some topical ointment on them or give them some antibiotics. Tail loss is not only caused by predator attacks or improper handling but can also be an effect of intraspecies aggression. Finally, do not just grab your lizard carelessly. Intraspecies aggression is when the animal is attacked by a member of the same species. Philippe de Vosjoli, Roger Klingenberg, Ron Tremper, and Brian Viets. Eventually, new skin will start growing. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. If shedding problems are ignored and not quickly addressed, they can lead to many complications such as eye problems, loss of digits (toes), infections, and in severe cases, death. Tail Rot Treatment If your leopard gecko already has the signs of tail rot, then it's too late to put preventative measures in place. Retained skin constricts the blood flow and causes necrosis (dying) of the tail tip. Leopard geckos that have shedding problems tend to lose digits, become blind, and some can even die from the restriction it causes. Dysecdysis is not in itself a primary problem, but rather a sign of an underlying problem (Fig 1) (de la Navarre 2006). - Everything you need to know and more! BC, Canada on April 18, 2013: I wish I knew this a few years ago when my sons were into lizards and snakes as pets. Print. Just as most lizards do, leopard geckos will drop their tails if they feel threatened, stressed, or are grabbed by the tail when handled. It will literally use its own tail to distract predators. This tail loss tends to be more common in younger geckos. Note: If the tail did not break closely to the gecko’s body, you can treat the wound on your own. Because Stick Tail Disease has many potential culprits, the vet will need fecal and blood samples to determine the cause. Also, the temperature should be within the optimal range. Leopard gecko hatchlings average between 3 and 4 inches in length from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail. Evidence of a difficult shed or dysecdysis is commonly seen in debilitated snake and lizard patients. Tail rot or tail necrosis is common in pet crested geckos.However, it can also have devastating consequences if you leave it untreated. Once the tail has regrown, handle the gecko with care and observe the conditions that made the animal drop its tail so it can be avoided in the future. Without treatment, a crypto-infected leopard gecko continues to lose weight until it dies. One should always make sure the humidity hut always contains moisture and that the substrate is damp (but do not add too much water to it to prevent mildew and mold from growing). My 3 yr old leopard gecko has stick tail but I cannot get to a vet what can I do at home to help him. The stump will dry out and form a cap. The best way to prevent shedding issues (as stated above) is to provide the pet leopard gecko with adequate temperatures and humidity (especially during the shedding process). Tail Rot Ulcerative Stomatitis {Mouth Rot} Yellow Fungus . All reptiles shed their skin when they grow, and leopard geckos are no exception (although they do shed differently than snakes and other lizards). Do this each night for a week or as long as it takes for the open wound to heal over. Self Amputation. Besides seeking treatment for tail rot, you should also take your bearded dragon to the vet in the following instances 1) In the weeks leading up to brumation, 2) If they stop eating, 3) If they are defecating of vomiting blood, 4) Their skin is yellowish/ you believe them to have yellow fungus, & 5) For their yearly checkup and bloodwork. One of the reasons of tail tip thinning and rot is a problematic shedding on the tail or being bitten by cage mates. To promote proper healing and prevent complications, keep your pet’s cage clean. The main focus now should be to stop the rot traveling higher up the tail, while helping your gecko fight the tail rot and improve their health. This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Adult females are typically 7 to 8 inches, and males are 8 to 10 inches. Do you think you might have a sick leopard gecko? Let’s face it, the leopard gecko is not at the top of the food chain. Leopard geckos are ground dwelling, short-legged lizards. Do not put your pet gecko in any stressful situation as it heals from its wound. In today’s post, we are giving you tips on how to treat your leopard gecko in case of dropped tail: As soon as your lizard dropped its tail, soak the affected area in a mixture of Betadine and warm water. You should soak the creature for 15 to 20 minutes. It’s a small lizard … The twitching is meant to distract predators while the leopard gecko escapes from the jaws of death. We'll see you soon… Often, it is caused by an intestinal infection by Cryptosporidium varanae (formerly Cryptosporidium saurophilum).Other common causes are gastrointestinal infections of flagellated protozoa or Gram-negative bacteria. Leopard geckos have short, stubby toes, full, rounded bodies, and should have large, fat tails. The leopard gecko's mouth will swell up and/or it may develop bleeding gums. March 31, 2015 Once a leopard gecko drops it’s tail, the blood vessels in the tail constrict, leaving little to no blood at all in the opening. ‘ Stick tail’ is a generic description for a gecko that is losing body mass. Tags dropped gecko leopard pets tail treating, How to Treat a Leopard Gecko’s Dropped Tail, Factors to Consider Before Getting a Goldfish, Important Factors to Consider Before Getting a Pet Rabbit, 4 Common Worm Species to Get for Your Worm Farm, The Best and Worst Foods to Eat Before Bed, The Best Makeup Tricks for a Perfect Pout, 5 of the Best Tourist Attractions in Iceland, Hair Bleaching Done Right: How to Go from Dark to Platinum Blond Without Hair Damage. The gecko tail is an intriguing body part of the animal world. INTRODUCTION: About 1500 species of geckos exist in the world. But when the tail is not fat, it’s a sign that the gecko … The solution will inhibit bacterial growth and heal the open wound. In other words, when two leopard geckos are housed together for any reason, they can become territorial and attack each other, making one or both reptiles drop their tails due to a high amount of stress. 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