Hi!
Last week my Bearded Dragon was displaying a rather odd behavior whenever he was in the big sterilite box I use to feed him. He would tilt his head all the way till it was totally sideways, one ear pointing up and the other pointing down, making a 90º anglo to the floor. He did this for no apparent reason, he wasn't looking closely at the ground or looking for something in the ceiling. He just did that for a few minutes each time.

I started thinking about ear infections because that was the only thing that fitted that behavior but I found it really hard to believe because humidity in his terrarium is always bellow 30%.

Today I found something that might justify his behavior, I removed a piece of shed skin from one of his ears that is just like a nose plug but ear shaped. I've taken a few nose plugs when he sheds but never saw an ear plug before.
Considering the number of sheds I've seen in this first year of his life, I must ask you how if this is normal and if you have you seen this before?

Thanks!
Ricardo

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Wish list: Blue Tongue Skinks and Uruplatus =)

Hello,

I personally don't recall seeing this, but it doesn't mean it isn't normal. When my dragons shed, they are pretty consistant at rubbing the shed off, so its possible they have shed it without me seeing it.

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It's very normal to have ear shed... . Collect and glue all the pieces and make a ghostly 3-D dragon!!! J/K...impossible to do...but I have the visual... .

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Veronica
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Yep, its normal, just like the nose plugs,,, I never witnessed any held tilting from them but it is possible. Now that they are gone, is he still doing this or has it resolved.

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MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!

Thanks!

Marsha, I will see that later today.

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Wish list: Blue Tongue Skinks and Uruplatus =)

Yeah, Zola always gets his ear 'plugs' out on his own by scratching like a dog, but my skinks have a rough time with it and I usually have to help them out. Just add 'ears' to the list of part to check for stuck on shed.

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Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it.

~*~Lacey~*~

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Trent pretty much always has ear plugs like this. He usually scratches then out hmself, when I see then lifting off a little bit, I just get some blunt tweezers, hold the edge of it and let him move his head away. I'm nervous about pulling if it's not ready to come out.

Youch Siren!! In a few places like head, toes and tail (where the scales are thicker or the shape makes it hard to come off), I have no problem doing that but I wouldn't try it in such a delicate place like the ears.

Marsha, since the ear plug got out I haven't seen him do that thing again so I guess it's directly related.

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Wish list: Blue Tongue Skinks and Uruplatus =)