rosiethehobbit
Member
Hi! I've had Barbossa about 5 weeks, and the base of his tail has gradually gotten dark and dull (it seems to be defined along specific scale lines). It's my understanding that areas that need to shed get lighter in color, not darker, so I'm not sure what's going on with this! Should I be worried??
Here's his tail in the bath this morning:
and for reference, his tail 5 weeks ago the day I brought him home (I've since gotten rid of the reptile carpet):
He's had one partial shed of half his face, beard, and body, and his little legs look like they're getting ready. But this tail thing has been gradually happening for weeks. Why is it getting so dark and dull??
If it helps, here are the answers to the questions!
How old is your dragon? not sure - maybe a year?
How long have you had your dragon? 5 weeks
How long is your dragon? 16-17 inches
What is the sex of your dragon? male
What size enclosure do you have your dragon in? 40 gallon
What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank? ceramic tile and paper towel
Do you use UVB lights? yes
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb? fluorescent tube
What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Wattage (if MVB)? Reptisun t5 10.0
How old is your UVB bulb? 4 weeks
How close can your dragon get to the UVB? 6-8 inches
Do you use a separate basking bulb? What kind and what is the wattage? Is it a white or colored bulb? yes, halogen 75 watt white
What are the basking temps? 95-105 F within the spot; he moves around it and regulates
What is the cool side temp? 75 F
Do you take the temps with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun? a digital thermometer with wire and probe on either end of the enclosure; basking temp taken with a temp gun
Where exactly are you taking your basking temps? top of his basking log right under the light
Do you use a heat rock or heat pad? no
What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific. daily salad (daily mustard greens, endive, collard greens, and/or dandelion greens, with 2-4 x weekly butternut, acorn, or spaghetti squash, or cactus pad, 1-2 x weekly small amount of papaya, apple, mango, or strawberry on salad), daily bugs (dubia roaches and/or crickets, 4-5 times per week hornworms, superworms, and/or Phoenix worms)
How often do you feed and what time do you feed (morning, afternoon, night)? salad put out fresh each morning, bugs fed between 3 and 6pm
Do you gutload (feed) your crickets, worms, etc? yes; same food as he eats, plus grain-based roach chow for the roaches
Do you use vitamin or calcium supplements? What brand(s)? How many days a week do you use each of them? Repcal Herptivite 1-2 times per week on bugs, Repti Calcium w/D3 on bugs 4 times per week
Is your dragon having regular bowel movements (poops)? yes, every 1.5-2 days
Do you bath your dragon? How often? yes, 3-4 times per week for 20-30 minutes
Do you mist your dragon or offer water other than in the bath? flat water dish in enclosure, mist very seldom as he hates it, haha
Have you gotten a vet check and fecal done? yes; we're treating pinworms right now and putting weight on, all else normal
Does your dragon share an enclosure with another dragon? no
Here's his tail in the bath this morning:
and for reference, his tail 5 weeks ago the day I brought him home (I've since gotten rid of the reptile carpet):
He's had one partial shed of half his face, beard, and body, and his little legs look like they're getting ready. But this tail thing has been gradually happening for weeks. Why is it getting so dark and dull??
If it helps, here are the answers to the questions!
How old is your dragon? not sure - maybe a year?
How long have you had your dragon? 5 weeks
How long is your dragon? 16-17 inches
What is the sex of your dragon? male
What size enclosure do you have your dragon in? 40 gallon
What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank? ceramic tile and paper towel
Do you use UVB lights? yes
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb? fluorescent tube
What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Wattage (if MVB)? Reptisun t5 10.0
How old is your UVB bulb? 4 weeks
How close can your dragon get to the UVB? 6-8 inches
Do you use a separate basking bulb? What kind and what is the wattage? Is it a white or colored bulb? yes, halogen 75 watt white
What are the basking temps? 95-105 F within the spot; he moves around it and regulates
What is the cool side temp? 75 F
Do you take the temps with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun? a digital thermometer with wire and probe on either end of the enclosure; basking temp taken with a temp gun
Where exactly are you taking your basking temps? top of his basking log right under the light
Do you use a heat rock or heat pad? no
What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific. daily salad (daily mustard greens, endive, collard greens, and/or dandelion greens, with 2-4 x weekly butternut, acorn, or spaghetti squash, or cactus pad, 1-2 x weekly small amount of papaya, apple, mango, or strawberry on salad), daily bugs (dubia roaches and/or crickets, 4-5 times per week hornworms, superworms, and/or Phoenix worms)
How often do you feed and what time do you feed (morning, afternoon, night)? salad put out fresh each morning, bugs fed between 3 and 6pm
Do you gutload (feed) your crickets, worms, etc? yes; same food as he eats, plus grain-based roach chow for the roaches
Do you use vitamin or calcium supplements? What brand(s)? How many days a week do you use each of them? Repcal Herptivite 1-2 times per week on bugs, Repti Calcium w/D3 on bugs 4 times per week
Is your dragon having regular bowel movements (poops)? yes, every 1.5-2 days
Do you bath your dragon? How often? yes, 3-4 times per week for 20-30 minutes
Do you mist your dragon or offer water other than in the bath? flat water dish in enclosure, mist very seldom as he hates it, haha
Have you gotten a vet check and fecal done? yes; we're treating pinworms right now and putting weight on, all else normal
Does your dragon share an enclosure with another dragon? no
So if the darker part is shed, any idea why it is taking so long? It's been darkening at least 2 or 3 weeks. I just worry it's getting tight!
