More Emo pics

[elevatethis]

Here' some new shots of Emo, and you Beardie keepers out there....does Emo look dehydrated or ready to shed in any of these pics? Lately he's had skin flaking off of his jaw when he eats, but the rest of his skin doesn't look like its gonna come off......I'm new to beardies so....

[Sassafrass]

aawww geesh hes sooooo cute!!!

Sorry I cant help ya tho...I dont have a beardie yet!

[Wizill]

thats a cool lookin beardie man. how's his temperment?

[elevatethis]

Well, lets just say he's definitely his own person, and that it is now "his" room and not mine anymore. But it seems like each time I handle him, he knows I'm not a threat. And, when I got him, he would always display his beard at me. He doesn't do that anymore at all. His former owner was female, and I wonder if they pick up on the difference in voice tone, handling style, etc etc. But like I said, he's still getting to know me, and I'm still getting to know him.

I found out he REALLY likes mango today, and that he likes crickets better with the rep-cal instead of herp-vite. So from now on the herpvite goes on veggies only once a week.

[JLC]

Hehe...Shaggy doesn't care what I coat his crickets with, he goes after them with gusto. Emo is a great lookin' fella. I love all the yellow in his face!

And yes, he does look like he's about to shed. They get a bit grayish looking...but not necessarily their whole body. Now, I"m only speaking from personal experience with one beardie...maybe Shaggy is weird. LOL But he doesn't shed all at once...his head will shed for a couple days...then a few days later, his limbs and tail....then a few days later, his body. And not always in that order. Lizard sheds are not the smooth, clean event that a healthy snake-shed is.

You can help him by giving him a bath in warm water. (Make sure he can stand in the water with his head easily above it...don't leave him unattended there!) A good soak on his feet when they start to shed will help keep him from losing toes. And a good "rain shower" from your spritzer will help him, too. I do this often when he's shedding.

[elevatethis]

Thanks Judy, I notice the skin flaking off his jaw last week. Is their shed period really all that long? I'll give him a bath later today like you said, hopefully that will help move things along.

[JLC]

It takes Shaggy about a week to finish sloughing off all his old skin. When you think about it, it takes a snake about that long, too...from blue to final shed. It's just not as messy. LOL

[elevatethis]

Do they eat their shed like some other lizards and geckos?

[JLC]

Shaggy's eaten some of it...but not all of it.

[elevatethis]

Another random beardie question- I noticed him waving both arms in circles today. I know they have certain gestures they make but he was doing this facing the corner of the cage. Just kept doing it over and over throughout the night. Strange. Maybe feeling wierd in the old skin???