Tail advise please....

[Debbie]

Hope someone can give me some advise.
We have a auric pair housed together and they do (or did) just fine.
Now the mail has sudenly dveloped a necrotic tail...... it; is just the end of the tail, not the base.
My guess is that the female bit him (cause he haven't had any shedding problems and my humidity is fine).
What should i do....
I've allready quarantines him on paper towels. But should i cut the tail off? Or should i just leave it?
We've had a crestie ones with a nectrotic tail and we cut it off at the good part of the tail and now the tail is just shorter.
But can we do that with a garg?
Will it grow back if the tail isn't fully lost?
Or should we cut the tail off, or just let the tail stay?

Hope someone can help us!

[Salzy]

If you are inclined to nip the necrotic part of the tail off, it should grow back just fine. Gargoyle tails do regenerate, and it seems that crested gecko tails are the only ones that do not. The tip will look a bit different than the rest of the tail, but only in scale pattern. You'll want to keep the cut end clean until it heals over.

It can be done without any other issues, but keep in mind this is just a suggestion for you. You can make the decision you feel is right. Good luck.

[Debbie]

Thanks! It will be hard to cut it off......
I just put him on clean paper towels and let him stay there for the night. It's to dark here to cut it of now. I can't really she there the good part of the tail begins. So i'll have to wait till tomorrow when the light is better......
He looke fine, so i don;'t foresee any problems for the night.
And if he drops his tail, well, then i don't have to cut....

[Salzy]

Sounds good. I'd suggest using something extremely sharp if you are going to go through with it. I'd use a flat razor blade, and just "rock" it over the end of the tail. It should nip it off with one clean motion. Be sure to disinfect it with some alcohol or something first.

[Gecko Ranch]

Use a Chef's knife - done quick and least fuss for the gecko. Don't ask me how I know.....

[dcarter]

OUCH!! I am a wimp so of course i would let it fall off on its own, but I guess it is quicker and leaves less room for the necrotic skin to spread leading to further skin death and maybe more tail loss. I am not sure just a thought.

[Andrew Gilpin]

It depends on if the tissue is completely necrotic or not.... the times I've snipped part of the tail apart it was completely necrotic and black/hard. If it's still softer tissue you might see if it heals up a bit. I've always just cut the dead part off with a pair of sharp clean scissors without much effort. Never done it on a garg before though.... just crested tails.

[RhacAddict]

I'm sure others will disagree, seeing by the surprising response already, but honestly I don't think I would bother with the tail. I'd let the garg decide and honestly if it's bothering him he would most likely drop it on his own. It just seems a bit inhumane to physically cut the tail off, let alone induce unneeded stress. Then again that's just my opinion.

[Debbie]

Thanks for all the help! The tail end is hard and black and dried out or something. It will be hard, but i am going to cut it.... I've only done it on a hatchling crestie so it will be much harder to do it on this garg.... I will keep you guys updated! Thanks a lot!

[Debbie]

Hmm.... Just gave it another look and it isn't totally dried out.... So i'll just wait. See if it heals.... Thanks everyone!