Problem with last night's shed - tip of tail

[Jealousy]

First time poster and I have a problem. We adopted our corn snake (she's 17) from a previous owner last year. In a shed last year we missed the a piece on the tip of her tail, which caused a small indent that always 'catches' on her sheds ever since.

We've been diligent about soaking and rubbing her tail after every shed to make sure it doesn't get worse. However, last night's shed cause the indent to get caught again and the narrowest part of the tip is now bleeding. I've been running the tip under water, holding it with a wet cloth and letting her slide through while applying pressure in an attempt to remove the dead skin, but the tip seems it's close to falling off!!! I'm attaching a photo. The tip in question is about 1/8 of an inch. It looks dark because some of the blood from the area that is bleed is getting caught between the tail and the dead skin still on it

Should I continue doing what I'm doing with the potential the tip will eventually fall off or should I seek professional help?

Many thanks.

[infernalis]

It will fall off and heal.

I have a couple "nub tail" snakes, and I have photographed wild specimens with nub tails, so this is not uncommon.

[Lankyrob]

Would this be best nipped off cleanly or left to fall off??

[Terranaut]

Rob thats a good question. Now snakes and lambs are very different but when I was a kid we bobbed lambs tails with a thick green elastic we called a donut. We had a thing like pliers to open it, pull the lambs tail through and release it. The tail would die and fall off. We were told this was less likely to get infected than cutting it off because there is seldom an open wound . This may be the same case but again with it being mammals vrs reptiles I am not 100% on it.

[Lankyrob]

Yeah, my concern would be necrosis starting in the "nub" and spreading to the healthier part of the tail, where a clean cut should heal "better" imo

[Starbuck]

good question lankyrob.

If i had the means to apply a local anesthetic, i would probably snip it off, send the owner home with an antibiotic cream, and put the snake in a 'quarantine' setup; paper towels, clean all the tank furniture, and change water frequently.

However, i do agree with infernalis that this tip looks as though it will fall off on its own in a few sheds. The discoloration makes me think this even more so.

Long-and-short: I would leave it be unless it seems to be causing a problem. Darkened skin progressing past the 'notch' and towards the rest of the body, or swelling, or purulent material/odor would all indicate a vet visit is needed.

[Jealousy]

Very good information, everyone! Thank you very much. It's really tempting to give it a pull because it's hanging on by less than half. But infection is my greatest concern. I will continue to monitor and watch for problems on the healthy side of the tip.

[Amadeus]

I would probably put the snake on paper towels for a while and treat with some antibiotic.

[Mark Taylor]

Just a thought but could you not simply tie a piece of dental floss round it like you would with the umbilical cord?