How Often Do Lizards Shed Their Skin?

If you’ve ever kept a lizard as a pet, you’ve likely noticed their propensity to shed their skin on a regular basis. This natural process allows lizards to literally break free from their old skin in favor of a shiny new exterior. But just how often does this shedding occur?

Read on to uncover the fascinating details behind lizard skin shedding.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Most lizards shed their skin every few weeks, though the frequency depends on factors like the lizard’s growth rate, age, and species. Younger, faster growing lizards tend to shed more often.

What Is Shedding?

Shedding Explained

Shedding is a natural process that occurs in most lizards. It involves the periodic shedding or sloughing off of the outer layer of skin, called the epidermis. This allows for new skin to form underneath and helps the lizard grow. Shedding is essential for a lizard’s health and wellbeing.

Lizards shed their skin because their skin does not stretch or grow like human skin. Instead, a new layer of skin forms underneath the old one. Shedding allows the old external layer to be sloughed off when it becomes uncomfortably tight.

This gives the lizard a new external skin layer that is looser and more accommodating of growth.

Shedding frequency varies by species, but it generally occurs several times a year. Younger, growing lizards tend to shed more often than mature adults. Factors like nutrition, humidity, temperature, and overall health impact shedding as well.

Providing proper husbandry is key to ensuring a clean, successful shed.

The Shedding Process

The shedding process occurs in phases:

• New skin starts forming underneath the older external skin layer. This new skin is attached to the old skin.
• The new skin separates from the old skin, except for some remaining contact points.
• The old skin becomes loose and begins to flake off in patches.
• The lizard rubs against objects in its environment to help remove the skin. It may also eat some of the skin flakes.
• After several days to 2 weeks, the old skin fully detaches and the lizard emerges with new, larger skin.

Shedding is completed once the entire external skin layer has fully come off. Having stuck shed left on the body, called dysecdysis, can harm the lizard. Signs of trouble shedding require veterinary assistance.

Shedding Frequency

By Species

The frequency with which a lizard sheds its skin depends largely on the species. For example, leopard geckos tend to shed every 4-6 weeks as juveniles when growing quickly, slowing to 6-8 weeks as adults.

On the other hand, bearded dragons shed more frequently when young, every 4-6 weeks, slowing to around every 2-3 months as adults.

Smaller lizard species, like house geckos and anole lizards tend to shed more often than the larger species. House geckos can shed weekly as babies and young juveniles when food is plentiful. Adults may shed every 2-4 weeks based on growth and health.

By Age

In most lizard species, younger individuals tend to shed more frequently than mature adults. For example, a baby leopard gecko may shed every 2-3 weeks, while an adult leopard gecko sheds every 6-8 weeks.

This is because younger lizards are going through rapid growth phases requiring more frequent skin shedding.

There is an exception to this rule however – newly hatched lizards often have their first shed 1-2 weeks after hatching as they lose their baby skin. After this first shed, juveniles have frequent sheds for ongoing growth requirements.

By Growth Rate & Health

The shedding frequency in an individual lizard is primarily driven by how quickly it is growing at that life stage. Lizards going through rapid growth phases will shed more often than those growing slowly. This is why younger lizards tend to shed more than adults in most species.

Additionally, factors like access to optimal heating, hydration, nutrition and habitat setup play a key role in supporting the growth rate and therefore shedding requirements.

Shedding frequency can also be an indicator of general health and wellbeing in lizards. An otherwise healthy adult lizard that suddenly begins shedding more frequently may indicate issues like parasite infections, illnesses, or problems with the habitat setup.

On the other hand, a lack of shedding over longer periods can indicate dehydration, inadequate heating for proper skin growth and development, or other health issues. Monitoring shedding is therefore useful as part of basic lizard husbandry.

As shown in the comparison table, younger, faster growing lizards shed more often across the various species highlighted. Monitoring shedding rates is an useful care and husbandry practice for pet lizard owners.

For more information on lizard shedding frequency benchmarks across different species and life stages, check out detailed care guides on sites like Reptile Advisor.

Encouraging a Healthy Shed

Proper Husbandry

Providing proper husbandry is crucial for encouraging a healthy skin shed in lizards. This includes supplying appropriate heating and lighting (UVB exposure allows lizards to properly synthesize vitamin D3 for calcium metabolism), and an enclosure with areas for basking, hiding, and activity[1].

The habitat should also enable lizards access to clean water and be kept clean through spot cleans and full scrubs to prevent scale rot diseases. With ideal husbandry conditions supporting overall health, the skin will be better prepared to shed cleanly.

Moisture & Humidity

Higher humidity in a lizard’s habitat prior to shedding aids in loosening the old skin for easy removal. Some options to increase moisture temporarily include misting the enclosure daily, providing a humid hide box, or restricting ventilation.

