Hi!
I have 2 bobtails, and I have had some issues lately with one having bad sheds. I dont think this is a new issue for him though since when i bought him he was missing one toe from each of his back feet (im guessing he lost them form a bad shed). I bought these two about 6 years ago. I dont know if they are female or male, but i call them a he and a she just for ease of understanding who i am talking about.
So the boy (unknown sex) is the one who has had a few bad sheds, I have over the last few months checked temperatures and other things and cant seem to find anything wrong. About 1 year ago I found that they had mites, so i treated them and the cage and switched to newspaper to make sure i could keep cleaning the tank thoroughly. They have been mite free ever since.
I have continued with newspaper just because it is convenient, but they have multiple hides and shredded (strips) of paper to hide under.
He just went through a shed, and he managed to get it all off from his under side (he usually struggles with the very last small bit of his under side), but there was a patch left on the top half. Today I went in to clean the tank, and put them both in a large plastic container (as I always do, weekly) so that i can clean the tank.
I was cleaning the tank and noticed the female (unknown sex) biting at him, she seemed aggressive. This has never happened since i bought them, ever! She is a little cranky and the only time she has shown this type of behaviour was when i put silk worms in their tank and she clearly wanted him to clear out so she can eat them all to herself. So i know she can be cranky and moody. (He is never cranky, super super chilled type of lizard).
It kind of looked like she may have been ripping at the shed that has not come off, or just biting at him toward the back leg near the belly (as she possibly didn't recognise him??). He was trying to move away. I immediately grabbed him, and whilst i did she was showing her blue tongue to me (she was clearly annoyed). I feel that i should separate them, is it common for bobtails to suddenly stop getting along? I am wondering if she has been attacking him and stressing him out (causing him to stress and have bad sheds)?? She is a very fat, shiny healthy lizard. The boy has always weighed less than her, but is also shiny and bright eyed, he just has trouble with his sheds.
Im just wondering if anyone else has experience with bobtails that have been housed together for many many years suddenly not getting along? Do you then seperate them? Is that the right thing to do?
Thanks for any advice !
Emma
Oh, they live in a 120 cm wooden reptile enclosure, with glass sliding front doors (which i have been told is plenty of room for 2 bobtails)
I have just set up a second enclosure, as i happen to own a spare one, and separated them, i'm just not sure of this is the right thing to do? I dont want him to get hurt/stressed, but he actually doesnt have any wounds or anything on him either, so maybe she hasnt been too bad with him
I have 2 bobtails, and I have had some issues lately with one having bad sheds. I dont think this is a new issue for him though since when i bought him he was missing one toe from each of his back feet (im guessing he lost them form a bad shed). I bought these two about 6 years ago. I dont know if they are female or male, but i call them a he and a she just for ease of understanding who i am talking about.
So the boy (unknown sex) is the one who has had a few bad sheds, I have over the last few months checked temperatures and other things and cant seem to find anything wrong. About 1 year ago I found that they had mites, so i treated them and the cage and switched to newspaper to make sure i could keep cleaning the tank thoroughly. They have been mite free ever since.
I have continued with newspaper just because it is convenient, but they have multiple hides and shredded (strips) of paper to hide under.
He just went through a shed, and he managed to get it all off from his under side (he usually struggles with the very last small bit of his under side), but there was a patch left on the top half. Today I went in to clean the tank, and put them both in a large plastic container (as I always do, weekly) so that i can clean the tank.
I was cleaning the tank and noticed the female (unknown sex) biting at him, she seemed aggressive. This has never happened since i bought them, ever! She is a little cranky and the only time she has shown this type of behaviour was when i put silk worms in their tank and she clearly wanted him to clear out so she can eat them all to herself. So i know she can be cranky and moody. (He is never cranky, super super chilled type of lizard).
It kind of looked like she may have been ripping at the shed that has not come off, or just biting at him toward the back leg near the belly (as she possibly didn't recognise him??). He was trying to move away. I immediately grabbed him, and whilst i did she was showing her blue tongue to me (she was clearly annoyed). I feel that i should separate them, is it common for bobtails to suddenly stop getting along? I am wondering if she has been attacking him and stressing him out (causing him to stress and have bad sheds)?? She is a very fat, shiny healthy lizard. The boy has always weighed less than her, but is also shiny and bright eyed, he just has trouble with his sheds.
Im just wondering if anyone else has experience with bobtails that have been housed together for many many years suddenly not getting along? Do you then seperate them? Is that the right thing to do?
Thanks for any advice !
Emma
Oh, they live in a 120 cm wooden reptile enclosure, with glass sliding front doors (which i have been told is plenty of room for 2 bobtails)
I have just set up a second enclosure, as i happen to own a spare one, and separated them, i'm just not sure of this is the right thing to do? I dont want him to get hurt/stressed, but he actually doesnt have any wounds or anything on him either, so maybe she hasnt been too bad with him
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