Shed problem. Please help

[PintoBeanDragon1000]

So my bearded dragon Sakari is has been in what I believe to be his first shed. But his back looks cracked along with part of his head. most of its just coming off and on his back where its cracked its coming off in thick chunks but the skin under is smooth. I have noticed places that were smooth are starting to form bumps and lumps like the rest of his un-shed skin.
Is this a bad shed? Can I put banana boat aloe vera on his back to help it? What can I do. I bathe him daily and then I spray his back 2-3 times day.
I dont know what else to do. Temps are fine UVB is fine I use arcadia and those are good for atleast 12 months of use. his humidity is about 18-25% depending on the end of the cage he is on. I feed him greens which he wont eat and Phoenix worms. He eats about 10 and leaves 3-5 in the bowl untouched by the end of the day. He poops atleast once a day maybe twice. I don't know what this could be because all of my beardies in the past have has prefect sheds.

Please help me. He is about 5-5 1/2 inches long and about 5-6 grams. He is also 4 weeks old.

 

[Gail]

You can use the aloe vera as long as there is no added alcohol. Any chance you can post pictures? I'm having a hard time visualizing what it happening.

 

[PintoBeanDragon1000]

There is added alcohol is there anything else I can use. I can post pictures tomorrow but right now my sister has my camera...

 

[PintoBeanDragon1000]

The last one is the best That I could get.... any thoughts again...What else can I put on him. I tried to get the smooth parts but getting so close just made it a grey blob...

 

[Esther19]

Folks have had success with 100% pure cocoa butter. I hear it's available at the dollar store, but I'd probably call around first.

 

[PintoBeanDragon1000]

Okay, thank you.

 

[daner923]

As an aside, he looks very skinny. How often and how much are you feeding him, and how often are you bathing him?

 

[PintoBeanDragon1000]

I will run you through his whole day.
9AM: Lights come on
10AM: I uncover his cage and put in his greens. (which he never eats)
10:30AM: I give him his breakfast which normally consists of 5-6 medium phoenix worms. I leave left overs in his bowl.
11AM: I give him a bath for 10-15 minutes.
1PM: I take out his greens give him fresh ones, then I give him another 5-6 worms which he eats then I leave the rest in is bowl.
Around the late afternoon I use a syringe and drip water on the tip of his nose which he drinks and then I let it run down his rock or branch which he also laps up occasionally.
4-5PM: I give him fresh greens and 5-6 more worms which he normally only eats 1 or 2 at this time. I leave the rest in his bowl.
About 7PM: I give him more water in a syringe and drip it on his nose.
8PM: I try and get him to eat the left over worms. which leftover at the end of the day adds up to about 5 on the average day. He normally does not eat anymore worms at this time.
8:15PM I remove ALL food items worms and greens, I attempt to get him to drink more water and normally he doesn't. (as a note I give him so much water because I heard dehydration is a leading cause of death in small beardies because they dehydrate so fast.)
9:15PM: His lights turn out and I cover the front of his cage again we repeat the process daily with little change or fluctuation.
I do hold him an average of 2-3 times a day for about 5-10 minutes so I dont stress him and he doesn't get to cold.
I feed him dandelion greens which is the only greens he has shown a remote interest in.
I am picking up some crickets to supplement and add variety on friday or saturday. I will get some waxworms to fatten him up more... he has gained 2 grams in the last 2 weeks so he must have been really thin when I got him...
He is very alert and actively explores his cage. He takes a great interest in his environment outside his cage when someone comes in.

 

[PintoBeanDragon1000]

I also just weighed him. The scale keeps fluctuating between 5 and 6 so I will say he is on the verge of a solid six. He is also 5.25 inches long.

 

[TheGuvnor]

You really don't need to bath him everyday (if im reading that right). Maybe only few times a month, if that.
Although some use this time as more Beardie/owner bonding, Its really unnecessary.

Granted a few extra baths IF a troublesome shed is present, but even then, its stamped in their dna how to deal with such things, I'm pretty sure all would be fine if left with little intervention.

Obviously if you see shed cutting off blood supply or something that's not good. But, you know what I mean.

As for stress mark, as mentioned before, its all new to him. It will be fine in a week or so. Sometimes longer. Every dragon is different.

