Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Our 5-6yo Uro mali came to us four years ago with a number of injuries due to poor care by a pet store. We nursed him back to health, and he's doing very well. (Picture below)

Wizard's tail was broken about three inches from the tip when we got him. No, it hadn't fallen off, it was crooked. Evenutually the tail healed, but he's never properly shed the scales there.

I'm cautious about handling any lizard's tail, but was wondering if anyone had a good suggestion for easing the removal of the old scales? I'm not certain soaking is the best answer; I'm wondering if baby oil might help. We had one doctor suggest pulling the old scales off -- we don't go to that doctor any more.

I could post a picture of the tail, if anyone thinks that would help.

My daughter asserts that the first invention of any sentient lizard species would not be the wheel or fire, but skin cream.

.

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Scott Robert Ladd
1.0.0 Iguana (Rex)
1.1.0 African Giant Plated Lizard (Clyde, Cassie)
1.0.1 Uro mali (Wizard, Dizzy)
0.1.0 Corn Snake (Amber)
0.1.0 Red-Eared Sliders (Emerald)
0.0.1 Musk Turtle (Sausage)
1.1.0 Parakeet (Thor, Zeus)
1.4.0 Homo sapiens (Scott, Maria, Elora, Becky, Tessa)
blog: http://chaoticcoyote.blogspot.com/

well with soaking it can help but you would really have to dry the tail. if you think that water is too much moisture you can try something from melissa kaplan's website where you wrap the lizard in a warm moist towel for like five minutes and then rub mineral oil on the skin. i have even used mineral oil without a soak and it has helped them shed. mineral oil is like liquid vasaline, alot of people use it as a laxative so you can find it in that aisle of a drug store but there aren't drugs in it.
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vonnie
***The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage.
— Mark Russell***