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My argentina black and white tegu has been having a problem shed for a while now and I don't know what I am doing wrong. I keep the humidity up, he has a humid hide, and I soak him every couple days. The stuck skin is not coming off, it also looks like he is starting to shed again as well. I'm getting worried because now it lookes like the skin around his arm is getting cracked.

This is very frustrating because I don't know what i'm doing wrong. Most of the sites I look up say its due to poor husbandry but I know that is not the case. My temps are perfect, my humidity is great, substrate is always clean. I'm thinking it could be the fruit factor, but he's just a baby and won't eat any. Any help would be appreciated. I'm going to bring him to the vet if I don't make any progress in the next couple days.
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Take some moss, wet it down and squeeze out the excess water and put it in the tehus hide. Keep it wet like this until you get over this rough spot. This is not recommended for normal use. Fruit is not a factor, it's not the problem. It's moisture/humidity thats the issue. Fill your sink or tub with an inch of warm water and put your tegu in and let it soak. Being young, it may not care for this, but right now if it is not shedding this is needed. You can try to take a bowl of warm water and dumk your fingers into the bowl and rub from head to tail gently on your tegu. Take extra care around the face, vent and feet.

If the tegus skin is cracking and causing open wounds, don't wait for replies... get it directly to a vet.

Hope this info helps.
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Rick
theTegu.com

New Tegu Community: theTegu.com - Webcam: Tux.theTegu.com

DO NOT PUT WET MOSS IN HIDE BOX. I did this and Santiago got a skin fungas from the moss.Try putting some Olive oil on you tegus ,also mabye some fruit with vit C and A in it (mangos ,guva,kiwii,ect)If you cant get your tegu to eat fruit , try dipping the fruit in Blended hard bioled eggs, mixed with water.Russ

I do understand the fungus concern, so let me clear up my comment; wet down and remove any excess water from some clean fresh moss and place it in the hide box (do this each day with fresh moss), if you are worried about fungus remove it after a few hours but I have done this with a tegu when it was having a shedding prob and I left it all day. I put it in after my coffee (around 8 to 9am) and take it out before the timers turn off the lights (10pm).

Your moss will not get fungus in a 12 hour day if it's clean, unused moss as long as you use new moss each day.

Don't use oil on your tegu if the tegu has cracked open skin, use only water or treated water with an antibaceral agent from your vet.

Hatchling & juv. tegus do not require fruit in their diet, if your have been giving your tegu calcium mineral & vitamin suppliments you should be fine in this area,
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Rick
theTegu.com

New Tegu Community: theTegu.com - Webcam: Tux.theTegu.com

That is what I did ,and he got a fungas .

I don't want to use olive oil on him b/c it does look like his skin is cracked. I am definitley taking him to the vet but the reptile vet won't be in until monday or tuesday and I want to find something that will help until then. Thanks for all the replies I am going to try soaking him every day and see if it helps.

Also he is given calcium and vitamin supplements regularly, and has a full spectrum UVA/UVB light.

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soaking is alot better than moss. do you gut load your insectes?I would do this also Russ

I agree that soaking is a great method of hydrating this skin. Can't beat 100% hydration. As far as the moss, I have used damp moss (changed extremely often with new, clean moss. removing mulch as well to be sure i get all of the moss) with no issue. I have done this is the past when needed and never got any type of fungus. I do realize moisture can cause fungus and you need to be careful. I am curious why I have done it often in the past with no issues and you had an issue.

You stated you changed it with fresh moss as often as I did, so I guess my questions are what kind of moss did you use? There are many types and some may act differently. Was it specifically sold for reptiles that are in a high humidity enclosure? Did you have it on the warm or cool side of the tank? Did your tegu get a fungal issue on your first attempt? Are you sure when you removed the moss daily that you took some of the bedding as well? or is it possible some of the old moss got left behind?

Wet moss will become fungal after sitting overnight if the conditions are right, but I have not seen it happen in 10 or 11 hours. I am not flaming, and I do know fungus can be a concern. I just want to see why it works for me and a few friends of mine, but not for you. I think finding the answer may be best for the tegus in the long run.

