Shedding info for Newbies

traildrifterphalanx said:
Hey all,
While being a member of this forum for a few months I've seen quite a few posts concerned for their dragons that turned out to be shed. While holding Richter tonight, I noticed he is shedding basically all his extremities to various degrees and thought maybe some visuals would help those starting out. Below are some photos of sheds in progress with flash and no flash.

It's worth noting dragons shed in patches, not full body like a snake. This may be small patches, large patches, or even full body pieces at a time.


Sorry to bother you, how do you upload pictures here. Im new and think mayb my juvinille is sheeding.
 

SHBailey

Gray-bearded Member
Our reptile vet warned us a long time ago that bearded dragons are not like snakes when they shed.

Our beardie's tail looks like a disaster area right now -- his nose too. If I didn't know that it's probably just a very messy shed, I'd most likely be worried that he's got some horrible skin disease.

My tech savvy husband is willing to help me post some pictures of our beardie on here, but in his non-existent spare time, and so far, we haven't gotten around to it. So I'm no good for advice on how to post pictures, at least not yet... :oops:
 

Terra213

Member
Hi, I'm a new beardie mom and my little guy just started his first shed since I got him. That's kinda a relief knowing it comes in patches, I had leopard geckos before and they would shed everything in the course of a couple days. I know soaking and baths help, but is there any other ways to help him out or should I just monitor him and make sure nothing gets stuck to his toes, nose and end of his tail?
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
They're pretty good about getting rid of sheds on their own without intervention. If you see an area (such as around toes) that looks like it's causing a problem and warm baths aren't helping you can try applying some plain aloe to the area which may help free up the stuck shed.
 

Jverniero

Member
So... I have a bit of a theory.... wondering if anyone has opinions on it. The last time Hera shed it was her head, base of her tail, and two legs.... she was miserable and wouldn’t eat for two days till the shed was finally all off in tiny little pieces, one by one after many baths. This morning I noticed she wasn’t super enthusiastic about her crickets, came home this evening to a very happy dragon who, over the course of 9 hours, had shed her entire back, neck, and some belly. She was outside in the garden for several hours with me yesterday running and playing, basking on a big rock. I’m wondering if the natural sunlight helped her shed go more smoothly this time. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
While the sunlight is excellent for them I'm not sure if it would have a direct effect on shedding. Their sheds tend to vary in intensity and duration so it's common for you to see differences between shed cycles. Hydration levels may play a role in shedding but I'm not sure that sunlight would on it's own. I don't have any data/information to prove or disprove that, just my thought on it.
 

Beardeddtagonlover

Hatchling Member
i admit i'm guilty i used to peel off the loose skin on my beardie i was very careful then i found out it was not good so i don't do it anymore,also i noticed on my beardie moisture and heat helps to shed the skin more easily when shedding give regular baths helps soften the skin and the heat helps to shed the skin.kind of interesting like the opposite with a snake lol.
 

Masteriod

New member
Hi guys I’m just a bit concerned about my bearded dragon. I think she’s shedding but can’t be sure. Just need some people to tell me what’s what.

About half her tail is darker then the rest but at about half it’s white. I think she’s shedding but can’t be sure. Anybody know what’s up?
 

SHBailey

Gray-bearded Member
That sounds like a shed to me. Our beardie has pretty much the same thing going on with his tail right now, and our reptile vet advises a daily soak in warm water to help it come off. The only thing you have to watch for with her tail is to make sure that the shedding skin doesn't turn into a tourniquet and cut off the circulation, but as long as you can keep the skin moist and soft until it comes off, you shouldn't have a problem.

(Assuming that's all it is -- if you're able to post photos, some of the experts around here will probably give you their opinions.)
 

SHBailey

Gray-bearded Member
Her tail looks like it's in pretty good shape, as well as the rest of her. Can't tell for sure, but it looks like she may be getting ready to shed elsewhere as well, maybe on parts of her back and especially her right hand and forearm -- or it could be a trick of the light. Either way, she looks fine to me. :)
 

Elessiawhite

New member
I had Wynter for about a week now it’s kind of hard to get her to eat also she sleeps almost all day and i can’t really tell if Wynter is getting ready to shed or not because i know that can result in his/her behavior. I was thinking maybe on his/her tail ?
100852-7145200865.jpg
 

SHBailey

Gray-bearded Member
Wynter has beautiful coloring and markings :love10: . I don't see any obvious evidence of shedding in the photo.

There are lots of reasons why beardies can lose their appetite or get sleepy. You should make sure she has proper lighting and temperature -- there are some good articles about their environmental needs on the sidebar on this website. Also, if you are in the northern hemisphere, it's the time of year when some of them brumate, but if Wynter is young (less than a year old), you want to discourage that if you can, because she's still got too much growing to do. Leaving the lights on longer (up to 16 hours/day) may help with that.
 

Greg18perez

New member
We just got My Stitch a few days ago but they failed to tell us the was beginning to shed. i was so worry untill yesterday i got home and a big piece was hangging, i mist him one or twice a day but he is not eating or moving much. What can i do ?
 

SHBailey

Gray-bearded Member
Welcome to the wonderful world of bearded dragon slavery. :wink:

If you've only had your beardie for a few days, he may be experiencing some "relocation stress," but you should also make sure that he's got proper temperatures and lighting -- ultraviolet (UV) is especially important. If you're not sure, there are some good articles on this website. Unfortunately, some pet stores are notorious for selling you the wrong stuff and giving you bad advice, especially when it comes to bearded dragons.

A warm bath can help with shedding if he'll tolerate it. If not, best not to stress him out too much, and misting is a good alternative. Some beardies do go off their feed, get grumpy or otherwise act strange when they're shedding, and others seem to take it in stride, so if his appetite and activity levels don't improve once the skin comes off, you might want to consider paying a visit to a good reptile vet.

Hope this helps...
 

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