I am a rather new parent of a juvenile leopard gecko. His name is Jak. I've had him now for about 3 weeks. He hasn't shed his skin yet, but his skin is getting lighter however, it's still close to it's original colors at the edges where the colors meet. So my first question is, about how long does it take a leopard gecko to shed? Secondly, i've read that shedding problems can cause, among other things, blindness. Jak has been squinting a lot as of late, usually one eye at a time, but more recently he's been squinting both. This has been going on for about a week, as well as the skin discoloration. He's eating fine and I have not noticed any problems in his feces. Is there anything wrong or that I should worry about. If so, what needs to be done to help him? (He has a humidified shelter, and, being in boston, it's rather humid naturally anyways) Or, am I just being a paranoid new parent? Any insight or help is greatly appreciated by myself and Jak. Thanks
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Shedding Problems?
Replies (1)
>>So my first question is, about how long does it take a leopard gecko to shed?
The frequency is dependent on the growth rate which is in turn dependent on temperature and feeding. For a normal juvenile, every 4 - 6 weeks would be about average. The cloudy appearance or lightening of the colours signifies the separation of the old and new skin, the actual shedding will take place within a few days after that. Leopard geckos will often eat most or all of the old skin.
>>Secondly, i've read that shedding problems can cause, among other things, blindness. Jak has been squinting a lot as of late,
It's possible but not a very common or likely scenario. It would take a severe and prolonged shed problem around the eyes. The squinting is more likely caused by the fact that Jak is nocturnal. His eyes are more suited to dim light. The most common shed problem with leos is the loss of toes caused by old skin restricting the blood flow. If you notice any retained skin on his feet just soak him in a half an inch of tepid water for about 20 minutes. That will soften the old skin enough for you to gently remove it. This is a less frequent problem when a humid hide is used.
T.B
