Changes

==Iguana==

==Iguana==

Iguanas change colour prior to shedding; their overall shade gets progressively dimmer and duller around the head and limbs and grey/ white patches of skin begin to appear, progressing from head to tail. The shedding occurs on all parts of the body

Iguanas change colour prior to shedding; their overall shade gets progressively dimmer and duller around the head and limbs and grey/ white patches of skin begin to appear, progressing from head to tail. The shedding occurs on all parts of the body, including eyelids. Lizards tend to rub themselves on surfaces to loosen the dead skin.

 

To fasten the shed, it might be useful to bathe or spray the iguana with water. Indeed, in the wild, humidity in the air helps keep the old skin supple and therefore easier to peel off.

The skin on their eyelids will also shed off. At one point in the pre-shed period, you may walk in to find your iguana has suddenly turned into some wild, bug-eyed monster. Lying quietly, its closed eyes are puffed out 2 to 3 times their normal size. This is quite natural - they are puffing them up with air as a way to loosen the old skin. In a few days you will notice them rubbing their closed eyes against any handy surface as they begin to loosen and rub the skin off. Gentle head rubs, with your thumb and finger sliding over the closed lids, are particularly welcomed at this time.

 

If you do not regularly bathe or spray your iguana with water, you may wish to do so during pre-shed and shed periods. In the wild, the natural humidity in the air and the free access to rivers and streams helps the oily fluid build-up between the skin layers keep the old skin soft and supple as it peels off. In our much drier captive environments, the loosened pieces may dry out too quickly, resulting in a much slower shed. Spraying with plain tap water is all you need to do; the expensive vitamin and moisturizing sprays are of unnecessary and not any better than plain water in a $0.99 spray bottle.

 

Generally speaking, don't pull the skin if it isn't ready to come off. Iguanas and other lizards will rub themselves against things to help loosen and rid themselves of skin. Mostly, though, they just sort of look like they are wearing raggedy clothes, with strips and patches of skin hanging loose and flapping around. If the skin is ready to come off, you can help it do so by gently pulling at it. If the skin is not ready to come off, there will be resistance, and the skin you remove will be damp.

Generally speaking, don't pull the skin if it isn't ready to come off. Iguanas and other lizards will rub themselves against things to help loosen and rid themselves of skin. Mostly, though, they just sort of look like they are wearing raggedy clothes, with strips and patches of skin hanging loose and flapping around. If the skin is ready to come off, you can help it do so by gently pulling at it. If the skin is not ready to come off, there will be resistance, and the skin you remove will be damp.