Bearded Dragon Skin Shedding

Introduction

A healthy bearded dragon will shed their skin many times throughout their lifetime. Bearded dragon shedding skin is normal and a part of their growth and development. Frequent skin shedding especially in the young dragon is a good indication that they are eating well and generally healthy.

Healthy eating dragons will grow whereas dragons that are either sick or not eating well will shed less frequently due to the impact these factors will have on their growth speed.

Why Do Bearded Dragons Shed Their Skin?

Bearded dragons shed because their skin is hard and not very stretchy. When they grow, the skin becomes too small for their body underneath and must be shed.

Every so often bearded dragons, like all reptiles go through a process called ecdysis derived from Greek meaning “put off” more commonly referred to as shedding. The outermost layer (epidermis) of a reptile’s skin is covered with small rigid plates called scales or scutes. These scales provide protection against predators and the elements.

The scales are made from alpha and beta keratin proteins. We too produce alpha keratin which is found in our epidermis, hair and nails; but its predominantly the beta keratin reptiles produce which is responsible for the development of scales, horns and claws.  Beta keratin adds rigidity and is a relatively inflexible substance and once formed will not continue to grow as the reptile does. This is where the  process of shedding comes in…… as the new scales form the old scaly skin lifts away.

Different species will shed differently. For example, snakes tend to shed their skin in one go, leaving a replica of their former self behind. This is not the case for bearded dragons they shed in patches with varying sizes of skin flakes. In the wild shedding has the added benefit of helping to remove unwelcome parasites such as ticks and mites.

Most bearded dragons will go through the shedding process without incident. But it is still a good idea that you keep an extra close eye on them during this process. This will ensure that they have shed all his/her skin. Repeated incomplete shedding could be or lead to health issues for your bearded dragon such as tail rot.

How Often Do Bearded Dragons Shed?

Age	Skin Shedding Frequency
Baby Bearded Dragon ( 0 – 9 months )	1 – 2 times per month
Juvenile ( 9 – 18 months )	4 – 6 times per year
Adult ( 18 months + )	1 – 2 times per year

Signs your bearded dragon shedding has started or is about to begin.

You may have already noticed signs that your dragon is beginning to shed.

Common signs include;

• Dullness to their skin and it might look flaky or patchy.
• Their skin may look grey, or lighter in patches.
• Puffing of the throat, beard and body to stretch the skin.
• Yawning frequently – also to stretch the skin.
• Eyes bulging more often – again to stretch the skin.
• Large areas of skin hanging off like in the picture. Pieces of skin may be left around the tank.
• They may go off their food.
• Becoming grumpy is another sign that a shed might be imminent.

Shedding can be distracting and often downright annoying for your bearded dragon during this time. If they’re off their food and lethargic while shedding this isn’t a cause for concern. They should return to normal after a few days or at least once the shed is complete. Imagine having to walk around the shops with half your skin all dry and flaky. You’d be pretty unimpressed too!

Ways to help your bearded dragon whilst they are shedding

Ensure that their enclosure has decorative items that can assist them to slough off those dead scales. This can be anything with a rough (not sharp) texture including branches, logs and rocks. This is the most important tip for helping a bearded dragon who’s shedding skin, as this is the way they would do it in the wild.

Soak your bearded dragon.  If you’re not already doing so bearded dragons can be bathed regularly. The benefits of doing this are;

• It’s a good way to keep them clean.
• It helps with bowel movement. (see impaction)
• It’s a great social interaction for you and your bearded dragon.
• It softens shedding skin allowing to come away easier.

Bathing will help to soften stubborn areas which can also be restrictive and uncomfortable.  Bathing will provide some relief for your bearded dragon as they can get itchy.  Using a soft toothbrush or something similar can prove helpful to help lift the old skin away but if you use a toothbrush make sure it’s soft and you brush very very softly. Never attempt to pull off flakes of skin even if they look like they are ready to come away. This is because the skin new underneath will be slightly permeable and susceptible to damage. It’ll also be sore.

Never ever pull shed from ears, eyes or noses. They will lose this shed naturally and you risk significant injury to your bearded dragon. “Nostril trumpets” look bad, but they’re really not.

Apologies for the focus quality at the beginning of this video. This is Lil my female bearded dragon soaking whilst she is shedding.

Find out more about bathing your bearded dragon here.

My Experience With Bearded Dragon With Stuck Shed

If you notice that your bearded dragon is experiencing difficulties there are things you can do to help. I myself have experienced this issue with one of my bearded dragons failing to shed the tip of his tail. George was young and frequently shedding and at the time I was relatively inexperienced and didn’t realize the implications that a failure to shed would have. I first noticed the end of his tail was much darker than the rest of his tail it was hard and thickened and had begun to bend up slightly. He also didn’t like me examining the area either it was probably painful for him 😢.

