Stuck(?) shed on young dragon's back

[Orca]

My girlfriend and I got this juvenile bearded dragon from our pet store about two weeks ago (she kept one a few years ago, I never have). He was shedding when we got him, and he scraped all of it off between his house and his rock except for his whole back, neck to tail. We started getting concerned about it a week ago, and we've tried to help him every way we could find on google.

His tank has been at 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, and no cooler than 75 at night. It was at 30% humidity during that first week, but we've been misting it to keep it at 35%-40%. We've never caught him drinking from his water bowl, and he won't drink off our fingers, but his poop is perfectly brown and wet, so he doesn't seem to be dehydrated. On a regular basis we feed him kale, yellow bell pepper, and dried crickets, sprinkled with calcium powder, and twice we've fed him live crickets. He loves crickets and bell pepper, but it's tough to get him to eat greens, so today I'm trying to feed him ZooMed brand 'juvenile bearded dragon food' pellets, sprinkled with water. We've given him four ten-minute baths in the last week, and on the last two we've tried gently brushing his back with a soft-bristle toothbrush, which didn't seem to do anything. It really seems like it's not ready to come off (the line between his neck and head is not distinct), and we haven't seen him trying to remove it himself.

At what point should we be concerned? He seems comfortable and energetic for now. My girlfriend read that if their shed turns white, then that means that they have some kind of illness. His back has gotten duller since we've had him, which has her worried. Thank you, folks.

 

[Sadie]

My girlfriend and I got this juvenile bearded dragon from our pet store about two weeks ago (she kept one a few years ago, I never have). He was shedding when we got him, and he scraped all of it off between his house and his rock except for his whole back, neck to tail. We started getting concerned about it a week ago, and we've tried to help him every way we could find on google.

His tank has been at 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, and no cooler than 75 at night. It was at 30% humidity during that first week, but we've been misting it to keep it at 35%-40%. We've never caught him drinking from his water bowl, and he won't drink off our fingers, but his poop is perfectly brown and wet, so he doesn't seem to be dehydrated. On a regular basis we feed him kale, yellow bell pepper, and dried crickets, sprinkled with calcium powder, and twice we've fed him live crickets. He loves crickets and bell pepper, but it's tough to get him to eat greens, so today I'm trying to feed him ZooMed brand 'juvenile bearded dragon food' pellets, sprinkled with water. We've given him four ten-minute baths in the last week, and on the last two we've tried gently brushing his back with a soft-bristle toothbrush, which didn't seem to do anything. It really seems like it's not ready to come off (the line between his neck and head is not distinct), and we haven't seen him trying to remove it himself.

At what point should we be concerned? He seems comfortable and energetic for now. My girlfriend read that if their shed turns white, then that means that they have some kind of illness. His back has gotten duller since we've had him, which has her worried. Thank you, folks.
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Your baby is going to shed let him shed and please lay off the baths your drying his scales out--- the humidity is good as long as your getting it w/ a digital probe hygrometer -- that should be placed on the back center wall -- analogs are inaccurate --- your dragon is not a juvenile he is much younger than that - please increase the surface basking temp to 105-110 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer -- analogs give only ambient temps and IR guns cannot read off of certain basking materials so digital probe thermometers are recommended --- please NO pellets they will dry him out and are not as nutritious as fresh salads --- and please feed live crickets or dubia roaches --- I recommend the roaches they are a better feeder --- www.dubiaroaches.com - please look on their chart and order the roach no bigger than the space between his eyes --- please get him some nutri grubs order medium for now they are a small larvae -- do not dust them but you need to dust the roaches -- calcium D3 5 x per week lightly coated also vitamins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week lightly coated -- you can get those on dubia roaches as well if you dont have it already -- here is a website for nutrition http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html ignore the kale info it is outdate and a great staple feeder - please use the nutri grubs as salad lures they are a great staple feeder for babies -- feed as many as you want but I would use the roaches as your main staple -- feed them after you have fed the nutri grubs and the salads - you want him eating some salad but his main diet right now is the insects -- here is a bowl for the salads they are a good bowl I use them https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Rept...uGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
Now we need to go over the UVB your using ---- is it a coil or a long tube fixture --- this is crucial ---- he will stop eating completely if the surface basking temps and UVB are off --- the UVB is what helps the dragon absorb / synthesize the calcium hes ingesting -- coils are inadequate and will cause all kinds of health issues -- if you need help w/ the UVB there are 3 of them that are recommended --- I can post links for them --

 

[Orca]

Your baby is going to shed let him shed and please lay off the baths your drying his scales out--- the humidity is good as long as your getting it w/ a digital probe hygrometer -- that should be placed on the back center wall -- analogs are inaccurate --- your dragon is not a juvenile he is much younger than that - please increase the surface basking temp to 105-110 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer -- analogs give only ambient temps and IR guns cannot read off of certain basking materials so digital probe thermometers are recommended --- please NO pellets they will dry him out and are not as nutritious as fresh salads --- and please feed live crickets or dubia roaches --- I recommend the roaches they are a better feeder --- www.dubiaroaches.com - please look on their chart and order the roach no bigger than the space between his eyes --- please get him some nutri grubs order medium for now they are a small larvae -- do not dust them but you need to dust the roaches -- calcium D3 5 x per week lightly coated also vitamins w/ beta carotene 2 x per week lightly coated -- you can get those on dubia roaches as well if you dont have it already -- here is a website for nutrition http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html ignore the kale info it is outdate and a great staple feeder - please use the nutri grubs as salad lures they are a great staple feeder for babies -- feed as many as you want but I would use the roaches as your main staple -- feed them after you have fed the nutri grubs and the salads - you want him eating some salad but his main diet right now is the insects -- here is a bowl for the salads they are a good bowl I use them https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Rept...uGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
Now we need to go over the UVB your using ---- is it a coil or a long tube fixture --- this is crucial ---- he will stop eating completely if the surface basking temps and UVB are off --- the UVB is what helps the dragon absorb / synthesize the calcium hes ingesting -- coils are inadequate and will cause all kinds of health issues -- if you need help w/ the UVB there are 3 of them that are recommended --- I can post links for them --

Thank you for the advice, we'll get him some roaches and grubs, and lay off the baths and wait. We've been using a coil bulb for UV, so we'll switch it out for a tube, if you can post the links that'd be great.

