Tail Drop!

haloedsatan · #1 (**permalink**) 08-14-2008, 07:43 PM

So...
My girlfriend decided it would be a good idea to take out our yearling red iggy. We havent taken her out much because she had some rubbing issues on her nose that are still healing, and I had said more than once to "let her be" so she heals quicker (she would go nuts when anyone went into her enclosure and bump her nose some more). Anyway, she picked up our hyper iguana about 20 mins ago. The iguana went nuts and dropped its tail about half way down, a pretty gruesome sight. I'm very please with her right now (dripping sarcasm). So... pad it dry and then some neosporin? It stopped bleeding almost immediately before we applied the neosporin. If this has happened to anyone personally I would like your take on it. I've already looked up all the precautionary measures online and read up about it long before (just in case it were to happen, and no-- I didnt plan on this happening). I know it will "regrow" to a nub, and I know it's common for this to happen. What I didnt know would hapen was the weird seizuring tail thats no longer connected flopping around on the floor. THAT WAS WEIRD. I'm just looking for personal experience on this one, please dont link me up to any sites unless you wrote them yourself. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gong to go scream in the other room.

Adrya · #2 (**permalink**) 08-14-2008, 07:53 PM

The severed tail will continue to flop around and shake because that is a defense mechanism to distract the predator's attention to the piece of tail, while the actual animal has a chance to run off. So the only thing the predator will get is the broken tail. The nerves and muscles in the dropped tail are triggered to continue contracting for a few minutes, with electrical impulses happening at a cellular level.

The iguana's tail will grow back to more than just a nub... it will grow back to a certain length, but of course not to as long as the tail used to be before it dropped.

I would just be sure that the end of the tail stays clean and nothing gets in it... apply a little neosporin on it if you want to, but it should grow back fine if just left alone.

mhartmann · #3 (**permalink**) 08-14-2008, 08:09 PM

When I was a kid I caught a blue belly lizard and the tail drop/flop thing happened. I think for those lizards, the tail grows back completely but not sure. I can understand your frustration, but at least she's taking an active interest in the hobby. My girlfriend is a little less enthusiastic since she been peed on (Twice!) by our Peruvian boa.

TammyJamaica · #4 (**permalink**) 08-14-2008, 09:54 PM

OMG, I am really sorry that this happened to your poor iguana. I know about smaller lizards dropping their tail but I did not know that iguanas did it too. How on earth do they do it anyway?

When my Iggy escaped and was gone for three months, I got him back (miraculously, that's another story!) with half his tail totally gone. Then it began to grow again, and it grew and grew until it was a really decent length, (it is about ten inches long) but different from the original one in the color (it is brown) and the fact that it has a "joint" near the end where it bends a bit and this makes it look like a piece of stick and not a tail. Another difference is that there are no little "spines" on the topside of it - I guess beggars can't be choosers! At least he has a tail, and I can tell you he does not hesitate to use it!!!

Once again - how do they drop off their tails??? (I think Iggy's was chopped off by someone trying to catch him - with a machete...no wonder he is such a grouch.)

Any pics of your red ig?

haloedsatan · #5 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 02:19 AM

The Damage... Nose rub included.

TammyJamaica · #6 (**permalink**) 08-15-2008, 06:09 PM

Wow!

That must hurt. And he looks so ashamed and embarrassed.

Give him something nice to eat...strawberries are a fave.

He will be beautiful again, you will be surprised how fast that tail will regenerate!

TammyJamaica · #7 (**permalink**) 08-18-2008, 04:43 PM

Keep a record of "growing back" pics until it's totally grown back!

TammyJamaica · #8 (**permalink**) 09-11-2008, 05:37 PM

Hi there, how is the little guy doing now?

mongoose5971 · #9 (**permalink**) 09-11-2008, 05:51 PM

A few years back one of our iguanas ran away and of course when the neighbors tried to catch him they grabbed him by tail...and he went from a complete, perfect tail to no more than a few inches (on a full grown male.) I don't recall doing anything to help it heal, as it is a natural defense mechanism. Just let him be, don't stress him, and make sure he is still eating.

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