Tip of tail dry, almost hard?

[Lauram63110]

I've had my beardie about 6 months, he's 4 yrs old and about 16 in long. He lives in a 55 gal viv with a reptisun 10.0and basking light.Hot side is about 100 degrees and cool end is curently 80. Loves his superworms and likes to swim (and poop) in the bathtub every morning. He seems fine except that the tip of his tail (last 1 inch) seems really dry, almost like it is dead. It seems to be a little smaller in diameter when it gets to the final inch, also. When I say it is dry, it almost feels dead like a stick. Is this a problem?

 

[beardie parents]

It could be caused by retained shed. If you can find it (I couldn't where we live) look for some 100% cocoa butter stick. Others have tried it on the tough sheds that beardies get from time to time and say it works really good. We tried some olive oil (only at night when the lights are off, because the lights will heat up the oil too much and burn them) put it on the tail (warm it up a little first, jut not too hot) put a towel under him and wrap a smaller towel around the tail where the shed is.

 

[Lauram63110]

Thanks, I'll try that. I was a little afraid that the tail was dying or something. He is shedding now and it's the 3rd time since I've had him, so maybe that is it. Thanks again!

 

[beardie parents]

You're welcome! I found it's hard, sometimes, to tell if your beardie's tail has a retained shed. Goldie had some on the tip of her tail and I didn't notice it until I felt a significant dip in an area of her tail that wasn't there before.

 

[Lauram63110]

That sounds like Lizz's tail. I notced that the 'dead' section was narrower around than the 'live
'section right before it. Almost like the tail was drying from the tip inward. I was getting afraid that it would just dehydrate and fall off or something! But left over shed sounds more like it. He's currently wearing a sleeve on one arm and a mask over half his face, so a little sock over the end of his tail shouldnt be a surprise, now, should it? Thanks again!

 

[beardie parents]

No, it shouldn't. I read someplace that the reason they can have problems with retained shed is that the blood circulation in their tails is not good.