Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

My mali has been shedding for about 2 weeks now. First on his face (most of it gone now). I check him out head to toe every night to make sure he is healthy. Today I noticed that on the pads of his feet there was some skin hanging. I did get the toe clippers and remove some of it. Do they shed on the pads of their feet?? I guess I'm concern because I have heard some people having their reptiles loose a foot because of shedding. The color on his back doesn't seem to be as bright yellow as normal...could this be shedding too? I gave him a soak right away for about 10 minutes. Is there anything else I should be doing?

Thanks for your help,

Kim (over protective mother)

Our adult male Mali has had quite a bit of trouble with shedding on his feet. Our local vet, who has owned and bred Uromastyx, suggested that while they are shedding we occasionally mist them to help the skin to come off. He probably won't lose a foot, but if layers of skin build up on the toes it constricts them and cuts off the circulation them POOF no more toe. Only our adult male has had this problem though, our other two shed just fine with or without misting.

Make sure that he has plenty of rocks and things with irregular (but not sharp) surfaces to walk on to help with foot skin shedding. Ra has a triangular piece of petrified wood he likes to walk on. I found toe skin shed laying near it. He also rubs his body up against the slate rock to get the shed off his sides and tail. Also, if you can, gently rub the shed on his feet because if it is very dry it may flake off (but don't ever pull on it).