Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is my leo's second shed and it isn't looking too good. His tail is red, and the skin is looking shriveled and just not good. He still has skin on his toes also. I've been having humidity problems (not only in his tank but my snakes as well) so added a large dish of shallow water to his tank because misting doesn't help at all. He soaked in it all morning. I have been providing a humid hide but he doesn't use it, but he does apparently like the large shallow water dish. Anyway I've taken him out today and I got some of the skin on his toes off with cotton balls and tweezers but it took me a while and of course he's really skittish and is always trying to run or jump off me.

Anyway I really need some advice about the tail. I don't want him to lose it, but can I start trying to peel the skin off myself or should I wait (he started shedding yesterday by the way). Since he's been soaking, the skin has loosened quite a bit but it still doesn't look like it's coming off that easily. What to do?! Btw my humidity is staying between 40-50% now.
-----
0.1 ball python (Kilimanjaro)
1.0 amel corn snake (Houdini)
0.0.1 leopard gecko (Charlie)
1.1 cats (Kitty & Milo)
0.1 mouse (Creepers)

If it seems that it's loosening up with the increased humidity, you can probably give him a little while to try taking care of it himself. If he still hasn't got it by tomorrow morning, you probably want to intervene, but if you thought he was skittish to begin with, just wait til you start messing with his tail. He will not like that at all, so here's hoping that he manages to get the job done himself.
-----
0.1 Albino Leopard Gecko - Tigger
0.1 Crested Gecko - Pooh-Bear

I agree to wait a day and give him some time... I hear that difficult sheds seem to be going around this month, probably our strange weather patterns. However if he didn't take care of it say tonight or this weekend, I would try to help since it is constricting.

Although I haven't used it myself, there is a shedding assistance product that some posters here have used with success. The name escapes me, however I have seen it a the major pet store chains here right next to the supplements and calcium... I almost want to say it is called something like "shed ease" or similar. Just something to think about if the old Q-tip and warm water trick doesn't work. Let us know how everything turns out. Good luck.
-----
0.1 Albino Leo Gecko
0.1 Crested Gecko
1.0 Dear Boyfriend
Departed: Harvey and Spock

I know my gecko must hate me now. But I got the skin on the rest of his toes off, but now his tail, theres some problems...the skin is like hard and shrunken and shriveled and it's been red. The skin looked like it was coming off finally so I tried gently pulling it off with tweezers but I didn't want to force it. I also took some skin off that I don't think was supposed to come off, but it was like a bubble and it looked like old skin coming off so I tried to work from there and now theres a little piece of...raw skin or something from underneath showing, like flesh colored. My humidity is up and he has a humid hide so I figured I should just leave him for now and hope that he gets it off himself? I'm not really sure what to do, he's my first leo...I won't be home again til Sunday, do you think theres anything else I should do?
-----
0.1 ball python (Kilimanjaro)
1.0 amel corn snake (Houdini)
0.0.1 leopard gecko (Charlie)
1.1 cats (Kitty & Milo)
0.1 mouse (Creepers)

you should probably put some neosporin on that flesh colored part just a little bit to help it heal better

Yeah, mine has the same problem on his toes, it's really stubborn skin and I bought this stuff called 'Shedding Aid' but it doesn't seem to be working. I try using Q-tips, but sometimes to no avail :-/

Allie
-----
What does man love more than life,
Fear more than death or mortal strife,
What the poor have, the rich require,
And what contented men desire,
What misers spend, and spendthrifts save,
And all men carry to the grave?

I was not able to get the rest of the skin off his tail and it looks like it will fall off now, it is just shriveled up and I don't think anything I do now will save his tail. My question now is, what do I do when his tail falls off? Does he need any special care, should I put something on it or just leave him be? Basically is there anything I should know or do for him?
-----
0.1 ball python (Kilimanjaro)
1.0 amel corn snake (Houdini)
0.0.1 leopard gecko (Charlie)
1.1 cats (Kitty & Milo)
0.1 mouse (Creepers)