Lainezor
Member
- Beardie name(s)
- Darius
Darius is roughly 11 years old. He has had his ups and downs over the last couple years for health. Mostly been on the mend lately, was treated for pinworms and giving a calcium injection early February. He got a lot better until about the start of his shedding a couple weeks ago, he started slowly declining a bit.
He has been slightly more lethargic than usual but hes also shedding his whole face and beard right now. I noticed also that he is not holding himself up as well right now and moving more like he did before the vet gave his last calcium injection. His UVB was last replaced in early January (arcadia 14% dragon) but hes been going into hides or staying in the corner of the cold end to avoid being in the light while he is shedding. I have been giving him greens according to the ARAV list and He continues to eat a lot, there is no problem with appetite and his weight is steadily increasing (he weighed in today at 486grams, up from the 474 3 weeks ago). He is alert and will pop his head up from a nap if you walk into the room but is napping more lately. I know shedding is hard on them and Darius hasnt shed in about a year.
Today he pooped all over himself and I had to take him out to bathe him. He is in full shed right now and rather grumpy about it. During the bath I noticed a couple of scales that were red, one was bright red like a raspberry and a couple more that were a darker more rust colour. Sometimes he gets rust coloured markings on himself from rubbing on the aloe plants or cork bark but the one spot on his leg is much more red. He has been dragging himself a bit and scraping on things to help with the shedding but seems to be a bit weaker than normal.
Is there anything I should feed him or do differently while he is shedding? This is taking a long time for him but I also understand he is old. I want to do the best by him.
Are the red scales (photos attached) anything of concern? do I need to make a vet appointment to have him looked at? Will the stress of the vet be too much while he is in shed?
He has been slightly more lethargic than usual but hes also shedding his whole face and beard right now. I noticed also that he is not holding himself up as well right now and moving more like he did before the vet gave his last calcium injection. His UVB was last replaced in early January (arcadia 14% dragon) but hes been going into hides or staying in the corner of the cold end to avoid being in the light while he is shedding. I have been giving him greens according to the ARAV list and He continues to eat a lot, there is no problem with appetite and his weight is steadily increasing (he weighed in today at 486grams, up from the 474 3 weeks ago). He is alert and will pop his head up from a nap if you walk into the room but is napping more lately. I know shedding is hard on them and Darius hasnt shed in about a year.
Today he pooped all over himself and I had to take him out to bathe him. He is in full shed right now and rather grumpy about it. During the bath I noticed a couple of scales that were red, one was bright red like a raspberry and a couple more that were a darker more rust colour. Sometimes he gets rust coloured markings on himself from rubbing on the aloe plants or cork bark but the one spot on his leg is much more red. He has been dragging himself a bit and scraping on things to help with the shedding but seems to be a bit weaker than normal.
Is there anything I should feed him or do differently while he is shedding? This is taking a long time for him but I also understand he is old. I want to do the best by him.
Are the red scales (photos attached) anything of concern? do I need to make a vet appointment to have him looked at? Will the stress of the vet be too much while he is in shed?