Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

Eddie · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:12 am Post subject: Crispy tail - Bosc

Hello,

We have a Bosc about 6 years old and today when she was out hunting locusts I noticed that the last few cm of her tail appears to have dried out, like it has died.

Has anyone come across this before. She lives alone so I would think an injury is unlikely.

Thanks

Jonie · I've settled in... Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 23

my bearded dragon got it, and she was 4.5 years old, maybe an ageing thing???
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1.2.0 Giant Whiptail Lizad (Not as big as the name suggests)

crocdoc · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 1:38 pm Post subject:

There are a couple of things that cause that. Stress is one cause, the other is unsuitable enclosure conditions such as insufficient humidity or the ambient temperature dropping quickly away from the basking spot temperature.

Jonie · I've settled in... Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Posts: 23

my beardie had all necessary conditions though??????
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1.2.0 Giant Whiptail Lizad (Not as big as the name suggests)

Scott W · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 1:47 pm Post subject:

WelshBoscOwner · Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 4:55 pm Post subject:

I noticed the end of my Bosc's tail has the same problem, the last few CM seems thinner and very dark, although there is no trace of any old shedding on it. He's fine in himself, eating, exploring, generally hissy and whippy when going to handle him. The end of his tail doesn't bother him at all, it only bothers me...

b.t.w. he is about 6 months old, I've had him 2 months. He is due a bigger viv soon but in the present one he has sand and soil mix for substrate, a big bowl of water he can go through, a hide and basking area. Ambient temps in the viv are 75-80C cool end, 88-94C hot end.

crocdoc · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 12:34 am Post subject:

WelshBoscOwner · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:34 am Post subject:

Crocdoc....

Your comment about stress, just to clear things up. I don't handle him often, only when needed to clear his viv and for that I use gloves. It's not my intention to have a tame lap-dog of a Bosc, I have 2 rottweilers for that (although they are a bit heavy for my lap). Everyone I have spoken to about Bosc behaviour says that they can be hissy, whippy and agressive when young, generally getting calmer as they get older. When I feed him, I can keep the viv open and put my hand inside without a hiss, I can even stroke his back at times, he just generally doesn't like being picked up. When I give him his weekly mouse treat, he'll follow the tongs around the viv and take the mouse from them without a hiss or swipe.

I don't know the temperature at the basking point as the thermometers are on the back wall of the viv, I need to get a probe one to check.

The hide is an extra large exo-terra one, shaped like a rock. There is a heat mat on the bottom of the viv, covered with a 1cm layer of soil, then covered with a ceramic tile, then covered with a mix of sand and soil, this helps with the background temps and keeps the viv from getting too cold when the lights go out (the heat lamp and the UV).

The hide is on the warm end of the viv, above the mat, he spends a lot of time in there, but will come out for feeding and a nose (like a lot of lizards - excluding beardies - he comes out when nobody is looking, the sand in his large water bown and the water everywhere proves that!).

crocdoc · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:05 am Post subject:

Knowing the surface temperature of the basking spot is one of the most important aspects of monitor husbandry. It needs to be really hot - 50-55C if not hotter (this is surface temperature, not air temperature) so they can achieve their preferred body temperature quickly, then move off the basking spot when they are warm enough. Monitors usually maintain a much higher active body temperature than most reptiles.

How deep is the substrate above the tiles? If it is deep enough for the monitor to dig into, you can scatter flat or slightly curved pieces of wood around the enclosure, hot and cool ends, for the monitor to dig under for hiding. Although they'll use them if nothing else is available, most commercially bought reptile 'hides' are too spacious for them to feel secure. They're much happier when they can squeeze into or under something. The added advantage of having things on the substrate they can squeeze or dig under is that they can maintain their humidity levels while they sleep, too.

Does the viv have a screen top?

WelshBoscOwner · Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:36 am Post subject:

The substrate above the tile isn't very deep, about an inch, but the tile is only where the heat mat is located. The rest of the viv has about 4 or 5 inches of sand and soil for him to dig in (he's only about a foot long max, so will be having a bigger viv which will be deeper soon - the current viv is 3ft x 18" x 18"). The viv is solid contiboard with glass sliding doors. He has an Arcadia UV bulb (one of the 7W compacts) and an ExoTerra red heat bulb above his basking area (70W). I have a dimming thermostat on the heat bulb.
In the cool end of the viv is a large, rock shaped, water bowl, this is positioned so he can squeeze in around the back or side of it if he wants, he also enjoys digging in the wetter substrate around the water bowl.