# Please help, is this scale rot or something else?



## Merlot (Jan 29, 2020)

Please take a look at the pics guys, for the last few months with the addition of my new baby, (my real baby girl daughter) lol, I will admit I haven’t been on top of my game about my Gu’s husbandry and humidity. He had a really bad stuck shed all around his body and wouldn’t go naturally. Got my **** together and got back with the regular baths and gave him an oil treatment all around his body and especially the tail. Got him to get a nice beautiful shed. The problem is, he was also going through a growth spurt and I felt he was gaining too much weight too quick and his tail seemed to be storing so much fat deposits or what have you, that it was swelling a little and seemed like it was growing too thick to keep up, looks like slight cracks/cracking in between the “lines” on his tail. He had a nice full body and tail shed but this is still there. I hope his tail isn’t rotting. Should I get back to the oil treatments and keep it consistent (pure coconut oil) (I also have mineral oil to try), please help guys, any advice is a gift. Is this cause for going to the vet you think or treat it and wait? These damn Vet bills for reptile specialists are an arm and a leg and money is tight right now but I’ll make it work if need be. Let me know if you guys want more pics

the rest of his is without issue. No skin deformities or otherwise. He’s a red Argentine male, about 18 months old.


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## Walter1 (Jan 29, 2020)

Merlot, I believe that reds have more shed troubles than argies and Colombians. Why, I don't know. Regardless of vet visit, place moist sphagnum in hide. Also, feed salmon and add fish oil aplenty. Reds are biologically different in ways we don't well understand. Humidity with fresh air and fish oil help alot.


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## Merlot (Jan 29, 2020)

Thanks for your input Walter as always. Reds def got more shed issues for sure as this is my second. Have to be extra diligent and I feel like a bad owner for last few months and it’s kind of depressing. He was perfect all along and soon as I slacked off a bit, This. I picked up a bunch of sphagnum moss so I’m gonna change all the substrate and add the moss. I have been putting boat load of cod liver oil which is helping for sure. Do you think it’s cause for a vet in your opinion, or continue what I’m doing for a bit because there has been major improvements. AND, I usually fed him a bunch of salmon and smelts and haven’t been for a few months, I’ve been lots of whole prey. Arrggghh, so many variables. I would say his diet right has been less “varied” lately. I feel like crap about it but maybe it’s mostly in my head reds are notorious for skin issues. And I’ve seen CAN-V/ yellow fungus first so I know it’s not that. And it’s mostly on the thick part of the tail, rest of body is okay and normal. Lol I can tell his head and jowls are going cuz right now he has a head only shed (so far)


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## Walter1 (Jan 30, 2020)

If you don't see blistering or something beyond stuck skin on the tail, I'd hold off on a visit. I think the salmon and smelt has been your best insurance against shed issurs. Tail's always the initial shed problem area.

With moist hide and steady fish and fish oil, gentle peeling, I'd expect noticeable change within two weeks. Also, you're not a bad keeper. You've learned some of the care limits.


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## Merlot (Jan 30, 2020)

I appreciate that Walter, I did see some blistering or what appeared to be “cracking” of the skin, but getting better for sure. Think I should continue doing what I’m doing and still hold off on the visit? It is getting better but still worried as heck


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## Walter1 (Jan 30, 2020)

Well, I would go to see if any additional remedies are needed that you can't do. Then, you'll know.


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## Merlot (Jan 30, 2020)

I just checked his tail. Don’t see any cracked skin or exposed fleshy areas anymore. Seems like it’s scabbing over and healing pretty good.


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## Merlot (Jan 30, 2020)

.


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## AlphaAlpha (Jan 30, 2020)

Doesn't look too serious to me....... I'd personally hold off with the vet and just try plenty of fish with extra fish oil too, plus a moist hide and plenty of baths/sprays so he can absorb some moisture where needed. Also get some Neosporin for if there is any really serious open or weeping wounds for extra precaution.


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## Walter1 (Jan 31, 2020)

The pictures don't show open wounds. From those pictures and your saying there's improvement, I would hold off on a visit.