However, the humidity levels should align with normal parameters for that species and excessive moisture should be avoided to prevent respiratory infections or scale rot issues. For example, moisture-loving species like chameleons would benefit from regular misting, while arid species like leopard geckos only require a humid hide box during shedding[2].

Supplements

Proper calcium and vitamin supplementation is vital for healthy shedding in lizards. While specific dosing depends on species and individual needs, most lizards benefit from a calcium supplement containing vitamin D3 provided 1-2 times a week.

An additional multivitamin supplement once or twice a month also supports skin and overall health. These aid in enzymatic processes involved in shedding the stratum corneum outer skin layer. For stubborn eye caps that do not shed cleanly, a reptile-safe vitamin A ointment externally can provide added moisture and lubrication.

Problems with Shedding

Incomplete Sheds

An incomplete shed, also called dysecdysis, occurs when a lizard is unable to fully shed its old layer of skin. This can happen for several reasons: dehydration, poor nutrition, lack of appropriate habitat furnishings for rubbing, or underlying illness.

Symptoms of an incomplete shed include unshed pieces of skin dangling from the body, opaque patches over the eyes, toes, or tail tip, and difficulty moving or seeing clearly. Immediate help from an exotic veterinarian is required for stuck shed removal and treatment.

Without intervention, the pieces of retained skin can constrict blood flow leading to digit or tail loss.

Shedding Too Frequently or Infrequently

The normal shedding frequency varies by age and species – for example, baby leopard geckos may shed every 1-2 weeks while adult leopard geckos shed every 4-6 weeks. Shedding too often may indicate dehydration, malnutrition, parasites, or illness.

Shedding too infrequently points to poor circulation, inadequate habitat heat, calcium deficiency, or health problems. Be especially concerned if shedding frequency changes without an identifiable cause.

Signs of Abnormal Shedding

Be on the lookout for any of these indicators of trouble shedding:

• Unshed pieces of skin attached to body
• Cloudy eye caps limiting vision
• Inability to open mouth fully
• Curling of toes or kinks in the tail
• Dehydration signs like sunken eyes or sagging skin
• Shedding more or less frequently for that lizard’s age/species without explanation
• Edema or bloating
• Lethargy, weakness or other signs of illness

Don’t hesitate to make a vet appointment if you notice any of the above problems arising after a shed. With quick diagnosis and treatment, your scaly friend can get back on the road to health!

The Takeaway

Shedding Varies by Species & Age

Lizards shed their skin on a regular basis as they grow and mature. The frequency of shedding depends on the species and age of the lizard:

• Baby lizards may shed every 1-2 weeks as they are growing rapidly.
• Juvenile lizards shed every 4-6 weeks typically.
• Adult lizards shed every 6-8 weeks on average.
• Some lizards only shed a few times per year once mature.

Shedding allows lizards to remove old skin cells, parasites, and growth restrictions. It is a natural process that promotes health. More frequent shedding typically indicates faster growth rates.

Support Healthy Shedding

There are a few things lizard owners can do to support healthy shedding cycles:

• Provide proper humidity levels in the terrarium – this helps lubricate and loosen the skin.
• Give access to pools or moist hides – soaking helps weaken skin bonds.
• Offer rough surfaces – abrasion helps slough off skin.
• Supply full spectrum lighting – this promotes skin growth and shedding.
• Feed nutritious diet – nutrients support skin regeneration.

Making small adjustments to the habitat and care can ensure shedding goes smoothly. Well-hydrated, well-fed lizards tend to have easier sheds.

Monitor for Issues

In some cases, lizards may have difficulty shedding properly. Signs of abnormal shedding include:

• Skin remaining unshed after several days
• Toes retaining swollen unshed skin (“sausage toes”)
• Discoloration or dullness to the skin
• Shedding more or less frequently than normal

Retained unshed skin can restrict blood flow and lead to lost digits or tails. Owners should gently remove stuck shed using a damp cloth or mineral oil. Consulting a veterinarian is recommended if shedding issues persist.

With attentive care and habitat adjustments, keepers can promote healthy shedding cycles for their lizard. Regular shedding is a sign of growth and renewal for these intriguing reptiles.

Conclusion

While shedding frequency depends on several factors, most healthy adult lizards shed every few weeks. Hatchlings and juveniles may shed every few days to accommodate rapid growth. By providing proper husbandry, humidity, and nutrition, you can support your pet lizard’s natural and frequent shedding schedule.

Pay attention for any signs of abnormal shedding, which could indicate health issues. Through ongoing observation and care, you can keep your scaly companion happy in its fresh, new skin.