I knew that something was not right because this had not happened to my other beardies.  So I did the obligatory google search for answers and none of the search results really answered my question. At that time my nearest reptile vet was 20 miles away and I was not able to get an appointment quickly so I took matters in my own hands during that time……..

Home treatment

George was well in every other respect. I knew that bathing alone was not going to shift this build up of dead skin the skin needed to be softened to have a fighting chance of removing it.  This was something I learnt the hard way! The method I used was to soak cotton wool in vegetable oil and secure it to his tail the soaked cotton wool would remain on for several hours at a time.

It didn’t seem to phase George. I continued to do this daily for over a week in conjunction I would also soak just his tail in a jam jar with warm water and gently massage the tip with more vegetable oil while he sat on my lap. It did soften and bits began to flake off and eventually it all came off.  Even though the skin had come off I kept the  appointment and took George primarily for a welfare check and reassurance all was well. Fortunately there was no permanent damage.

Bearded Dragon Shedding Problems

As mentioned it is important to keep a close eye on your bearded dragon to ensure they have completely shed. Areas that have not shed can become thickened and as the next layer of skin starts to shed it too is also unable to fully shed because the previous layer is stuck. If this continues that area will become thickened unable to grow, it can be uncomfortable and painful for your dragon.

Most cases of incomplete shed occur around the tail and/or the legs. It’s important to check these areas regularly as the shed can go right around the affect limb. An incomplete shed that goes all the way around the limb will cause constriction.

What to look out for

The affected area of skin can crack or blister and become infected. Common areas to pay special attention to are the feet, around the eyes and mouth and tail especially the tip. In severe cases where the extremities are affected (feet and tail tip) the area will lose its blood supply (due to the thickened unshed skin restricting growth). The affected area will then become necrotic and will require amputation.

Difficulty Walking Due To Stuck Skin Shed

If you find your bearded dragon has been shedding and it’s mostly all finished but for some reason they stop using their legs properly then it’s worth checking for shed. Some of the people on our Facebook group have posted these very scenarios, so it’s relatively common. The bearded dragon stops being able to use its feet properly because the part that hasn’t properly shed becomes tight and cuts off the blood supply. Initially this makes their feet go numb so they walk strangely.

Tail Rot Can Be Caused By A Stuck Skin Shed

For further information about Tail Rot from shedding problems or other causes, see our main article about Tail Rot In Bearded Dragons

Can You Handle Bearded Dragon When Shedding?

Yes absolutely. There’s no reason to stop handling your bearded dragon while they’re shedding. There’s a few things to bear in mind though

• They may be considerably grumpier than usual
• Never ever pull loose shed off, however tempting it looks or however ready it looks
• There’s no need to bath them just because they’re shedding – though you can if you want
• Bearded dragons don’t shed their whole skin at once, so you will have bits of old skin shedding for a few weeks potentially

But bearing those things in mind, you can handle your bearded dragon exactly the same as you would when they’re not shedding, so long as they tolerate it.

Shedding is a normal, natural part of a bearded dragon’s life. Hold them and handle them as you would normally. Provide some rough scratchy areas in the tank for them to rub against when they’re shedding as they may use this to help remove the shedding skin themselves.

There’s usually no need to oil their skin, or give them a bath. You can do the latter if they get dirty or you’re wanting to bath them for some other reason.

Can I Pick Up My Baby Bearded Dragon While Shedding?

Yes, of course. Just like the answer above though you should definitely expect them to be considerably more grumpy if you do. Be guided by your baby bearded dragon for this one because they may be so grumpy that they don’t want you to pick them up. If they don’t, then don’t worry – the shedding process is relatively uncomfortable and definitely irritating for many bearded dragons.

Also, it’s worth remembering that each bearded dragon’s skin shedding process will be different – and the next skin shedding episode for your beardie will be different to the last one. Sometimes they’ll happily still be picked up, and other times they won’t.

But provided they’re happy to be picked up while shedding then there’s no reason not to.

Other Shedding Issues

If you notice that your bearded dragon is either shedding more frequently than what is considered to be normal.  Or they have or are developing thicker harder scaly patches your bearded dragon could have a health issue. This could be down to the husbandry of the bearded dragon but could also be an infection such as yellow fungus. Immediate advice from a herpetologist will be required.

If you have any concerns about the shedding of your bearded dragon always seek professional advice from a herpetologist or a specialist reptile vet.