16 July 2015 – Puddings & Toyboys

Last week, during one of our every-other-morning medication battles, I heard Bezukhov‘s tail snap.

Ouch!

What's that doing there? — What’s that doing there?

During the struggle, his tail obviously got into a position I did not think it was in & as I moved him towards my chest, I heard the loud crack of it breaking. I quickly smoothed it down as I could see it sticking out at an alarming angle. When he had successfully avoided taking the majority of his medicine I put him back in the Manor & hoped the tail damage was not too great.

Over the next few days his tail continued to stick out at strange angles. Bezukhov would twizzle his bottom & it would stick out sideways. Then he would have a little preen & it would be put back in place again. It was also floppy which was particularly noticeable when he was flying as it would hang down.

It must have been hanging by a thread as it finally broke off. You can see by the photo below that the break was about ⅔ along the tail, as compared with a previously moulted tail. Fortunately, his other tail is still fully intact.