I just realized this morning that there is still a bit of skin left on my geckos foot and it has resulted in two toes being cut off. How do I take care of this and make sure that he/she doesn't get an infection.
I have already changed the cage and put paper towels as the substrate and I have also put damp paper towels in his/her hide box. I have also soaked him/her in a small butter cup for about five to ten minutes. Should I do this again or will that be enough. I don't want to stress it out too much.
Jessica
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toe loss
archamedes1
Sep 29, 2003 01:05 PM
Replies (3)
xelda
Sep 29, 2003 01:15 PM
You mean the toes have already fallen off, or they're still there and the skin is hanging on?
Soaking him isn't enough. You have to make sure to get that skin off. Use a Q-tip to gently rub it off while he's still standing in the water. 15 minutes of soaking is usually enough to get the skin soft enough if it's only been on for a few days.
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chickabowwow
archamedes1
Sep 29, 2003 01:29 PM
The toes have already fallen off and you can still see the blood. I will try soaking him for longer and using a Q-tip to see if it works, but he is a wiggly one. Thanks for the advice.
Jessica
StarGecko
Sep 29, 2003 02:21 PM
Unless there is still dead skin on the other toes, you don't need to soak, you need to prevent infection. Thoroughly clean and disinfect the tank and cage furniture. If you are not already using paper towels as a substrate, put him on that and remove any soiled towels/feces immediately. Put neosporin on the affected area 2-3x a day until the wounds heal. If gecko seems like he/she is in pain (limping, etc.), it would probably be okay to use the neosporin with anesthetic for the first couple days to make him/her more comfortable. Be extra-sure not to leave uneaten crix in the tank, they may be attracted to the wound/blood and try to nibble on it.
For the future, make sure the moist hid is kept moist, especially during shedding, and try to examine gecko weekly for areas of dead skin still clinging to areas of body.
Your gecko should be okay and not seriously disabled. As long as you prevent infection he should not need to see a vet.
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Sarah Stettler aka Starling
Sarah@stargecko.com
StarGecko.Com COMING SOON! Star Quality Leopard Geckos
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