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## Lutchmom (Feb 5, 2020)

My tegu got really sick a few months ago from a vitamin deficiency, which caused a scale infection. I put betadine in his bath water for 10 days. Everything cleared up.


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## Merlot (Feb 5, 2020)

How much where you dropping in there? Do they sell it at pet stores or convenient stores?
I’ll give it a shot


I was just reading up on it, it says to make sure it doesn’t get in the eyes, do you think I should rub it on em and hold em for a while or just drop some in the water


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## Lutchmom (Feb 6, 2020)

Merlot said:


> How much where you dropping in there? Do they sell it at pet stores or convenient stores?
> I’ll give it a shot
> 
> 
> I was just reading up on it, it says to make sure it doesn’t get in the eyes, do you think I should rub it on em and hold em for a while or just drop some in the water



I bought is at the pharmacy (1 litre for $13) you have to dilute it so it's the color of tea. I just added it to his bath water and used a washcloth to drip the water all over him.


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## Merlot (Feb 6, 2020)

What did you do to clear up the vitamin deficiency? Anything special or upped the dosage? Thank


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## Lutchmom (Feb 6, 2020)

Merlot said:


> What did you do to clear up the vitamin deficiency? Anything special or upped the dosage? Thank


Mine had a vitamin A deficiency, so I bought vitamin A capsules at the pharmacy. I poked them with a pin and put it on his food for 10 days.


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## Merlot (Feb 9, 2020)

How’s this for some progress? Just thought I’d share. Couple of rubdowns with pure coconut oil, Lots of cod liver oil in the foods, salmon, smelts, quail eggs, blueberries and grapes, a new “All natural” superior multivitamin and bunch of loooooooooong baths. Some rub downs with neosporin and the thickest hardest shed I’ve ever seen of any reptile I’ve had. This thing came off like a plate of armor, solid as a rock. I’ve also for last few days as mentioned by lunch mom vitamin A capsules to his food, and bought the antiseptic I’m gonna try tonight for the time in his bath before bed. Thanks lunchmom and others for the help. Hope this antiseptic speeds up the process. But man oh man it was a revelation, it was all jacked up looking like it scarred and was healing/healed and now scabbed. And poof, it split, I helped peel it off and nice smoothe silky skin underneath. And the rest of his body about to have another full shed I can see coming so hopefully it’s gonna all time together perfectly which I’m optimistic about


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## Merlot (Feb 9, 2020)

.


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## Walter1 (Feb 9, 2020)

Excellent Merlot! Don't forget a moist sphagnum hide. It's amazing to me how importand fish oil is to them.


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## Lutchmom (Feb 10, 2020)

Looks great!


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## Dylan koch (Mar 8, 2020)

What is the humidity in your tegus enclosure? Mine have been fine with 40% humidity but I live in tucson Arizona. And I spray substrate daily and most my tegus daily and have had no shed issues so far. But I also use spring water gallons so it chlorine free non tap water


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## Merlot (Mar 8, 2020)

I never let it drop below 50. But usually around 70. I am happy to report that my little homie is pretty much cured. I’ll lost some pics later today. I have been using plenty of cod liver oil and fish oil in his foods. But added some capsules of vitamin A to his food, lots of seafood, and I went out and bought this super vitamin b complex and crushed it into powder and sprinkle that on as well (all the vitamin b’s in one tablet crushed into powder). And have him super long soaks with an antiseptic called betadine and now he doesn’t even look like he went through anything. His color is back, had a full shed, and there is one small layer left on his tail we are taking care of right now. He’s doing amazing and growing like a weed right now and seems way happy


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## Dylan koch (Mar 9, 2020)

That's awesome and good to hear. And a in my environment it's hard to get humidity for them above 40% in enclosures but hides are way more or when freshly misted. But I live in Tucson Arizona which is Sonoran desert o very dry except monsoon season.


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## Debita (Mar 11, 2020)

Good job! Supplementing with the oils works well.


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