Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Zilla is about 5 years old, big healthy male green iguana. my problem is that the last few sheds i haven't been able to get some of his spikes off despite careful attention to them. there are probably 3 sheds stuck on 4 of his spikes (mostly the bigger ones closest to his head) and i'm getting worried after reading that they can lose their spikes if it's not corrected. i bought mineral oil and have thoroughly rubbed small amounts into each of the problem spikes several times now and there seems to be absolutely no progress, and now i'm wondering what i should do. i'd take him to the vet if i thought the vet would have a special technique, but i don't want to waste my money if they won't be able to do anything more than i'm doing already. i keep a humidifier going directly into his cage on and off throughout the day, soak him in the bath every day to poop, spray him directly and around his cage somewhat often.... so i'm not sure what else to do. continue with the mineral oil every day i guess and just hope for the best? any suggestions?

I've read that people with good manual dexterity can use fine pointed scissors and use the point to get under the old shed from the bottom. This person then sliced the old shed and removed it.

Roger

>> there are probably 3 sheds stuck on 4 of his spikes (mostly the bigger ones closest to his head)
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Sheryl

Touch passion when it comes your way, it's hard enough to find as it is. Don't turn away when it calls you by name......B5

Happily Enslaved to Green Iguana Master G'Kar ~~24/7~~

>>>> there are probably 3 sheds stuck on 4 of his spikes (mostly the bigger ones closest to his head>>>

Sorry about that......lost my entire post.....let's try again.

G'Kar had the same problem last week. I put a very warm wash cloth right on the spikes and soaked them for 10 mins.....well as close to 10 mins as His Royalness would allow. Did this twice a day and it took about 3 days to get them all off. Each time I did it the shed on the spike got softer as it absorbed the water.It happens a lot to G'kar I think because those spikes don't get soaked enough in his baths. This has always worked.
Good luck with Zilla.
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Sheryl

Touch passion when it comes your way, it's hard enough to find as it is. Don't turn away when it calls you by name......B5

Happily Enslaved to Green Iguana Master G'Kar ~~24/7~~

yeah, i think that's exactly the problem- his top spikes don't spend much time submersed during his baths although almost the whole time i splash water on his head, spikes, and back so that those get at least some water. i'll try the washcloth idea.... i just hope it's not too late. thanks.

Instead of scissors, I use my fingernails to tear the unshed layer at the base. Sometimes that is all it takes and the other come off more easily. Other times, I have to rip the old shed all the way up to get it off. Do each layer one at a time.

I've heard that vaseline is better than mineral oil, but I've never had to try it myself.

Try holding a warm wet washcloth on it, as suggested in the other post, then applying the mineral oil/vaseline. Wait 10 minutes or so, then try working it off with the washcloth. Sometimes the abraisiveness helps.
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~Alika~
1.0.0 green iguanas
0.1.0 cockatiels
1.0.0 senegal parrots
0.1.0 blue-fronted amazons
0.0.1 red belly piranha