baby bearded dragons tail

Question
QUESTION: Hi, i just got my bearded dragon about 2 weeks ago so hes about a month old now. (I got him from a friend) hes a little pig but he has shed and everything looked fine until a couple days ago when his tail was not "even" it doesn't gradually get smaller towards the tip of his tail, it will do this until about 2cm to the end then drop drastically into a little skinny line, it doesn't really even look like a tail anymore i don't know whats wrong with it the rest of his tail is regular thickness and length except the end where it goes to almost nothing it looks like the end of his tail is like "dead" help please

ANSWER: Hello Sarah,

Can you send me a picture of that?  It sounds like the end could have suffered some type of injury either a tail nip or retained shed & the end will shrivel off & fall off.  That happens fairly often, really, but it should be evalutated in case of infection as that can travel up the tai.
That is why I would like to see a picture.   That would be great, thanks.

Tracie

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QUESTION: I do not have any pictures right now, i can try to get some but im not sure. we didnt get him like that it is just recently. Maybe it is that shedding thing because he was shedding around the time that it happened. could you explain more about why this happens and does it happen to all baby beardies?

ANSWER: Hello Sarah,

No this does not happen to all babies.  However, in petstores alot of times, they overhouse them & they are too crowded.  If they do not feed them enough & they are hungry they can suffer from tail nips.
The issue I think you are having is that the skin retained at the end of his tail, & it constricted that tissue & it died.  To ensure he doesn't have anymore shedding problems, you can bathe him several times a week.  What is the humidity in the tank?  The recommended humidity should be around 40% or so to help with shedding.

Tracie

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QUESTION: The humidity is about 57, Why would the skin constrict and die? he was not from a petstore he had 3 other baby beardies in his tank and this is new we have had him forwhile his tail was fine and normal when we got him.
....
So it will probably just fall off? will he grow into his tail aventually or will he have a smaller looking tail for the rest of his life?

Answer
Hello Sarah,

You should probably keep the humidity to under 50% if possible.  Too high he could get a respiratory infection.  Take any water dishes out at night as well.
Hm, it is definitely retained shed.  When they grow, the reason they shed is because they are outgrowing their skin basically.  If the body is too large for the skin, & the skin gets stuck, it will cut off the circulation to that portion of the tissue making it become necrotic.  It is basically like putting a rubberband on the end of the tail. It gets no blood supply so it dies.  It will just fall off.  Unfortunately, their tails do not have regenerative properties, so it will not grow back.  Sorry.  :-((  He will just have the tail that he is left with.  
How much of the end shriveled up?

Tracie