Tale injury

[Simland]

Hi,

I just noticed this today. It had been a while since I last handled him, so I don't know how long it's been this way.

It looks like damaged scales with dirt packed in (the pictures don't show that last part too well, it just looks dark and wet)...there could also be some black that is not dirt...hard to tell without cleaning the wound. There might be some swelling; I'm not sure if what I feel is swelling or just dirt packed under scales.

It doesn't seem to hurt, I've felt the area with my fingers and got no abnormal reaction from my snake. Between the fact that I'm not sure there is swelling and whether or not I'm seeing any red, I don't know if there's any sign of infection yet.

What do you think could be the cause? (I'm thinking it could have somehow damaged its scales on the lid's bars [surprising to me, but I can't think of any potential harm from anything else])

What treatment would you recommend? How would you clean the wound?

Other information:

• it's in a tank with another snake and, as you may have guessed, the substrate is soil.
• it stopped eating last week, but, so far I have no reason to believe this is not just one of his usual non-shedding related "I don't want to eat" periods.

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Thanks in advance!

[guidofatherof5]

I would give the snake a warm water soak, then clean that area up so you can get a better look at it. After that, a weak tea looking solution of betadine could be applied as a precaution against infection and to aid in healing.

[Simland]

Thanks!

If memory serve, you can let the snake soak in the betadine solution, but I don't remember how long to let it.

I'm assuming placing it in a hospital terrarium (no soil) would be best, but should I run to buy the additional equipment, or wait until I get a better idea of the wound's seriousness?

[Zdravko092368]

Just keep it on paper towel with an egg carton or paper towel roll tube as a hide and a water dish. Sterile environment until the wound heals would be your best bet.

[Eddie]

I am truly sorry to say that it looks like a death sentence for the little guy. I would isolate and soak and clean right away. I truly wish you luck and hope he starts to eat again.

[Simland]

I am truly sorry to say that it looks like a death sentence for the little guy.

Eddie This sounds like a bad joke to me. I know there's a risk of infection, but if garter snakes died every time they had a relatively small tail injury, we would be living in a garter-snake-free world. To some extent, they can survive getting their tails cut.

If it's not a joke, though, please elaborate on why you think it's a death sentence, because any information or ideas as to the cause could be useful if it's something more than just physical damage.

[Simland]

As for the rest, I'll go buy the few things I'm missing to make a hospital terrarium.

[Eddie]

To be honest when I saw the pics I thought I was looking at the cloaca. Thats what made me think death sentence. I just took a real close up look and see its further down the tail. It still looks infected to me but treatable. I would try what Steve said and hope for the best.
Good luck!!

[Simland]

Ah! Understandable. When I took it out, at first, from the corner of my eye, I thought it was the cloaca, too.

I did a treatment yesterday (couldn't today because I came back around 10 pm). There does seem to be some infection. Will have to go buy a heat bulb and something to serve as a raised basking spot for a hospital tank.

Thanks!

[Eddie]

I wish you the best of luck!!