Pre Lay shed

[soulweaver]

just a question for lizard people out there, do lizards have a pre-lay shed??

[soulweaver]

guess not.

[serpenttongue]

G'day Souly. Geez 45 views and no one can answer. Unfortunately i cannot give you a definate answer, but of the lizards i have bred over the years (skinks and dragons) i cannot recall the gravid females ever shedding in preparation for egglaying. Of course there's always the possibility that they do have pre-egglaying sheds and breeders have just mistaken them for an ordinary old shed that just happened to take place while gravid and perhaps would have occurred whether they were gravid or not. Due to the fact that lizards shed in pieces (as opposed to one piece in snakes) i do wonder whether pre-egglaying sheds in lizards would be at all effective (of course i have no idea what effect pre-egglaying sheds have in snakes either, must be some reason though).

Souly, i am sorry if this was a completely useless answer, dude.

[soulweaver]

thanks for having a go anyway, i didn't think so either, but i figured it was worth the ask.........just been watching my jackys go through the mating process lately and noticed that both females are in the middle of shedding, so i thought i'd ask the question.

thanks ST

[beknluke]

Oi Souley
You heard my answer today in person - but I will answer on here too to make ya feel loved!!
IME none of mine have. In fact, I can't remember the last time that Princess shed and she's just finished laying
I'm sure your jackys will be breedin this season none the less - just don't know if the shedding's an indicator in lizards like it is in snakies
Bex

[Glimmerman]

My Painted have the last 2 lays. Coincidence or not I can't say. She is gravid now and shed on Friday. Her entire back came off in one piece. I think she just got too big for top layer. I also have 2 female Mountain Dragons gravid. Will let you know if they do as they are not a large around the girth from being gravid in comparisson to the Painted.

Hope this helps.