Dull tail scales

[Karen]

I've been curious about Sylvia's tail since I got her since it is so different from the rest of her body and is shorter than what seems to be typical of a Merauke. I think the shortness is likely because of her bout of MBD, but the scales are very dull. No shine at all on the top. Any ideas why that might be? So far it hasn't improved in two sheds, but perhaps it will just take time.

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[Susann]

Totally normal. The tails tend to be much duller, all of my Meraukes have much duller scales on the tails.

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[realis88]

nice merauke

[Karen]

Susan, are the scales on your Meraukes' tails rough-ish to the touch? It looks like the color might be dull, but they still look smooth and shiny.

[Susann]

Susan, are the scales on your Meraukes' tails rough-ish to the touch? It looks like the color might be dull, but they still look smooth and shiny.

Yeah, I can definitely tell that Sylvia's tail is much drier looking than any of my skinks'. I probably wouldn't call their tails "rough", but kinda like, if you pull your finger from their backs down to their tails, like going from something shellacked to something sandpapered. Their tails are smooth, but definitely not shiny.

[Karen]

That sounds about right. It's kind of a hard thing to explain, I was trying to think of how to describe it and was blanking.

[Alioop]

I wouldn't worry Karen. Her tail looks perfectly normal to me. Although I do notice something... are those characteristic male bulges that I see at the tail base?

[Karen]

Oh it isn't anything I am worried about, more just curious since I know very little about her past.

I would hesitate to say they are male bulges because that area of her tail was affected by MBD and is pretty twisted up.

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I was told when I got her that she was a confirmed female, and though I'm not trusting of the source since they didn't take care of her, so far the signs line up with that as far as body shape and lack of any sign of hemipenes/sperm plugs goes. There are also some signs of well healed scars on her side/back that could possibly be from breeding, or at least it seems to be in the area where a male would usually try and grab hold.

Obviously I haven't had her that long, and my experience with skinks is limited, but I feel comfortable calling her a her.

[Spindown]

OOOh skink x-rays! How awesome! We totally need a thread in the Advanced section dedicated to skink x-rays and other informative pics. Unless we have one, and then i'll go hide in a corner.

[Karen]

I know Kat mentioned something about a stickied thread with all that information. I keep forgetting to send her the two xray pictures I have.

[xxmonitorlizardxx]

These skinks have light tails http://seikereptiles.com/seikereptiles/ ... ks/Ish.htm

[Katrina]

We still have to redo the medical advice thread, but a thread in the Advanced forum would be great to. Whichever people think would be better, as long as those awesome xray pics are somewhere were people can reference in future!

[Karen]

I know the color shift is pretty typical of all skinks, I was just curious about the big change in the texture of her scales. Kat I'll put them up wherever you think is best.

[Bird_Brain]

I have a picture of a BTS xray as well if you want to add it. Nothing too exciting about mine, but still interesting. It is of a female Kei.

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[Spindown]

RK, reptile x-rays are ALWAYS exciting (well, to me at least) i love seeing what they look like inside without hurting them, so interesting.

I went and looked in at my Merauke when she woke up to bask the other day and her tail is duller than the rest of her too. Not as much as the posted pics, but then she is a "new" form merauke.

[Katrina]

If anyone who has x rays or other interesting images want to start a thread in the Advanced section, feel free to. It would be great if both those pics made it there.