 

[Gail]

His back and neck look like it has a couple layers of stuck shed. Keep up the baths and try to find some oil to rub on him. I've used olive oil before with decent results.
I would be more worried about his body condition. He looks thin and his back is almost sunk in. Those spikey lines along his sides shouldn't be that far up on his back. Have you tried feeding him any other kind of insect? It doesn't sound like he is getting enough food. Do you give calcium and vitamins? What are the temps?

 

[PintoBeanDragon1000]

The first 2 weeks we had him we had him eating crickets... he ate even less with those. I dust his food one meal a day. and give him vitamins 3 times a week.
His hot side is 90 his cool side is 82 his surface temp on his basking rock is 109.7 which I checked around 5:30.
Like I said he has GAINED weight since I got him. He has gained 2 grams. could there be an underlying cause. To his body condition? I mean he as food in his cage literally all day an hour after his lights come on until an hour before his lights go out. If he was hungry i figure he would eat the food thats in his bowl. I will try feeding him more but I don't know how well that will work. I went out and got some crickets today I put 9 in there and a waxworm and he had 3 phoenix worms in there. He ate one crickets and 1 more phoenix worm and left 8 crickets and 2 phoenix worms and the wax worm. I don't understand if his body is deteriorating why he wont eat more than he is eating. Best idea I have is try and get him to eat some waxworms to get him fattened up and try and up his appetite. I willl give him until next thursday if he hasn't put on more weight I will call the vet. If he loses any before then I will call the vet. I just dont understand why he is gaining weight but looking so thin. he was 4 inches and 4 grams when I got him on the 18th he has grown over an inch and put on 2 grams like I said he his on the verge of a solid six grams... the scale just blips back and for from 5-6 and back to five but spends more time on 6 than 5. I also have some stuff my vet gave me to force feed my bearide who had liver failure, which he apparently had when I purchased him. He put on 30 grams or so in a week. I might try getting him to eat some of that which I can call and ask them about tomorrow.

 

[Gail]

Do you have any pics from when you first got him? Its sounds like he is growing ok for the amount he is eating. He doesn't look especially thin to me, its just the way his body is shaped, something looks odd.
Your set up and care is good, temps are good and he is active. He is probably ok but it wouldn't hurt to get a fecal done when you can. Being so small, even if he does have parasites you would want to wait until he was older before getting meds. If he does start loosing weight then yes, get him to a vet asap.
Have you had him 4 week or is he 4 weeks? How old was he when you got him? Babies shouldn't leave the breeder before they are 6 weeks, unfortunately many pet stores save money by stocking very young babies.
Did you mention what kind/brand of UVB you have? I looked but may have missed it.
Next time you give him a bath, use a very soft toothbrush and gently brush at the cracked skin. It will help loosen and remove the flakey skin. It almost sounds like he might have a couple layers of unshed skin.

 

[PintoBeanDragon1000]

These pictures were from the first few days I had him. Up to the first week.


I spilled his water dish in the above picture.


These are probably from my 2nd week having him.


The the pictures from my other reply are from today.
I got him on the 18th of july he was born the 2nd of july I got him when he was 2 weeks and 2 days old. today he is exactly 4 weeks and 2 days old. I got him from a friend she was keeping the rest until they were 10 weeks old but she let me take Sakari early. I did know he was to young but I took it upon myself to try my best to raise him and I feel like he is thriving on my part it was a childish move because I wasn't patient enough to wait. I should have done so but I do think he is okay except for the skin and shape issue. I have had beardies before I have had 3 and I have perfected my husbandry to make their living experience as pleasant and correct as possible and I always seek advice when I don't know about something and I am always willing to grow in knowledge to make my beardies life enhance. I give them what I can and I love them. I am only 17 and have no job so I can't always afford a vet visit or buy expensive remedies or products thats why i come here and I am thankful that people answer my questions here. Even if it gets sketchy

 

[PintoBeanDragon1000]

Oh UVB I use Arcadia tube lights. I have another 9 months of use from it. Then I will get another one. He wasn't really active when I first brought him home he was kinda...limp and moved on occasion after a few days of adjustment he was running around and exploring his cage he was very active when he was at my friends house aswell but even more so now.