Is it OK to help...

[ZippiesPal]

Is it OK to help with shedding? I can see the new skin undernieth, and its so vibrant and colorful, even for a girl. She just looks miserable, and I want to help her get all new again.
There are huge flakes (30% to 50% of her surface area), and smaller ones too, that are just hanging there ready to go. I am concerned that if I pull on that, I might cause a rip at the locations where it is still attached. On the other hand, when I am sunburned and peeling, I find it refreshing to get that old skin piiled off.

What is important, is what its like for Zippy.

 

[ChameleonsInMyHouse]

i would spray with luke warm water and gently and most certainly not forcefully, pull the bigger flakes off. any thing small leave. try to stay away from nail and spike areas. if able to, hold the shed in place with your fingers and allow the chameleon to kind of walk it's way out of it. works for me, and im always very gentle, so this is JMHO

 

[Psi]

How long has the shedding been happening so far is the real question?

If it's only been around 24 hours or less, don't touch it, she'll get it off.

Only time I take small bits off is after 3 days, and even then I don't really help them out, they'll do it naturally.

 

[Amanda1801]

My guy is shedding at the moment and uses the "harder" plastic plants to scratch the dead skin off by walking through them - I've seen mine today rubbing his face on a branch to get it off of his casque and stuff. do you have a variety of surfaces in your cham enclosure for her to do this for herself?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Be careful helping, their skin is more delicate than some other reptiles. If it feels stuck when you try to lift it off then leave it alone! If it just lifts off then that skin was ready to come off. If it's been a long time or doesn't look right try increasing the humidity in general and give them warm showers to loosen it. By shower I mean just put them on a tree or branch in the mist from the shower spray bouncing off the wall toward them. As long as the shedding skin doesn't get dark or thick or look gross then just leave it alone, they'll get it off eventually. My jackson has hada piece of shed skin on him for weeks because it's between his horns and he can't scratch it off. It's totally detached now, just stuck between his horns so it's not causing any problems. It's funny when they scratch their heads with their back feet like a dog to get a piece of skin off.

 

[Hoj]

i would not pull on any skin just give your cham a nice warm shower and let nature take its corse. my lttle guys likes to be handled when he is shedding, he rubs up against my hand like a dog to get the flakes off his face and bigger pieces off body, its really cute.

 

[jannb]

i would not pull on any skin just give your cham a nice warm shower and let nature take its corse. my lttle guys likes to be handled when he is shedding, he rubs up against my hand like a dog to get the flakes off his face and bigger pieces off body, its really cute.

I totally agree. Do not help just extra long warm mistings or a shower.