Scratching during baths?

TheBeard9789

Sub-Adult Member
My Amber is grey/white about 85%-90% of her body her arms legs tail and head is completely discolored and shedding. Gave her a bath today after about 2 weeks and she INSISTS on scratching her head with her nails. My problem is is that they are not cut could she hurt herself with her own nails while scratching? Should I stop this behavior or should I let her do what's natural and relieve her itch?
 

KarrieRee

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Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
My Amber is grey/white about 85%-90% of her body her arms legs tail and head is completely discolored and shedding. Gave her a bath today after about 2 weeks and she INSISTS on scratching her head with her nails. My problem is is that they are not cut could she hurt herself with her own nails while scratching? Should I stop this behavior or should I let her do what's natural and relieve her itch?
You can help by misting her in the tank take a soft baby tooth bush and brush the loose shed - it will take it off and maybe she wont scratch so much
 

xp29

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Zen , Ruby ,Snicker Doodles, Sweet Pea, Sinatra
All my dragons scratch their heads with their back feet in a bath. That is normal behavior, but i always take them out or cover their head with my hand so they can't hurt themselves.
On this it isn't just me being paranoid, I got up one morning to find my first beardies eye had disappeared into an ozzing runny blood clot. She had scratched and hung a nail in her eye. The vet gave us meds and told us to keep it moist so it didnt hurt as much.
(Have you ever tried to keep a cone on a beardie? Good luck with that). We got really lucky after about a week and a half the blood clot came loose and there was her beautiful lil eye. She pieced her eyelid but missed the eye.
So yes be careful of her scratching her head accidents can happen.
 

TheBeard9789

Sub-Adult Member
Original Poster
All my dragons scratch their heads with their back feet in a bath. That is normal behavior, but i always take them out or cover their head with my hand so they can't hurt themselves.
On this it isn't just me being paranoid, I got up one morning to find my first beardies eye had disappeared into an ozzing runny blood clot. She had scratched and hung a nail in her eye. The vet gave us meds and told us to keep it moist so it didnt hurt as much.
(Have you ever tried to keep a cone on a beardie? Good luck with that). We got really lucky after about a week and a half the blood clot came loose and there was her beautiful lil eye. She pieced her eyelid but missed the eye.
So yes be careful of her scratching her head accidents can happen.
I'm glad to hear she was ok in the end that's what I worry about normally she (Amber) doesn't scratch much. Guess that's why people trim their nails down she only scratches when she sheds but very little. Normally she/I can get it off without any problem but her head is COVERED it's insane
 

TheBeard9789

Sub-Adult Member
Original Poster
You can help by misting her in the tank take a soft baby tooth bush and brush the loose shed - it will take it off and maybe she wont scratch so much
I generally keep their enclosures around 40%-55% humidity wise she (Amber) has never been excited for baths but she is loving it now (pics of her shedding)
 

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xp29

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Oh poor little thing looks absolutely miserable. Hopefully she sheds it off quickly.
Is she hypo? Or het zero? She looks really white. Chomp would do that also but none of my others really turn that white. Chomp was hypo and 100% het zero.
 

TheBeard9789

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Oh poor little thing looks absolutely miserable. Hopefully she sheds it off quickly.
Is she hypo? Or het zero? She looks really white. Chomp would do that also but none of my others really turn that white. Chomp was hypo and 100% het zero.
Honestly she (Amber) was a bday gift so I have no idea all I know is she is orange and I have NEVER seen her shed like this. It's mind boggling to see her shed in patches she seems SO relieved having a nice soak and funny thing is she hates baths 😅
 

xp29

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Lol mine all hate baths. They start that patchy shedding when the near adulthood.
On another note look at her claws, if they are all clear she is a hypo. Even one claw with the black line means she isn't though :)
 

TheBeard9789

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Original Poster
Lol mine all hate baths. They start that patchy shedding when the near adulthood.
On another note look at her claws, if they are all clear she is a hypo. Even one claw with the black line means she isn't though :)
Never knew that I'll check it out my Chubbs is a water baby with baths but Amber can only take so much then she wants out. I know I used to give them 2-3 baths a week but lately it's been 1-2 times a week I was told it hinders shedding. I have no idea how but they said baths keep the water trapped under the shed
 

xp29

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It can dry their skin out, also if they don't get completely dry it can cause bacteria to grow under their scales
 

TheBeard9789

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Original Poster
It can dry their skin out, also if they don't get completely dry it can cause bacteria to grow under their scales
I always dry them off they dry faster that way I heard about that before I got them I tried every way to get them to drink. Only way I found was giving them a bath so my Chubbs will drink a bunch of water 1-2 times a week. Amber gets it from that and occasionally greens and hornworms when I have the worms
 

xp29

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Also be careful with water depth. I saw a video by Clints reptiles on YouTube talking about they use the same muscles to run as they do to breath they can't do both at the same time.
 

TheBeard9789

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Also be careful with water depth. I saw a video by Clints reptiles on YouTube talking about they use the same muscles to run as they do to breath they can't do both at the same time.
Very true with Amber she will relax and flatten herself and the water is elbow deep. With Chubbs since she is bigger I do about the same but little pass the elbow. Chubbs dunks her head no matter how shallow the water may be she just loves it 😅
 

xp29

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I used to have one that liked water, she passed in April.
My male Zin you have to wear a suit of armor to bathe him lol. I never come away uninjured :cool:
 

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