Loss of Tails & Claws in Iguanas

Video Transcript

"On behalf of Expert Village, I'm Nichole, here to tell you about Iguanas. Another common problem with Iguanas would be the loss of the tip of the tail. A lot of this happens with inadequate shedding, when they retain skin on the tips of their tail or poor circulation, which is usually caused by too much whipping. If the Iguana is not provoked too much to whip, then this is unlikely the cause of the dying of the tip of the tail. But it is a very common problem, and some times it is bad enough that it needs to be removed by a veterinarian, in order for it to heal properly. Now a lot of people do not know where to find a veterinarian for a reptile, but you can just call your local vet to ask if they know of any veterinarian that have a herpatological background. And any vet should be able to tell you of one person in the area that is able to work on your reptile. Also, another common problem is broken toes. Iguanas have very long toes, as you can see. A lot of times these will become deformed or broken, or look broken when they are not, since they can bend it in several different directions. They are also prone to losing their claw at the tip of their toe. This one is actually missing one of his claws on his back hind leg here. Losing the nail is not necessarily dangerous for the Iguana. If it is kept in captivity, it does not need it for defense. It may cause an infection, if the tip of the toe nail is ripped off. Other than that, it usually heals fairly easy, really simple. It looks like a toe without a nail. It is very rare that it will be threatening for the Iguana at all. "