Corn snake lost tip of tail

My mom's corn snake didn't finish her last shed. Just the tip of the tail was left. It went unnoticed for awhile, and I just saw it today. I soaked her in water for awhile and it came off, but there was an underlying bruise and the tip of her tail broke off in my hands. Her tail is bleeding now. Not a lot but.. what should I do?

Try a little styptic powder, cornstarch, or just apply steady pressure for a few minutes. Cornstarch works well. You just take a little and pack it into whatever is bleeding. If you have a styptic pencil lying around, those work too.


I would wash it with some antibacterial soap, and then put some neosporin on it. We don't want the baby getting an infection, especially if there are bones involved. Let us know how it goes :)

Thanks I'll have my mom do that.

i've never used antibacterial soap for an open sore on an animal but a water/betadine solution will disinfect the area and should be fairly easy to come by.

My mom was afraid to do it, so I ended up cleaning the sore. I opted to use my nolvasan chlorhexedine solution instead, and then put the neosporin on it.

It doesn't look bad at all, and Chantilly (the snake) doesn't seem bothered by it.

Well good :) Chlorhexidine is good stuff, I just wasn't sure you had access to it. I just opted for the antibacterial soap because it doesn't have the tendency to sting as betadine sometimes does.

Anyway, whatever gets her healed up :) Glad she did well for you in the cleaning process.

Yeah.. she seems fine now. Active and begging for food!