Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My gecko started having shedding problems about a month ago or so. Every day since then I've been soaking it and picking off skin with tweezers, putting it in a little tupperwear container with a wet paper towel, I've raised the humidity in it's tank, and I've even bought products such as shed ease. NOTHING has been working. It has skin on its toes still and they're not looking so good. After getting most of the skin off its body, another layer came on. Then after weeks and weeks of picking off that layer, another layer appeared today! I just dont know what to do anymore! Please help me! I went to a popular pet store in my area and they told me to keep up on what I've been doing. Thing is, nothing is working at all. My gecko has a 10 gallon tank with a heat pad on to warm it just a tiny bit. The screen top has been closed off with paper towels to keep it moist in the cage. Please help me out. I'm worried that my gecko is going to loose its toes. A couple of his toes are turning a dark brown color. I picked off as much skin off it's toes as I could, but its still really tiny (maybe 5-6 months old) so its hard to be picking at these tiny toes. It definately has enough rocks and rough objects to rub against too. If anyone has any suggestions PLEASE let me know!..

IMO get rid of the heatpad, I doubt that you really need it. What are you feeding your crix, maybe that has something to do with it. Mist your enclosure more and maybe its a good idea to go to a vet because it sounds like this problem has been going on for a while. Good Luck!!!

I usually just dust my crickets and then put them into the tank with my gecko. My gecko also eats baby foods with the calcium dust in it. I called a vet as well, they said theres nothing they can do other than just soaking like I have been doing. *sigh*...I think this problem has been going on for a good month and a half. The heatpad seemed to be helping with the humidity issues, thats why I had turned it on. I mist the cage alot during the day. Everytime the paper towels on the top dry out I mist the cage again. (I've been using paper towels to help with the humidity as well). Thanks for replying! I'm still working on it. (It's soaking as of now going on for about 3 hours with me going in there with a good ol q-tip and tweezers)

Thanks again. I'll let everyone know how things turn out

I don't know what kind of substrate you are using, but make sure you have a hydrometer in there and use peat moss for the bedding. Moisten the peat moss so that it is damp, not wet, and mist three times a day. Unplug the heat pad from the bottom and try getting a fogger hooked up in the cage to increase humidity even more. Other than that, you are doing the right thing. It's not convenient, but you are doing what you have to do. If too many layers of skin are on the toes, there may be no saving them. Sorry. Good luck!

yeah, i'm using vermiculite and peat moss bedding.. it's pretty damp all the time, i mist maybe 4 times a day (warm water). i don't know the exact humdity levels, but if you push a dish sponge down on the bedding, it fills with water, and there's always condensation on the glass. i'm really, really worried now, i wish i could figure something out.. her shedding problems started months ago, and i've spent maybe 2-3 hours a night (and more during the day) every night working with her, and since then, she's only gathered more layers of skin. one of ther fingers is getting dark now, i'm really at my wit's end here.. we can't afford a vet, but we've called one, and they just offer the same advice.. i'm wondering what i'm going to do..

i'm far from an expert, but from that last reply it almost sounds like it is TOO damp. standing water in the moss and substrate might lead to fungus or bacteria growth, which could be causing some skin ailment.

hopefully some more knowledgable keepers can correct or agree with me, since i have never dealt with this type fo thing before.
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mike

yeah, i know, but extreme times call for extreme measures.. he's in his humdifier right now, i've almost got some skin off his hand.. but every time i make progress, he starts trying to drop his tail. i don't know what i'm going to do, all the wrong things keep trying to seperate from his body.. ;_;