Yellow fungus??

[fafnirthegreat]

Hey folks,
so I'm a first time beardie owner, full-time worry wart... When I first purchased my beardie about a month and a half ago, I noticed a small black patch on his back that almost looked like a burn. When it came time for his first shed, it was the first piece of skin to go, so at the time I assumed maybe it was a bit of a burn. Well! Over the past couple of weeks, I noticed from that spot that it's turned a bit duller in colour, almost as if it is spreading. I'm a bit colour-blind as well, so it's really hard for me to differentiate what may be a yellow hue. I've heard that yellow fungus may start as a darker patch, and may not even be all that yellow in appearance. There are no lesions that I have noticed, and his skin feels the same texture that it always has...

Anyways, I attached a couple of pictures. The first is when I first got him. The little black patch on his back looked unusal to me, but again- I'm a first time owner. The second photo is him as of thirty minutes ago. He just shed a week ago... so I feel like that's not what it is, but he's also growing rapidly. Either way, I thought I would get a few opinions. I'm going to take him to a vet as soon as I can, but I was wondering if there are any home remedies that I could start him on? Assuming that it is yellow fungus.

Thanks!

 

[PatsyB]

The struggles with having a dark bearded dragon, it's very hard to tell if they have something wrong or if it's just their coloring. My boy Luci is dark and I have the hardest time trying to figure out if there is something wrong with him or just his coloring. Just recently I realized that his darkened toes actually had stuck shed skin a few soaks in the tub and he was fine. I have a feeling that is what is going on with your little guy. I'm not 100% sure but the first picture looks like retained shed skin and now it looks like he is starting to shed again. They shed all the time as they are growing. When Luci starts to shed the skin on his back turns darker and sometimes it's gray. When they shed it's pieces at a time. Tail one week, back another, head another, front leg, back leg When that is all done, they start all over again.

Welcome to the forum

 

[fafnirthegreat]

I really hope that is what it is! I have read so many different symptoms and I just get very overwhelmed by it all. Bearded dragons are so strange and fantastic that every little "normal" thing they do totally astounds me. I was kind of hoping it was just a skin retention. The spot was originally a bit darker, and after the first shed it lightened. It appears to be getting bigger though, and that it my main concern. My s/o keeps trying to tell me it is because the beardie is also getting bigger, which is true. He has grown almost two inches in the past month. I think I'm still going to take him in just to get him checked- worst case scenario is he has YFD... but I would rather be safe than sorry. Thanks again!

 

[PatsyB]

It never hurts to have him checked out. It could be getting bigger because more of the area is going to shed.

I drove my boyfriend CRAZY our first year with Dexter. She was our first and I didn't know what to expect and yeah every "normal" thing she did completely freaked me out! I finally took her to the vet when I thought she had an upper respiratory infection. The vet told me she was perfectly fine! Sometimes though you have to have them checked out just to ease your worries.

 

[Mushuandcricket]

lol full time worry wart cracked me up. Welcome to the club with other fellow worry warts and welcome to the forum.

 

[fafnirthegreat]

I went to get him looked at and I was told that its just a weird pigmentation, and that it also probably looks a bit dry because its him getting ready to shed. I gave him a warm bath and gave him a light rub with an extra soft toothbrush. I will keep an eye on it. Poor little guy is pretty peeved at me for taking him somewhere during winter... The cons of being Canadian.

Thanks!!

 

[fafnirthegreat]

Bit of an update:
Yesterday morning I noticed the weird spot turned ashy. It began to peel by the afternoon. It was super thick, though. My guess is either it was a retained shed or perhaps a bit of damage occurred during the last shed (hence the darkening immediately after) and it healed up and fell off.
Either way, he is looking mighty fine! Growing like a weed. The rest of his body is getting ready to shed again too

 

[Mushuandcricket]

Great news! I am glad it all healed on its own.Thanks for the update.

 

[fafnirthegreat]

Yeah I'm glad it wasnt yellow fungus. I live in Atlantic Canada and finding a good herp vet seems impossible. Even looking for things to help prevent spreading- like lamisil- require a prescription.

 

[PatsyB]

Good to hear!