How to handle shedding

[Chris.]

Hello everyone,

my boy Luis is finally looking like he will start shedding soon. At least he's showing all the signs. He's not moving much, avoiding his basking spot, hiding more and showing a dark skin (pale at the tail and back legs), sometimes stress lines and a black beard. I've seen him eye bulging only once this week but I'm not around all the time so he may do it more.

Now here's the thing and I'm really curious how you guys handle this. At the moment I feed him two days on and one day off (only salads that day). Because he's on the smaler side (16.5" at 11 months) and I want him to put on some length, he gets rather big meals of insects and he's eating them without an issue. Basically I let him eat as many as he's ready to run after and then stop.
Would you feed less until he starts basking more again or is this only an issue if he gets diarrhea or something? He hasn't so far but he poops really irregularly, sometimes once a week, next week every other day. It's firm though an looks normal with big white urates.

Or would it be an option to raise the temps a bit so he gets more heat on the cool side or when in his hide? The basking spot is at 105 and cool side where he spends most time right now at 82.
I'm thinking to just continue what I'm doing right now and let him do his thing but are there any signs to look for at which I need to change something?

Last time it took him forever (almost three weeks) to finish his shedding and I'm about to go on vacation for three weeks, where I won't be able to do much adjusting, so I worry quite a bit

Thanks in advance

 

[KarrieRee]

Hello everyone,

my boy Luis is finally looking like he will start shedding soon. At least he's showing all the signs. He's not moving much, avoiding his basking spot, hiding more and showing a dark skin (pale at the tail and back legs), sometimes stress lines and a black beard. I've seen him eye bulging only once this week but I'm not around all the time so he may do it more.

Now here's the thing and I'm really curious how you guys handle this. At the moment I feed him two days on and one day off (only salads that day). Because he's on the smaler side (16.5" at 11 months) and I want him to put on some length, he gets rather big meals of insects and he's eating them without an issue. Basically I let him eat as many as he's ready to run after and then stop.
Would you feed less until he starts basking more again or is this only an issue if he gets diarrhea or something? He hasn't so far but he poops really irregularly, sometimes once a week, next week every other day. It's firm though an looks normal with big white urates.

Or would it be an option to raise the temps a bit so he gets more heat on the cool side or when in his hide? The basking spot is at 105 and cool side where he spends most time right now at 82.
I'm thinking to just continue what I'm doing right now and let him do his thing but are there any signs to look for at which I need to change something?

Last time it took him forever (almost three weeks) to finish his shedding and I'm about to go on vacation for three weeks, where I won't be able to do much adjusting, so I worry quite a bit

Thanks in advance

Something is off in the tank -- he should not be black bearding for shedding--- what is the humidity in the tank and what are you using to get it? Analogs are inaccurate--- you want a digital probe hygrometer placed on the back center wall of the tank ---- for a 11 month old dragon he should of been getting insects everyday dusted w/ calcium D3 5 x per week ONE time per feeding lightly coated - vitamins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week ONCE time per feeding lightly coated on the insects for both supplements - NO coils for a UVB they are inadequate --- surface basking temps should be 95-100 taken w/a digital probe thermometer -- your dragon sounds like he is ill -- please go over everything that I just posted so we can fix what needs fixing

 

[Chris.]

I have three digital hygrometers on both sides and the center and they average at 46%.
He gets MVs twice per week and insects are dusted with calcium on every feeding.
UVB is an Arcadia T5 12% tube 39W mounted inside with no cover.
Temps are taken with digital thermometers and a tempgun and they all read the same values.
He has been treated for pinworms last week. So no parasites anymore and the vet said he was fine otherwise.
The black beard is very slight all the time and I was told in an other thread I postet it was probably because of his morph. He' translucent.
He's eating well and gaining weight (100g last month).

 

[KarrieRee]

I have three digital hygrometers on both sides and the center and they average at 46%.
He gets MVs twice per week and insects are dusted with calcium on every feeding.
UVB is an Arcadia T5 12% tube 39W mounted inside with no cover.
Temps are taken with digital thermometers and a tempgun and they all read the same values.
He has been treated for pinworms last week. So no parasites anymore and the vet said he was fine otherwise.
The black beard is very slight all the time and I was told in an other thread I postet it was probably because of his morph. He' translucent.
He's eating well and gaining weight (100g last month).

Sounds good --- the hygrometers have probes? You only need on w/ a probe placed in the center wall of the tank -- I have not heard of translucents having a slight black beard interesting

 

[Chris.]

No probes on the hygrometers, they are two smart home sensors and one of these ones with a suction cup on it that you get in the pet stores.
Maybe I should add that I rearranged and added a few things and relocated the basking lamp because of the crazy temps in germany right now and I couldn't drop the cold side below 90 otherwise. The room had 85!

As for the black beard, he had it for the three months that he's with me. The tank he has with me is about double the size of the one he had before, maybe he is still confused about the change.

 

[Claudiusx]

Because he's on the smaler side (16.5" at 11 months) and I want him to put on some length, he gets rather big meals of insects and he's eating them without an issue.

The goal should be proper health. Growth will come with health. Proper health comes from a proper diet. At 11 months old he should have a salad every day. Two days of bugs and one day off is fine.

he poops really irregularly, sometimes once a week, next week every other day.

That's normal, especially as they get older.

I'm thinking to just continue what I'm doing right now and let him do his thing

That's what I'd suggest.

And remember, dragons have been shedding for eons, they know how to do it without human intervention

-Brandon

 

[Chris.]

The goal should be proper health. Growth will come with health. Proper health comes from a proper diet. At 11 months old he should have a salad every day. Two days of bugs and one day off is fine.

That's normal, especially as they get older.

That's what I'd suggest.

And remember, dragons have been shedding for eons, they know how to do it without human intervention

-Brandon

Health is the goal indeed and at this age and size I think I'd rather feed him a little to much than not enough to support him.

Thanks a lot for the advice Brandon it's very appreciated.