 

[Sadie]

Thank you for the advice, we'll get him some roaches and grubs, and lay off the baths and wait. We've been using a coil bulb for UV, so we'll switch it out for a tube, if you can post the links that'd be great.

these are good for a 40 + gallon tank --- when you get the UVB please post back on here and I will help you place it for the tank - your screen is going to determine where the UVB goes
posting links these are the best on the market
https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...o-med-reptisun-t5-hood?variant=26907425734756 you will need to get the 22" Reptisun bulb for this fixture there is a 5.0 bulb that comes w/ it

​

Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO

Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO - Hight Output Linear Lamp for desert reptile terrariums. Shop all lighting supplies at Pangea Reptile

www.pangeareptile.com

this one you can find at Pet Smart if you have one 24 watt 12% bulb
https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/en...v-b-kit-65058.html?cgid=500114&fmethod=Browse or this one
https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster...mp.html?opts=eyJhdHRyaWJ1dGU5MDEiOiI2NjEwIn0= you want the 24" or 2 ft one-- you will need to replace the bulb w/ the Reptisun posted above --

 

[Orca]

these are good for a 40 + gallon tank --- when you get the UVB please post back on here and I will help you place it for the tank - your screen is going to determine where the UVB goes
posting links these are the best on the market
https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...o-med-reptisun-t5-hood?variant=26907425734756 you will need to get the 22" Reptisun bulb for this fixture there is a 5.0 bulb that comes w/ it

​

Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO

Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO - Hight Output Linear Lamp for desert reptile terrariums. Shop all lighting supplies at Pangea Reptile

www.pangeareptile.com

this one you can find at Pet Smart if you have one 24 watt 12% bulb
https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/en...v-b-kit-65058.html?cgid=500114&fmethod=Browse or this one
https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster...mp.html?opts=eyJhdHRyaWJ1dGU5MDEiOiI2NjEwIn0= you want the 24" or 2 ft one-- you will need to replace the bulb w/ the Reptisun posted above --

Thanks!

 

[Orca]

these are good for a 40 + gallon tank --- when you get the UVB please post back on here and I will help you place it for the tank - your screen is going to determine where the UVB goes
posting links these are the best on the market
https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...o-med-reptisun-t5-hood?variant=26907425734756 you will need to get the 22" Reptisun bulb for this fixture there is a 5.0 bulb that comes w/ it

​

Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO

Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO - Hight Output Linear Lamp for desert reptile terrariums. Shop all lighting supplies at Pangea Reptile

www.pangeareptile.com

this one you can find at Pet Smart if you have one 24 watt 12% bulb
https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/en...v-b-kit-65058.html?cgid=500114&fmethod=Browse or this one
https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster...mp.html?opts=eyJhdHRyaWJ1dGU5MDEiOiI2NjEwIn0= you want the 24" or 2 ft one-- you will need to replace the bulb w/ the Reptisun posted above --

We got the right UV fixture, I ordered a shorter one by mistake at first. And he shed, by the way, thank you! This is how we have it set up at the moment. From left to right, basking lamp, UV lamp, and heat lamps.

 

[Sadie]

We got the right UV fixture, I ordered a shorter one by mistake at first. And he shed, by the way, thank you! This is how we have it set up at the moment. From left to right, basking lamp, UV lamp, and heat lamps.View attachment 34389View attachment 34388

I am having a hard time seeing that screen - is it a fine mesh like a screen door - thats what it looks like - if it is please unobstruct it -- if you can remove one screen or part of the screen or cut it so it fits the UVB any way you can get it so its not on the screen --- distance 12 -15 inches w/ it directly over the basking decor --- how is he doing? Your heat lamps are they colored or what are they? And what is the temp in the tank at night? ? You dont want it over 75 --- dragons like cool and dark

 

[Orca]

I am having a hard time seeing that screen - is it a fine mesh like a screen door - thats what it looks like - if it is please unobstruct it -- if you can remove one screen or part of the screen or cut it so it fits the UVB any way you can get it so its not on the screen --- distance 12 -15 inches w/ it directly over the basking decor --- how is he doing? Your heat lamps are they colored or what are they? And what is the temp in the tank at night? ? You dont want it over 75 --- dragons like cool and dark

Yes, it's a fine mesh. It comes off in halves, so we can take the back half out and set the UVB back there. He's doing great, more energetic than before he shed. Our heat lamps are coils that don't emit light, and the temp is about perfect at night with one of them on. Thanks again for your help!

 

[Sadie]

Yes, it's a fine mesh. It comes off in halves, so we can take the back half out and set the UVB back there. He's doing great, more energetic than before he shed. Our heat lamps are coils that don't emit light, and the temp is about perfect at night with one of them on. Thanks again for your help!

ok so that is a ceramic heat emitter that your using --