# Bluetongues poorly shed.Advice or diagnoses appreciated.



## meako (Dec 4, 2013)

The two that I got from a wires ballot earlier this year were going great until shedding this past month.
Diet wise I try to feed them naturally what they might get in the wild.Beetles,worms,snails,caterpillars as well as the odd bit of chicken ,banana,grapes,egg(cooked and raw) as well as pellet food which they like.Cicadas are flavour of the month at the moment.I also offer fresh greens ,fesh garden peas as well as cooked ,corn and carrot which they ignore.
They eat well .
Their enclosures are are identical 50 L tubs with a metal open mesh lid to keep out the Kookas and brush Turkeys.Water dish is changed daily.
Located on the back deck they are out of the rain and still get moved around for sunshine.
They are regularly given free range in the veggie garden to sun and move about. 
I also mist them with the hose occasionally.
Also when they were starting to shed I misted them frequently with reptimist.
The enclosures are dry with chipsi and the red reptibark stuff which they like to burrow under.They have hides made of sawn up fence palings which I change around regularly for a bit of variety.
What am I doing wrong that they should now Both have ongoing problems from incomplete shedding.One in particular pretty much lost the "palm" of his front foot and now its basically knackered and he drags it round although the leg still operates he isn't keen on using it. It looks painful and i'm sure it is.When I noticed him beginning to shed I let him out for a go in the garden and he was rubbing on everything -it seemed to happen quite quickly in the space of 15 mins his body and head were shed. I noticed his right front foot was kind of hanging loose with shed skin but also under that it was raw and bloody.The only thing I did was mist him with reptimist and put him away.
The other bluey began about a week later and the whole process went a lot slower. She seemed to be fine but now just drags her back legs around as if they don't work (but they do) There is unresolved shedding on the back feet. I don't want to try peeling it off. I let them both soak in some warm water for about 30mins yesterday in the sun.
This can't be normal for healthy blueys can it?/
Any thoughts?


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## Riffherper (Dec 4, 2013)

Previous blueys I have owned have commonly had issues shedding. To rectify when I noticed they were in shed I would mist the cage and lizards. reptimist also did the job. Generally after a poor shed as soon as possible (once the shed is complete) get in there and using warm water give them a hand. The longer it is left the harder it is to get off and the more problems may occur. Reptimist also softens up toughened left behind skin and can cause it to fall off sometimes. maybe have a look at the amount you are misting ?


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## StimiLove (Dec 4, 2013)

I too have had the same issues with my bluey and bobtail. The factor effecting mine was the substrate. If they are on a dry substrate that absorbs moisture, it will absorb the moisture from the lizards feet. I saw a vet and he confirmed this. Resulting in retained sheds and limbs falling off.
I now use wood chips as the substrate in my pit and the problem has not happened again. I wet the pit every day (except in winter) and all lizards have shed successfully every since.


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## meako (Dec 5, 2013)

Thank you -my "not enough moisture theory" is confirmed then.
I'm thinking now that the dry substrate and not misting enough are contributing factors.What wood chips do you use stimi? the "chipsi "is wood chips but the repti bark does have a high dust content which would make it absorbent .When I look at the wild blueys that dwell in my garden -they live in the drains and under huge piles of rotting timber and garden refuse which would be constantly moist.
I'll give mine a bathe everyday for 20 mins -.
thanks for the replies.


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## StimiLove (Dec 5, 2013)

meako said:


> Thank you -my "not enough moisture theory" is confirmed then.
> I'm thinking now that the dry substrate and not misting enough are contributing factors.What wood chips do you use stimi? the "chipsi "is wood chips but the repti bark does have a high dust content which would make it absorbent .When I look at the wild blueys that dwell in my garden -they live in the drains and under huge piles of rotting timber and garden refuse which would be constantly moist.
> I'll give mine a bathe everyday for 20 mins -.
> thanks for the replies.



I thought your substrate might be the issue . I went to Bunnings and bough a few bags of wood chip mulch. I used "red hard wood" and kept away from pine. Under $10 for a massive bag. It really worked a treat. My blue tongue has lost toes and needed assistance with every shed, but now since being on the wood, he doesn't need me at all.

here's a photo of the wood they are on. And a photo of my bluey's foot after a shocking shed from living on Kritters Krumble. Those toes have all come off now, but he went to the vet's and was given the all-clear...


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## Leasdraco (Dec 5, 2013)

Most of the wild blueys I come across are either missing toes, legs or part of their tail due to the blood flow being cut off and the limbs dying, shedding problems are pretty common.


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## meako (Dec 5, 2013)

kritter krumble -thats what I've been using.switching to redhardwood tomorrow.
You're right leasdraco- rarely have I seen a wild bluey with a full compliment of digits. Plenty with full compliment of ticks tho.
I had one turn up in the garden with a massive tick on its eye lid.It just kept rubbing its head on the ground trying to rid itself of the pest.I got a drop of peanut oil on the tick and just pulled it off with large tweezers. There was another smaller tick underneath ! It got the same treatment. There was blood. But when the bluey blinked its eye and looked right at me with a look that said"aaahhh cheers mate".


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## solar 17 (Dec 11, 2013)

l think "part" of the problem is in that food bowl or lack of whats in there (IMO) one other point l believe strongly in with anything that lives "whats on the inside is on the outside" (dry sheds / dry on the inside)(dehydrated to some degree) but at the end of the day BTL's are opertunistic omnivores solar 17


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## meako (Dec 30, 2013)

Thanks everyone for your advice.
I have moved to the red hardwood chip for substrate.
Feeding as strongly as ever -two cicadas will be eagerly eaten by both.
They have also been getting a warm bathe in the sun for 5 mins every couple of days and when in the garden a shower from the hose which the appear to not mind.
Solar17-good point but they I believe they are receiving plenty moisture in the diet .eg If I put them near the water bowl they arent greedily gulping.
With that in mind you may have something because now this-









From last time it hasn't been keen to operate its back legs at all. Along the back and side in front of the back leg the skin is lumpy with (i think) unshed scales.

- - - Updated - - -

Shes going to the vet.


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## Sonic (Jan 13, 2014)

Very glad to see that 'she's going to the vet' update. How'd it go? I'd suggest using newspaper not chips for at least the time being. If they both have wounds. Sharp pieces of bark is one of the worst things for them.


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