Is it possible to sprain a tail?

[AllysLeon]

Leon is a year an a half free range veiled chameleon who is very friendly and loves people. He recently slipped off my shoulder and slid down landing on the couch. He has slipped before so it's no big deal but this time I noticed his tail about and inch past his bum where the tail is still a little meaty that there is a little bit of a "crook" now. He is still active and healthy eating etc but it's been a couple days now and he isn't using it at all. He's favoring it and curls up the end when he moves so his tail has little movement. He can still move it so I don't think it's broke but I'm still concerned. Does anyone have some suggestions?

 

[Elizadolots]

My guess would be it is broken. You can still move broken limbs. How much it hurts depends on the break. Maybe a picture would help?

 

[Carlton]

Leon is a year an a half free range veiled chameleon who is very friendly and loves people. He recently slipped off my shoulder and slid down landing on the couch. He has slipped before so it's no big deal but this time I noticed his tail about and inch past his bum where the tail is still a little meaty that there is a little bit of a "crook" now. He is still active and healthy eating etc but it's been a couple days now and he isn't using it at all. He's favoring it and curls up the end when he moves so his tail has little movement. He can still move it so I don't think it's broke but I'm still concerned. Does anyone have some suggestions?

It seems unlikely that such a minor fall would break his tail or spine. Wild chams fall out of trees and large shrubs without hurting themselves. He may be favoring a tweaked muscle because it is sore. Watch it and record any changes in his tail strength and movement for a while.

 

[Elizadolots]

But, things can be broken doing seemingly normal things. It happens all the time. It's the description of a "crook" that makes me think it's broken. A muscle pull wouldn't deform the tail.

 

[Solid Snake]

It could to a certain extent.

All we can do is speculate without seeing it.

 

[Sticktongue]

It seems unlikely that such a minor fall would break his tail or spine. Wild chams fall out of trees and large shrubs without hurting themselves. He may be favoring a tweaked muscle because it is sore. Watch it and record any changes in his tail strength and movement for a while.

ya but how do you know they NEVER hurt themselves? I've jumped off really high roofs, trees, rocks, etc, without hurting myself. But i've also WALKED off a two foot high step and rolled my ankle really bad. I've had friends break their bones doing something that you would never think would break a bone. It matters of how the bone/body is when it falls and hits, how much pressure actually got forced onto it. Right?

Lets see some pictures so we can see if it is a break like some of us think, or a sprain like others thing.

 

[Olimpia]

Keep an eye on it, make sure to take note of any changes in color. I had two chameleons brake the last few inches of their tails and after one or two weeks the color started to get much darker and this indicated that the ends had gone necrotic. Successful amputations followed. I don't want to scare you or jump the gun, but just keep an eye on it. It may heal on its own with no further ado.

 

[AllysLeon]

He doesn't seem to be any worse but still not using it like he normally would. You can see the kink just after the third stripe. If it is broken it hasn't affected his eating or touring around his tree

 

[Elizadolots]

Yeah...that's not nearly as dramatic as my mind made the word "kink"....that could easily be evidence of a strain, it might just be a bit tender to bend there at the moment.