bearded dragons tail

Question
why is the end of my bearded dragon's tail dry and stiff? what do i need to do to take of it?

Answer
Jake,

Hello and thank you for your question. From what you have described, this sounds like a classic case of dry gangrene. Usually this just means that the tail sustained injury/trauma and for whatever reason, the tissue below the site has died. Please read the following description of dry gangrene courtesy of anapsid.org

"Injuries near the end of the tail often result in dry gangrene. The tail may have been crushed or caught in something, such as in a closing door or between the shelf and the wall of the basking area.

The tissue, starting at the end of the tail, begins to die, turning dark brown or black, becoming very hard and brittle, shrinking inwards, collapsing in on itself. The bony processes of the tail vertebrae are easily visualized as they create ridges under the skin of the tail.

Sometimes the crush injury or severe infection may occur towards the middle of the length of the tail. As the infection progresses, the tail feels mushy in that area. As the blood and nerve supply are disrupted in this area, the mushy area spreads down towards the tip and up towards the body. The tip may take a long time to start showing signs of dry gangrene, but the tail should be dealt with, usually by amputation, long before it gets to the point of dying and becoming brittle.

The dead, brittle section may be knocked off when the lizard whips its tail against something. Waiting for detachment to happen on its own, however is not a good idea.. If not amputated, it may continue to spread farther up the tail. This may happen rapidly, in a matter of days or weeks, or slowly, over the course of several months."

Usually, it is best to have a vet remove the dead portion of the tail via a simple procedure. If you do not have the funds or the ability to do so, just keep an eye on it because a lot of times, it doesn't get as bad as this article makes it sound. If it starts to spread upwards and you think it is getting worse, then it should become urgent, just use your best judgment.

Thank You and please follow up with any further questions,

Sara J Gwerder
President
Raptor Rescue Iguana Sanctuary
Shreveport, LA
www.RaptorRescue.org

Good Diet + UVB Radiation + Proper Temperatures + Set Daily Schedule = Healthy + Happy Reptile