Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all-... i finally figured out how to upload photos. Here is a picture of the skin issue I posted a few days ago. As a recap, I think this leo was born premature. She is eating now, but still tiny. The problem is I cant get the shed off of here. Is this a skin disease vs. bad shed? What suggestions do you have in this case?

Here is another pic...

That does look like a pretty bad problem. Try taking the little one and soaking it in warm water(not hot water). Then, use a cutip to gently brush at the skin where you can. Since the little one is so tiny, I wouldn't recommend using your fingers. Even maybe using some tweezers could help with removing some of the skin. But, you should always be as gentle as possible. I've had to do the same thing before myself... the gecko made it through alright.

It looks like the skin has not properly shed on more than one occasion and the dead skin is casing infection/skin rot underneath. Do you use some sort of humid hide to help with shedding? At this point I don't think you should try removing the dead skin. If you can try a warm soak then let the little guy work it off. But it looks like it is past that, take the little guy to a vet.

Matt

I would provide a bowl with peat or spagnum moss that is wet in the cage. This will raise the humidity and make it easier for the skin to fall off.
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Greg Holland
G&M HERPS
www.imageevent.com/gmherps
gmherps@sbcglobal.net

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. i have tried soaking the little one. i have had a moist hide in the tank since its birth. I also mist the tank everymorning an evening since i noticed this problem.
As someone mentioned it is more than one shed ( 2 in fact) but the first one did not come either no matter what i did.

Frankly taking this little one to the vet is probably too expensive and too much stress on the gecko since she is so tiny. i will try soakin here again. Any suggestions on how to make this more affective, ie how you keep the leo in the water without drowning or climbing out?

Thanks...

Well, I usually just put them in a tupperware container with the warm water up to their belly. That way they can just hang out with most of their body sticking out of the water. You do want them to get most of the water in and on their shed skin to soften it enough to remove.

Maybe change the substrate or add more, moisten it more, make sure it's on the warm side, cut a smaller entrance hole so it can retain more moisture, etc. Heck, try putting two or three different humid hides with different substrates in there to see which one your leo prefers.
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5.6 leopard geckos

chickabowwow

Here is the thing. She likes the humid hide thats in ther.e She spends ALL of her time in it...thats why i am confused at what is going on with her skin...

I will try soaking her again tonight...About how long though?

She probably spends all of her time in there because she knows she needs humidity and that's all she has available. Obviously, what she has isn't working for her. You need to fix the humid hide or you will keep running into the same shedding problems.
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5.6 leopard geckos

chickabowwow

You need to get that off real soon befor she starts losing digits or even feet from the looks of one of the rear ones.

if soaking isn't working put her in a deli cup withsome holes and a moist paper tomel for a few hours. then try to get it off with a q-tip. and repet till you get it off.

You really need to see a vet it it doen't start comeing off.
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Sarah H

Yeah i know its bad... I need to soak her tonight... I have tride doing the tupperware/paper towel trick but not for a few hours as she is so small I do not want her getting too cold. Eitherat this point though extreme measures are necessary so I guess I will have to go this route...

I don't recommend soaking her for hours. A 10-15 minute soak in warm water should be enough. You have to keep her in a sealed container (with breathing holes) when you do the soak, since it's the humidity that softens the skin. If you worry about the water getting cold, put the container on a heatpad or UTH but don't let the entire container rest directly on the heatpad--only about 1/4 or so or else it'll get too hot for your leo.
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5.6 leopard geckos

chickabowwow

Ok.. i will try that tonight...I am still confused with the most hide as all my other leos are fine and i keep the hide really most...Hopefully soakin her will work...After soaking whats the best way to get the skin off? Qtip...

Just use your fingers to gently pull the skin off. (It's the fastest and easier for me anyway.) Keep a Q-Tip and a pair of tweezers handy in case you run into any tricky areas. Also keep a dry towel and that container of water handy so if any of the skin starts to dry up, you can wet your fingers to moisten the skin again.

The same type of humid hide doesn't always work for all leos. Some are more prone to shedding problems than others. With babies, I recommend keeping two humid hides, because when one starts to get dry, they'll automatically shuttle over to the fresh one. That way you can alternate without having to disturb them.
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5.6 leopard geckos

chickabowwow

Thanks for your help!!!My concern is how to take the skin off of her being that she is so tiny. I also do not want her to drown...This should be interesting!

use wet paper towel at the bottom of the container it lets them grip something and don't fill it up past their head, just touching belly is fine.

and since its only for 10-15 you can supervise
good luck