Hi all,
I need help ASAP. I honestly peeled off part of the shedding from my beardie's tail. Then I went on to this website and it said I shouldn't have. I realized now it could cause him problems but I cannot afford to lose this beardie. I lost another one about 3 1/2 weeks ago. I soaked his tail in a warm water bath and he seems fine. I am just worried. He is only 8 weeks old. I know now to not help him shed unless he cannot.
Hard to resist the temptation to peel off the shed.
I have been guilty of the same on occasion, usually only if it's stubborn and I never really force the old skin that should be coming off with the shed to come off. Usual problem areas are toes and fingers, tail and beard. My rule of thumb is if the lizard objects - stop doing it, as it is probably hurting.
Unlike snakes and skinks, who shed completely overnight, beardies do it piecemeal , and when young and growing rapidly, frequently, it can look like they've had a skin explosion in really impressive sheds with really young beardies, with bits of loose shed skin dangling off them in all directions (beardie bad skin days !!! LOL ... they can look very comical then).
If you go to the woods and pick up some nice sticks that you'll find laying about on the ground (ones with pointy bits and sharp / rough surfaces on them), and disperse them higgledy-piggledy in the enclosure, they will be a great help for your beardie in future sheds to scratch on, rub on, crawl over and under, hence helping it get it's own shed off and I think they really enjoy the scratching and rubbing too.
I've found a luke warm water soak (34oC) can help soften stubborn shed, and can help it come away.
For really stubborn shed I use a produce call HerpaShed, you spray it on and let it soak in. http://vetafarm.com.au/product/herpashed/
Thanks guys! I only help him with his beard and nostrils cause he fights with getting it out. I appreciate the reassurance that he will be fine. I am letting him do his own shedding from now on.