Welcome to Sphynxlair! Connect with Sphynx owners & enthusiasts around the world!

Bad tail suckling/chewing

zoinks

V.I.P Lairian
V.I.P Lairian
Joined
Mar 23, 2013
Messages
1,741
Points
368
Alfie has a very sore tail as I have been told he has/had a fixation with suckling on it.

His breeder said that it was about 10x worse and that it is now clearing up. I'm not sure what has caused it, it can't be that he left his mom too early as he was still with her until recently.

Please send best wishes good vibes his way, I am crossing my fingers that the stress of coming home doesn't make him start back up!! :unsure:

Trying to keep him occupied and redirecting him when he is biting at the bad parts. If anyone else has experienced this, feel free to share / if you have any tips that would be great!

He is going for a check up on Monday so vet will let me know if it needs any treatment.


Get well soon Alfie!!

20130906_203011.jpg
20130907_175324.jpg
 

dgoetsch

Lairian
Joined
Oct 18, 2010
Messages
155
Points
81
Oh goodness! Poor baby. :( Warren constantly suckles his tail but he has never created any sores. This is not helpful, but I haven't been able to get Warren to stop yet. However, it isn't creating sores... so I just let him to it. He came to me at 16 weeks, I think, so he should have been appropriately weened. He is now over 3 years old and still does it. I hope Alfie's tail heals quickly and well!

I have a poor quality instagram video of Warren suckling on his tail here
 

zoinks

V.I.P Lairian
V.I.P Lairian
Joined
Mar 23, 2013
Messages
1,741
Points
368
Oh goodness! Poor baby. :( Warren constantly suckles his tail but he has never created any sores. This is not helpful, but I haven't been able to get Warren to stop yet. However, it isn't creating sores... so I just let him to it. He came to me at 16 weeks, I think, so he should have been appropriately weened. He is now over 3 years old and still does it. I hope Alfie's tail heals quickly and well!

I have a poor quality instagram video of Warren suckling on his tail here


I'm glad Warren's isn't doing any damage! The video is actually pretty cute :cat:

I feel like Alfie has really thin, papery skin (a weird thing to say I know) but have noticed a difference between his and Dippy's. I think he may have been allowed to be in direct sunlight for a long time as his face looks quite tanned, and he has some sun stripes on his back, so I wonder if this is playing a part.
 

dgoetsch

Lairian
Joined
Oct 18, 2010
Messages
155
Points
81
Those sound like real possibilities, for sure. Warren's tail isn't the hairiest, but from the photos it might be that Warren has more hairly protection for his skin. Alfie's looks more hairless. Either way, you know you'll take great care of him and he'll heal up in no time.

I tried telling Warren, "no!," pulling the tail out of his mouth, redirecting him from suckling on it, etc., etc. I gave up.
 

zoinks

V.I.P Lairian
V.I.P Lairian
Joined
Mar 23, 2013
Messages
1,741
Points
368
Thank you! It is almost completely healed now - he has taken to suckling on his brother instead ;)
 
Back
Top