Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey, i had a problem shedding before and had someone help me get it off. This time i would like to do it myself so i can learn. How long should it take for me to get the skin off. Also if i do get bitten is it serious and will it hurt? thanks guys.

The first thing you need to consider is why your leo is having problems shedding. While I agree you should be able to help him if he needs it, the underlying problem is why he can't shed himself. You didn't specify if you use a humid hide in your setup. Very important to give him enough moisture to slide out of his skin. Or perhaps you do have a humid hide, but he is lacking items to rub against. Sheds can be very time consuming and wear the little guys out, so it can take hours, or maybe all day. I wouldn't worry about helping him unless you see him leaving small amounts around the toes. Once the majority of the skin is off they won't worry about the bits wrapped around their toes.. which can cause blood flow to stop and the toes to die. Now, once you've fixed those problems if he's still having trouble.. use a pair of tweezers and just gently pull the skin back.. almost like rolling a glove off of your hand. It shouldn't be stuck or hard to pull off.

Jeff

ok thanks. I do not have a humid hide but i mist them.

the best thing to do is put your gecko in a steam bath first. this will humidify and loosen the skin, making it easier to get off. you need to be gentle, but it is very important to get it all off, toes or anywhere else. He will squirm, so you may need to restrain him, but he shouldnt bite, and unless you have a large male, shouldnt hurt much if he did, if at all.
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Misting is no good. When I got my first gecko they told me to mist a couple times a day and I lost most of my first gecko's toes. You need to have a humid hide, but you only really need to keep it wet at shedding times. Of course the gecko's love the humid hide and will sleep in them and such.

How to go about skin removal varies with location, but it isn't hard. My gecko still gets shed problems from time to time, toes are the most critial. Put a shallow amount of warm water (about a cm or two) in a dish and set your gecko in it for about 10 minutes with the lid on so it's nice and humid. Then put the gecko's foot between your fingers and gently roll it off their toes. You can use a toothpick to get under the more stubborn ones but be gentle. If the skin doesn't come easy soak it again. You may not be able to get it all off in one sitting. If you get skin suck to the face, like mine does sometimes, it can be a little more challenging. Soak them the same way but you'll have to use a Q tip or something to wet the skin you want to get off since they won't put their face in the water. A shedding aid prodect is your best bet.
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