Rick
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Rick
theTegu.com

New Tegu Community: theTegu.com - Webcam: Tux.theTegu.com

I have read several accounts in which sphagnum moss was mentioned with regards to lizard bedding - while it was openly recommended on several sites in the creation of a moist hide, several others were adamant that it should never be used at all due to risk of respiratory infection caused by mold. As I couldnt find anything to convince me either way I gave it a miss altogether What moss do you/have you used? Not really a specific reply, but just a query.

I used Sphagnum moss from OSH. This happend 1 1/2 years ago.Wont use it again

Then you have been lucky. I dont remember if a little bit of moss was left in there over night or not . That could have been the the cause. yes it can lead to fungas over night , and I did not know this till it was too late.So this is why I do not recomend two use Sphagnum moss. To much chance for mistakes. Thanks Russ

Considering that clean fresh Sphagnum moss is well known for its antiFUNGAL and antibiotic properties, hence its use in some surgical dressings, your claim seems a little dubious. Not trying to start a fight, but this seems more like coincidence than causal agent.

well I guess what my tegu got was not fungas caused by the the moss and water.See Stellas post up above!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Moss = bad husbandry
If you keep using it you will find out the hard way .
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Stella St.Pierre
www.bluetegu.com - Ron St.Pierre

Hi.

Has your tegu been trying to hibernate but you keep waking him? If not, that's great. But I'll tell you why I ask...

When a tegu hibernates or just brumates, their metabolism slows down. In case of hibernation it slows down a lot. But some folks like to keep waking the tegu up because they want to see it often. In this case, the animal may be awake but its functions (like digestion, defecation, and yes, shedding) are slowed down.

Even a blue tegu, which may brumate (slow down but come out of hiding often) rather than go into complete hibernation, will take longer to digest and eliminate during the cold months even though cage temps are fine.

In the Spring when the animal naturally snaps out of its Winter cycle it explodes with energy and begins eating and growing and shedding like crazy.

This is just a question and may not apply in your case. The main thing now is to treat those open splits which can become infected. I would take the tegu to a vet as soon as you can. The vet may give you some oral antibiotics and/or cream to apply directly to the splits. I once successfully treated an adult red tegu with infected open splits using oral antibiotics and Panalog cream.

Good luck!

Bill

I hadnt thought of that before...thanks for the info These snippets of info are always useful.

Someone a long time ago suggested to me to use A&D ointment on a Red Tegu that was having a really stubborn shed. I hesitated until I also became very worried about the condition of the Tegus skin. I broke down and tried it. I slathered A&D ointment just on the stubborn patches and left the lizard on clean paper and towel substrate for a few days. It really did work to help soften and remove that old shed. I figured that I use the stuff on new tattoos and it helps them to heal quickly, why not give it a try?

Another product that I've found that works well on stubborn spike sheds on my Green and Cyclura iguanas is "Surgeon's Skin Secret". It contains beeswax, light mineral oil, and lanolin. You may have to ask your local drug store to order it for you.

a&d oil? were do you get it ?Also Happy thanksgiving jane.Russ

Yes I always gutload my crickets. I use the special cricket food and water not sure if it works as well as fresh veggies ect though. As for the hibernation I thought that he was starting to (fought the urge to peek) but now he gets up several times a day on his own will eat a few crickets then go back to bed.

I'm a bit leary about using ointment because I know mineral oil is a big NO NO on cracked skin. Thanks for all your replies.
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1.0.0 Evil Budgie

Stop soaking him
His skin is cracking because you are making him to wet .

Ignore what the poster said about using moss as it will only cause you a headache
DO NOT USE MOSS on a tegus cage unless you want him to get a fungus because he will get one if you use it.
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Stella St.Pierre
www.bluetegu.com - Ron St.Pierre

I know not to use moss. What I am doing right now that seems to be helping is covering half the cage with that expandable substrate, and the other half with paper towel. I keep a humid hide box for him, and also mist the cage once per day, not on the paper towel side. That way his skin can dry out a bit because if its too wet I don't think it will be able to lift away from the body.

Does this sound like a good setup to keep once I get this shed problem solved?
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0.0.1 Green Water Dragon
1.0.0 Tokay Gecko
1.1.1 Bearded Dragons
0.1.0 Columbian Red-tailed Boa
1.0.0 Yellow Ratsnake
0.0.1 California Kingsnake
0.0.1 Black and White Tegu
0.0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula
1.0.0 Evil Budgie