Re: hmmmm... a bit odd......

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Posted by IGUANA JOE on January 23, 2003 at 22:06:48:

In Reply to: really need help on this posted by iguee on January 23, 2003 at 21:34:41:

why did you wait 4 years to even mention it on this forum, and not take him to a vet? You did take him to a vet once acquired didn't you? Did he even say anything? And for four years you did nothing about it?

Well, being at a 90 degree angle, either it was broken from the start, and healed in a crooked matter... or he was kept in an extremely small space along with other igs.
You see, iguanas' tails are not as flexible as monitors or other lizards. Actually, to be arboreal animals their tails are quite stiff. So maybe as a hatchilng it was housed in such close quarters, that either the tail began to grow crooked, or he broke it and being in tight quarters the bone healed at a 90 degree angle.

Whichever way, or any other way, the base must have been somehow broken at the bone. Is there scar tissue near it? Perhaps it only partially broke off the body, and the wound healed it resulting in the crooked tail.

Well, after 4 long years there is nothing you can do now. At 4 years old he/she is a full grown adult, and the tail is as it is. Do not attempt to bend it striaght and sort of "cast" it, because it will only cause pain and distress to the animal. Apparantely the body took care of the injury since as you mentioned, he is never in discomfort or pain.

It does however, affect his natural behavior tremendously. He cannot balance as wel when climbing, since the crooked tail shifts weight to one side only, and he (or she?) cannot whip it in self defense. It can also be akward to move about the enclosure with a tail like that.

Like I said, the bone and skin have healed as so, and there is nothing to do about it. Cutting it off for a straight new tail is cruel and painful to the animal, so don't do it.

But I am curious as to why nothing was done about it for 4 years! While it was still growing, it could have been possible to cast the tail hoping that it would gro straight. Now that the animal is almost fully grown (growth rate slows down noticeably at 4 years of age) it's all done.

Sorry for your ig's defect, but that does not make it less desirable animal. It is nice to know that despite its flaw, you kept and cared this animal for 4 years.
Regards,

-IJ

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