Wow talk about shedding smell!

[TNewton]

Hello all,

I have read a few posts here about smelly shedding Tegus. I have a baby who is growing a large amount. Never smelt anything before.

Today I did the usual, warm up his food, let him do a run while I clean his tank and turn the mulch (which he or she hates me doing). Then I put the food in the tub with some crickets he doesn't eats lately. Then after I give a bath to see if he'd poop. He likes to play on the couch and it's white so...

During the bath I smelt a faint something. At first when I smelt it I thought it was maybe the Cricket bin which was in the bathroom with us. As he was swimming around. I seen him scratch his back/side and some skin came off. So I helped him peel it off because he gets understandably moody with drying skin coming off him.


I recently quit smoking 8 months ago so my scent is coming back and I feel pregnant all over again. So as I was peeling the skin... Wow. That is a weird strong foot smell. Lol. Will not be that nose close next time lol.

It's not a rotten smell. But more like a stinky cheese foot smell. Again I just quit smoking so don't hold me to it.

So I read it goes away after a shed but Mine takes a few days to shed in entirety. From head to tail. So does that mean I have a stinky Tegu until all his skin is off? If so is there anything natural that can help? Can I bath him more? Do I bath him longer? Is there essential oils that are safe? Again it must be natural. I don't want chemicaled lotions and soaps ect.

Sorry for the seemingly dumb question.

 

[Josh]

There are no dumb questions! ;P
Welcome to teguTalk!
I find that bathing does help but only a bit. I've heard folks use coconut oil to help ease a shed. There are also retail products that contain jojoba oil and such for spraying on the shed. Those won't really help the smell though necessarily... I think you just have to bear through it, unfortunately

 

[TNewton]

Thank you for your reply. I will continue the baths and coconut oil that I have on hand. Do you notice JoJoba oil better or is it the same as coconut oil. I do find him better temperament when I give him a coconut oil bath (warm water and a quarter of a teaspoon of oil). But it doesn't last long. I do the baths because I read you should only do a thin layer. And the bath is as thin as it gets.

Smelly sheding tegu is sort of funny when You have a cat. My cat grew up with a Beardie so he's good (we do keep an eye on both) but my cat went to sniff him and shook his head and had that smelly face on him where they look stoned on kitty nip showing their teeth. It was too funny.

Oh another question do you put oils in their soaking dish? I change that a few times a day and just put plain water in. I know they drink from it too which is why I ask. I do t think it'll hurt because he drinks in the bath too.

 

[TNewton]

Ps what I mean by the coconut oil not lasting is it seems to get sucked in and then Kodie is itchy again.