Shedding and Weight Loss

[Leechloejy]

So I just got my beardie 3 weeks ago and he did an extremely good job with relocation. Soon after getting him, his MVB blew and he had to endure cool weather for like 2 days. So for a new beardie owner, I'm so proud of him for being this awesome about everything that went wrong. Recently, he's starting going into shed. From head to the base of his tail, it's starting to turn dull and clearly getting ready to shed. Also, his probe thermometer just broke 2 days ago and I need to go get a new one.

However, 2 days ago he almost completely stopped eating. While I know shedding could cause them to lose their appetite, this is a lot more worrying. He usually eats at least 10 superworms per feeding, and looks like he could eat more but I tend to hold off for a second feeding to give him another 5 or 10. When I'm able to, I purchase a bag of about 30 crickets per feeding for him.. he gets that maybe one or two days a week.

He's in a 36/16/16 exo terra tank, basking spot temps are 95-103 (from before his probe broke). I live in a tropical country so temps outside never drop below 23C at the coolest and very rare. Typically our temperatures are 25-30C. newsprint paper as substrate, very sparse gravel on the floor from when he climbs his rocks and they get dislodged. He has some black lava rocks and a log to climb on and play around with. I threw in a ping pong ball for him to play with, but he didn't bother with it. All his meals are dusted with either exo terra Calcium + D3 5 days a week(the only Calcium supp available at the store) and multivitamins the other 2 days.

Is there anything I should be worried about? When he sits now, there is a fold of skin on the side of his belly. It's slightly distressing. He also seems to always take the most dangerous route off his basking spot, even when I've placed rocks in a formation that creates an easy route for him down ?

 

[ToughPrincess]

How old is he?
Assuming he is an adult... I've noticed sometimes it takes a while for mine to shed especially a full body shed. I wouldn't worry about him not eating sometimes Lucy won't eat for days and he IS shedding. Also he could have eaten a piece of gravel and it's stuck in there. I'd recommend a warm bath (Like the temperature for an infant) either way and I have this zilla shed ease stuff you add to the bath water and it helped SOOOO much. Maybe rub his belly GENTLY if there is that took in there you might feel it. Usually a bath can help them poop too.
I've never really seen Lucy try to "play" with any toys and she is ALWAYS taking the most dangerous route everywhere. She loves to run full force to the edge of my bed and just licks my hand when I put it out to stop her.

 

[Leechloejy]

Thanks for the reply! I doubt he's an adult as I was told he was 8 months when I got him, and he's roughly 15 inches.. Definitely still 'small' and growing.. I'm not sure if the base of his tail is too thin, there are 2 bones that are visible that seems to be taking a while to fatten up.

He doesn't seem impacted as he's been pooping everyday, twice yesterday in fact ? But yes, I'll definitely keep giving him baths.. he doesn't do anything in the water though, just sits there and stares haha.. I can't wait for him to get the shed over with!

And yes, he really just seems to enjoy hurling himself off his boxes and running full speed into the glass. Can they hurt themselves that way? I'd hate for him to be hurt cos of those silly antics ?