Shedding problem-thorns

[Ceilli3]

Hi there,

I posted on here a while bk re:my panther Cham Jackson. He had necrosis of the tail due to a bit that didn't shed. That has almost completely healed now after injections & time.

Unfortunately he now keeps having difficulty shedding the thorns on his back, resulting in them turning black a couple times. The shed stays retained for ages & I end up having to pick it off which seems painful & stressful for him. Once it even bled. The vet told me to leave it as it will come off in its own time but it doesn't. Recently he had this same prob again & I left it as the vet said, putting Jackson on a towel when i have shower & spraying lots to help with humidity & moisture but the thorns still did not shed. Just picked off now (with great difficulty) & again they are black underneath & is even black a bit under the thorn on the top of tail where there was also retained shed. this has worried me as we just got his tail better & this is above the part where they can amputate. I am hoping it will just go away now the shed is off but would appreciate advice, ie. should I take him to vet or put antibacterial cream on it (the cream made his tail worse last time although the vet says it can't have been the cream but I'm sure it was). Also any advice on future shed probs with the thorns. I don't know what to do & I don't want him to keep having this problem.

Thanks in advance xxx

 

[SarahcoadunatioZac]

How long are you waiting for the shed? Depending on the cream, it probably didn't make it worse. Depending on how long your waiting on the shed picking it sounds like a bad idea if its bleeding.

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Add pictures if you can.

 

[Ceilli3]

Usually wait weeks, even couple months sometimes. Don't wanna leave it on there as that's what happened with the tail cutting off circulation & turning it black which then spread up the tail & could've killed him. Thorns are black underneath which suggests 2 me that shed on too long but I don't want to keep picking it off as its painful for him. Must be another way to get the shed off. Checked on him & where I peeled off the shed there is a moist substance. Feel really bad now for removing it but it had to come off, don't want him getting necrosis again.

 

[AngieL]

As far as I know, necrosis from stuck shed only happens in areas where the shed is cutting off circulation like around a wrist/ankle, neck and tail etc. I think you should leave it because removing it yourself will take off the new skin that's under the shed which will be painful for your little guy and cause more damage than a bit of stuck shed along his back.

 

[Kate]

Popeye has always shed well so far but for stuck bits on geckos, sometimes feet, I take a q tip and warm water and gently bath the areas, this usually loosens it and it comes off.