Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all

well - how can you tell when a shed is a good one?

Mine have NEVER shed. both adults..but my feamle did today..and boy did she!

This am she had a few little scale sized peices coming up..just a few..then this evening around 5 she had a thin piece coming off near her mouth...then by 9:00 she was in full shed! almost one piece...

is that the "right" way a cham should shed?

I ask this becasue I know from previos herps that the way a herp sheds can tell you a lot about their environment and whether it is right for them.

thanks..i know a silly Q..but I am kinda excited!
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Adam
Portland, OR

1.1 Jacksons Chameleons (Female is red phase)
0.0.4 Rhacodactylus ciliatus
0.1 Uroplatus Phantasticus

I would say that sounds like a "good" shed.The cham didn't have to struggle with it. I bet it was hungry after it huh?

lol - she ate just as much as normal when she was going through it. She is a wonderful eater.

This am she still has some on her, but I am watching her walk through her ficus to remove the loose skin.
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Adam
Portland, OR

1.1 Jacksons Chameleons (Female is red phase)
0.0.4 Rhacodactylus ciliatus
0.1 Uroplatus Phantasticus

Speaking of shedding. Is it normal for a cham to eat the skin from a shed? Mine ate some of his (but then again he IS a pig and eats pretty much anything in his cage!)

Thanks,
Meemee

Almost every herp I have had eats their skin..or at least some of it. Snakes not included.

My female ate a bit of hers as well
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Adam
Portland, OR

1.1 Jacksons Chameleons (Female is red phase)
0.0.4 Rhacodactylus ciliatus
0.1 Uroplatus Phantasticus

Adam,

If your female jax got shed all in one day - then you are keeping the humidity and temps in the ideal range. Good job!

Many of the cham species shed in different ways. The panthers and veiled shed milky white skin - mostly in large flakes. The montane species shed light green or yellowish skin - and some large and some smaller flakes. The tiny pygmy chams shed in 2 pieces - one along the top of their body - another along the bottom half. I guess alot of the shedding process has to do with the environment - the drier, the flakier. *LOL*
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