Have you ever noticed...

[bobcochran]

I've been breeding panthers for a long time and I'm almost embarrassed to admit I've never noticed this before: when I spray the chams the water beads up on most of them like a freshly waxed car, but once in while one will look all shiny and wet instead of beads of water. The wet shiny one invariably sheds within a week. Check these pics. First two brothers the same age, then a brother (freshly shed) and his sister (will shed soon).

 

[Brad]

That's an interesting observation. I'll have to pay more attention and see if I can notice the same pattern.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Bob

That is a neat observation. I shall have to keep a look out for that as well.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[laurahlove]

That's so interesting! I've never noticed that.

 

[Lathis]

I've noticed that old skin gets wet and saturated (usually an indication that Ferdinand is about to shed) but freshly shed areas do indeed bead up like a freshly waxed car.

 

[bobcochran]

I've noticed this only on the fast shedding species, not on my quads.

 

[Psychobunny]

That is interesting.
I notice how water beads up and just rolls off my panthers when I spray, but never noticed the shedding thing.
I wonder if it's some sort of weather protection in the wild?!

 

[bobcochran]

I'm thinking when the skin to be shed starts loosening from the new skin underneath it is no longer impermeable to water and the water actually
helps the old skin detach.