Lizard Shedding

Shedding is the normal process of skin renewal.

Most lizards 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.

Complications

A healthy iguana will shed every 4-6 weeks during 1-2 weeks but young iguanas (2 to 3 years) may shed more often. Occasionally, a new shed may start before the previous one has ended. Shedding will slow down or stop during colder weather and decreased food intake. The absence of shedding which cannot be linked to seasonality may be an indicatior of an underlying problem, possibly associated with an inadequate diet, disease, stress, bacterial infections, parasite infestations, or other medical condition.

If the dead skin isn't shed, it may constrict the growth of the living tissue and result in tissue necrosis.