Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all,

One more quick question. My B/W shed again but did not shed his tail at all. All his toes shed but not his tail. I have been misting like mad and I added more wet moss to his hide but it must not be enough. I think I need to soak him, but the question is for how long and at what water temp?

Thanks,

Eric

My blue tegu has shed twice since I've gotten him in the past month and a half, and has never shed his tail either. I give him a bath everyday and am sure to give him plenty of water and fruits to eat to stay hydrated. I asked the vet if the tail not shedding was normal and she said that it was. So hopefully, its not a problem at all.

That doesn't make sense. How can a Tegu that has shed twice and not shed its tail both times be alright. Everytime they shed they are getting bigger and bigger. They obviously need to get rid of that shed to grow. By not shedding they have decreased blood supply to the tail, and possibly the end of the tail could be the first to go (die from no circulation). There are also exotherms (cold blooded), they heal slower than warm blooded b/c their heat only comes half the day (im suppose that you have a night drop in temp. They also feel the pressure from not shedding, and will probably eat less. Its probably okay now, but it can become a huge problem, because with each impending shed it usually becomes harder to take off. You have to work at it. I suggest you both put your Tegus in water, up to their chin for about 20 minutes twice a day. You need to work at it with a moist towel and possible your fingers. You have to get rid of shed all the way around (its okay if it doesnt shed on only one part but as long as it, its like cutting the sixpack holder, you make sure that it is broken so that the tail has room to grow. I suggest soaking them first for a couple of days and see how that goes, then try to work at it. Also the temps of the water should be warm ~90-100F.

Good luck
Mike

oh man, thats not good....im kind of worried about massaging his tail though, isnt there a good chance it might break off?

i bathed him twice yesterday, misted the ground where he was sleepign last night, and have him a very hot bath this morning and already his tail is starting to shed. Thank you so much Shad, youve really helped us both out.

chris and diego

no prob...its common thing, we are all just trying to give them the best environment for them to do their thing (shed eat poop), so many damnnn variables.

Mike