Shedding in Older Beardies

[gulfbrzdawn]

My beardie Rex is 5 yrs old and is pretty much done growing. She has not shed at all this year until now. She is going to shed on just the back portion of one rear leg.
I'm just curious to know,those of you that have beardies 5 yrs and older,how much shedding do you still see, if any?

Dawn

 

[slavetoIzzie]

When we first got Izzie, he had 2 full body sheds in less than a months time. Izzie was around 5 yrs old but had unfortunately gone through a long period of neglect. He grew several inches in length and went from skinny to a studly Buddha belly from the constant feedings. Now, he just sheds in patches. A leg here, his head a week later, then nothing for a while. Wake up and find he's lost a patch on his tail or back. Of course, he turns into a grumpy-butt when it happens.

 

[Krisymof2]

With my beardie Buzz I remember as he got older he shed AOLT less and I think it was due to him not growing much more, just getting fatter. Like said above it was a leg here, tail or head there but never really any full sheds.

 

[peera]

Gibby still sheds his head about once every other month... occasionaly his legs (maybe once every 5-6 months) and tail and body perhaps once a year.

 

[sweetiepie9]

Lonzo, who's 4 1/2 yrs just shed different parts, too. One day it was one leg, one day an arm, then his mouth, then his tail. It's strange, it takes so long for the shed to happen and he's miserable while it's happening.

Sweetie, who's 2 1/2 yrs also sheds in pieces. She's just shed her lips, part of her head and her nose & ear pieces. Now her beard is turning grey and another part of her head. Looks like her spine is next, don't know if she'll do a body shed or not.

Shedding drives them both crazy, it can be a month between body parts, its so strange. We have a new baby, who's about 2 mo old or so. When she sheds she explodes and its all done in a day.

It is strange how older beardies shed. I'm always surprised, as they don't grow any bigger.

I give the older ones long soaks in the tub when I know they're shedding, it seems to help, not sure if their skin gets itchy or not.

Tell your beardie that mine all say hi!

 

[peera]

It is strange how older beardies shed. I'm always surprised, as they don't grow any bigger.

It's not that strange... after all, it's their skin, and every other animal (including humans!) continues losing their skin long after we're finished growing.

 

[Colin]

Its just a way for them to keep their skin healthy

 

[fresnowitte]

Ms. Piggy is the only beardie that I have at this time that is over 5 years old.(According to the vet) As I don't really know of her age I rescued her in December of last year. It took 6 months before she shed at all due to the high count of pinworms she had when we got her. Once the pinworms were eliminated she did a complete shed. She now sheds a portion every couple of months. Some areas are still very thick like on the top of her nose but I think that's due to scar tissue. She was housed with a male her entire life before I had gotten her and was very beat up. No spikes left on the back of her head and her lips are very scarred as well.

My very first beardie ever Rocky (R.I.P.) died at about 11 years of age but he shed on a regular basis. Every month he'd shed a portion of himself. He shed more often than my beardies that are 2 to 3 years old.

Like Sweetiepie said hydration is very important not only while shedding but all of the time. This will help keep from the skin thickening and becoming hardened. Just like an old person. :wink:

As Peera mentioned skin cell constanly die off and reproduce themselves.

But yes the bottom line is that older beardies will not shed as often as babies and juvies.