Born with no tail

[PDoogle]

Hi All.

I had an unusually large AFT egg in incubator that hatched today. He is in good shape except for the fact he is abnormally large, and without a tail. At all.

Should I just put him down now? Any issues if my wife keeps him for a pet? She really like the lil' guy, but I'd hate to keep him around with undo stress.

I don't want to let him out into the world for fear he will be bred...and luckily - he was the only viable egg from the parent mix - who I wouldn't be coupling again

To give a comparison, he is about the size of my 3 week old hatchings now (without the tail of course) , and he hatched out last night sometime.

Anyone have this problem? See this before?

 

[triplegex]

I really have no advice to offer, but I am curious if you have any pictures? This sounds interesting.

 

[acpart]

I feel that if a gecko can have a normal life it makes sense to keep it alive. If you're going to keep it, you've eliminated the problem of it getting into the general population and breeding.

Aliza

 

[Crimson.Dawn]

there is not point in wasting a life, if he seems healthy and happy, he would make a great pet. I wouldn't breed him for healths sake, and to keep his deformity from spreading down your lines. The only time I suggest ending an animals life is if its suffering and there in no hope of making it more comfortable. but thats me...

Most likely the problem is not genetic, but happened during the incubation posses, you said so urself the other egg didn't make it. I would try the parents another time. If the same happens dont couple them. If it doesn't you know it was some unknown factor in the incubation posses.

 

[im faster]

pics!!

 

[gixxer3420]

Yes please post some pics of the little guy.

 

[beastmode3162]

yes please i would like to see him myself...

 

[cryptid_hunter]

I would NOT put him down. My husband and I hatched an AFT almost a year ago and our baby has a hump back and I wouldn't have him any other way. I would just keep him as a pet and yes do seperate him so that he doesn't breed with any females. Trust me, you will grow attached to him and love him just the way he is!

Good Luck and Congradulations on your special AFT!!!!

 

[Adinar]

I would just keep an eye on him as he develops and see how things play out, if it is just merely lack of a tail and is larger than normal than no reason to put him down. Just keep in mind that there may be underlying issues that may not show right away. But if he eats, grows, and all that other good stuff I'd probably do what you are doing any keep him myself so I know that he won't be bred. Was there any issues with incubation at all? Temp flux? Power outage? Anything like that?

But yeah, if you get a chance post pics I'd like to check this little one out too!

 

[M_surinamensis]

I feel that if a gecko can have a normal life it makes sense to keep it alive. If you're going to keep it, you've eliminated the problem of it getting into the general population and breeding.

Aliza

Mitigated the chances, not eliminated the problem. Nobody can guarantee total and absolute control over an animal for the entire duration of that animal's life. There are too many unknowns, too many ways that ownership can be affected. Terminal culling is the only certainty.

A normal life is a bit questionable. The tail of a fat-tailed gecko is a lot more than it is for some other species. Even beyond the usual questions about spinal issues and other formative problems. It is intimately tied in to the animal's metabolism and nutritional health in its function as a fat store; everything about the lizard is intended to function with that tail being present (or in the process of being regrown). Quality of life and ease... in fact possibility... of adequate care are certain to be affected, one way or another.

 

[im faster]

lets see some pics

 

[Leoslizards]

Tagging along for some pics.

 

[Syn]

It's a fat tail gecko, it uses its tail to store fat. Who is trying to say the quality of life would be the same as a gecko with a tail?

 

[Dimidiata]

well we will just have to see, who knows maybe hell sprout a tail or maybe hell die, im deffiently intrested in the fact that he doesnt have the ability to store fat in his tail, my concern would be that he might store fat else where in the body wich could create issues, the fact that hes large and has no tail could say that there may be unseeable issues as well but for now lets just see how this plays out, he might need a special diet. I say PICS
Another question i have is could the tail be inverted or the tissue elsewhere in the body causing him to be as large as he is.

 

[GeckoStud]

I have to wonder if a "fat store" is as sequential to a captive fat tail gecko as a wild one. I agree that in a wild setting this fat tail would be at a huge disadvantage not being able to have a reserve to fall back on in times of hardship. But in captivity in the land of good and plenty, lacking a fat store may not be much of a problem. However I cannot comment on whether or not the lack of a tail will affect the motor skills/spinal health of the animal or not because I do not know enough about the subject. The best advice I could give is to try to make the animal comfortable and to observe whether or not it is having difficulty or is struggling to function peacefully. If no problems seem to arise there should be no reason to put the animal down.

 

[im faster]

old thread but i wanted pics and the ywere never provided..
here are some pics i had this happen with a hatchling today..

it is NOT a dropped tail.. strait out of the egg.. likethis..
i even searched the egg for the taill nothing

 

[animeavatar]

Maybe it dropped the tail in the egg and ate it.

 

[im faster]

Not the case here..

 

[JdiLb]

Thats pretty cool. I wonder if it's genetic?

 

[Dimidiata]

Thats pretty cool. I wonder if it's genetic?

Define cool -_-