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Red Tegu

Nero557

Nero557

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Hey guys, just thought I'd update you, I just purchased a possible female Argentine Red Tegu, she will be arriving on Wednesday Morning, so when I get her I will update you guys some more, I hope this all goes well for me, and I hope she is going to be a great tegu.
 
Great news Art. Let us know when you get her. :)
 
I just recieved my new Argentine Red Tegu. This is my first Red, but I love her just as much as my others. She is very calm but I think I might have to do with her condition. I bought her because she needed a good home and she was having some shedding problems with the previous owner. She has quite a bit of damage, but I'm hoping to help her make a full recovery. She has stuck shed on her tail and front toes. She lost a very small tip of one of her toes already (before I got her) and the others are very swollen. I have her now in cypress mulch with the humidity kicked up pretty high, but she has a 110-115 basking spot so she won't get cold and damp. I plan to soak her everyday for about 30min at a time 3 times a day. She eats like a champion and I love her to death, her name is Ceres. Any input from anyone else would be greatly appreciated.
 
That is great news, I am glad you got her safe and sound!! As for the bad shed problems. The soaking will help a bunch. Also feed a good bit of soft fruit. Not bananas. Peaches, mixed fruit in the can, but the low syrup kind. I would also rinse it a well, the same with canned pears. Also grapes, cantaloupe, honeydews, mangos, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and tomatoes. You could also use some citrus fruits, oranges or tangerines. Fruit is very helpful with Argentine tegus during the shedding process.
 
All right, I'll give her plenty of fruit, and it shouldn't be to hard because the previous owner said that she (the tegu) loved fruit. And when she ate yesterday, she didn't even hesitate ( I gave her two hopper mice). Thanks Bobby. :)
 
So I read some ideas about shedding problems on thetegu.com and I came across a post that stated someone used vegetable oil to help the shed along.
Someone else stated that mineral oil would do the same thing, so for the past two days I have been putting mineral oil on my red. Today I applied it and then I decided to spray her cage with water and then when it beaded off of her I thought about it for a minute. Is that really helping, because it is rejecting the water which is in a sense making her "waterproof"? So I was just wondering if I should still do the mineral oil, or no? also, if anyone had any other ideas, she's pretty bad, her tail seems sensitive because when I apply it on there she jumps, but other than that she's pretty calm, so I don't rub it in on her tail anymore I just drip it on and let it roll off... because I don't want to hurt her. Her little fingers also look like ummm.... well they are normal till you get to the end and then they are a buldge (swollen) is there anything I can do to help the swelling? I want to just peel off her stuck shed, but one I don't want to hurt her, and two, it doesn't look like it would be really easy because it seems to come off in little pieces.
 
Art, first off, I would not try to help her shed. Her shed is been on too long. You could hurt her, more than help. Second, I have tried the different types of oils, I did not like them. But the thing you are wanting to do is loosen the old shed. The oils will keep it moist, but IMO, soaking is much better. The oil tends to make everything stick to the animal. IMO, the soaking and fruit would be a much better way to go. :)
 
something that an old friend told me when i had a similar problem with a mangrove moniter . try some pure aloe vera . its an extremely good moistrizer , and no oils to sticky things up . it seemded to help on the mangrove , i just dabbed it on the areas affected and didnt try to rub it in , just cover it well . it also has an antiseptic property to it .
 
Art, when you get a chance, post some pictures. I would like to see the new girl. :)
 
Here are some pictures of her, they are pretty hard to see (besides the fingers which are really really bad) but the tail is hard to see.
 

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Art, the tail does not look to bad. However the toes do. her toes need to be treated with triple antibiotic ointment. It looks like she has infection in her toes. I would treat her twice a day, rub it in good, and wipe off the excess.
I would do this everyday until that swelling goes down. Keep me posted. :)
 
Hey Bobby thanks for the help, the tail doesn't look to bad in person either, but it seems to bug her the most, when I touch her hands she just sits there, but if I even slightly bump her tail she gets flighty and bolts/jumps. I'm guessing its just sore. Also, one more thing, what is triple antibiotic ointment? I've been using neosporin, but I don't think that is what you are talking about, if it is, let me know, and if it isn't please give me some brand names for the right stuff because I want her to get better asap. I feel so bad for her and I wish it would just go away. I am doing everything in my power to rid her of the problem as fast as I can, but so far it's only been 4 full days... I guess I just have to be patient. Also, are peaches a good fruit for her, because I tried peaches and pears and she didn't like the pears but loved the peaches. I'm going to go buy some strawberries, mango, and papaya today, maybe she'll like those too. I might pick up some kiwi and grapes also. Thank you everyone for your help it is greatly appreciated, especially to you Bobby, you have helped me more than most people do. I am so extremely greatful to all of you. :)
 
Art, I said triple antibiotic ointment, I like it better than Neosporin. It works better to me. As you said it has only been a few days. It will take a little time to fix her up. Also the peaches are great. Just keep up the good work!! :thumbsup:
 
Yeah, I found some triple antibiotic ointment upstairs in our medicine cabinet. I just never heard of it before... but I have been using neosporin and bacitracin (which is in triple antibiotic ointment). But I will be using this stuff now, because all and more than neosporin. Also, I am just really antsy because I like everything to happen now and I don't like wating... I'm very impatient when it comes to things under my control... but thanks again. I will keep you guys updated, oh, and Bobby, by the way do you think that she will lose any more fingertips? Just by the look of the swollen fingers? And for this ointment should I put it all over her body or just on the fingers and tail?
 
I can not say at this point if she will be in danger of more toe loss. Do not use it on her whole body, just the toes that are inflamed. And continue to soak her like you have been doing. :)
 
Awesome!!!!

Glorious DAY!!!! She did a full body shed... and she is absolutely beautiful... still a little stuck on her fingers and arms and some on the tail and head... but it looks like it's all pretty loose and is going to come off... I'm so happy I could do a little dance. :willy_nil Just like that... Anyways... I hope it all comes off nicely and I will let you guys know, thanks bobby and everyone else. She still will need some TLC but at least I know I'm making progress... and man, her old shed that just came off... ewww... it's like a dark yellow almost, it's so old... does not look like normal shed at all... :ack2:
 
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