How To Help Bearded Dragons Shed: All bearded dragon owners know that shedding is a natural phenomenon for this reptile pet. But most of them do not get much concerned or aware of the process or get involved in it. This is a part of regular lifestyle of any reptile, and for the bearded dragons too. It also shows how they are maturing and growing. A few facts that most of the pet owners do not know about shedding:
Bearded dragons shed more frequently when they are young. As and when they start to mature, the number of shedding lessens gradually.
However, this is a lifelong process. The dragons usually shed several times throughout their life. Keeping them in best condition and in healthy state is required to shed them naturally.
The colour of the body of dragon gets darkened or dull when they are about to shed. Eating also decreases before they will start shedding.
Shedding is a natural process and always you need to remember; you should not pull the shed off to make the process easy or fast.
Why Bearded Dragons sheds?
The outer scale of the body of a reptile gets loosened once the cells in that layer dies. When a baby bearded dragon grows it sheds quite frequently and in this aspect bearded dragons are more rapid than other reptiles.
Also sometimes they shed due to the infestation of mites or some other kind of parasites, or if their skin has gotten damaged for some reason. Also when an adult bearded dragon is trying to adjust with new kind of atmosphere, temperature or dietary change, it may shed.
The right process to help Bearded Dragons Shed?
Giving a warm bath regularly at the time of their shedding is a great way to help them in the process. Fill the tub in which they usually bath and make them sit on that, where the water will up to their shoulder. The regular bath at lukewarm water helps them to shed the older layer to come out quickly. Keep the dragon at least for 20 minutes within the water during which period it will soak the water through its body and skin.
Offering them various different kinds of textures is another way you can help them in shedding. The options can be the flooring of their enclosure, the hammock or the equipments that are kept inside their living area. They can rub their body against all these textures or scratch with them so the shedding speeds up.
Adding rocks or dried thick branches to the habitat make the dragons easily rub off the old skin easily.
- You can use an old toothbrush with soft bristles, with which you can brush the body of the dragon while bathing. Also there are certain branded shedding kits which can help the dragon to shed.
- To moisten the layer, you can use 100% cocoa butter on the rough surface of their body. This will make the shedding process easy for them. But be cautious of keeping the dragon away from the basking light while you will be applying the butter.
- This will cause the skin burn due to the application of butter on the skin with direct contact of heat.
If happens sometime that the old skin causes tail rot. If you fear something like that, you can use diluted betadine in the bathing water so their skin gets soaked into it.
When they are pat dried after the bath, using Manuka honey also can be applied to affected area.
Also you can mist the dragon a few times each day. Regular bathing is not possible and will not be liked by the dragon, so mist will help to keep the skin moist and exfoliate easily.
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