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Posted by: Lhiannan_Shee at Mon Jun 21 21:02:49 2004 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ]

I am stressing out. I have a 6 year old leopard gecko who has been periodically having shedding problems. I generally bathe him in lukewarm water, and sometimes assist him in gently rubbing/pulling off his old skin....

Last week I noticed he was having some shedding issues, so i bathed him, but did not pull off the skin. Extra skin was on his head and fingers, and usually after baths he takes care of it himself.

Now, he appears to be shedding again, and hadn't taken off all the old skin. Why is he shedding again so soon?

I bathed him today, and was gently pulling off the skin over his eyes, and one eye...well, I couldnt even see an eye, all I saw was puss. One or two of his toes is also all bent weird and brown.

I am freaking out. It is late in the evening and none of the emergency vets in my area handle reptiles. What can I do to help him til morning? Has anyone experienced this before? Will he die? I dont know what to do. I am so scared. I dont even know if I can afford a vet because I am too broke to even buy groceries right now. I know sometimes they have to remove toes.. but what about the eye? Could it be gone? or just infected? will it be able to heal? I know he obviously needs a vet, and I will get him to one.
I could take some pics of him w/ my digital cam if that would help. I really need advice. My aol AIM is LzdQueen.

pull off the shed skin, ever! It can get infected, if it is not ready to come off and still attached in places and you pull it causes wounds, can also scar.

It is late, and if he were mine, I would get a small container of warm water, cotton ball or something you can dip in the water and kind of hold on his eye or wring out the cotton right on the eye.

The warm water may help to draw out the pus.

Keep doing it for a while, until it looks alittle more cleaned up. Same with the foot. (DONT PULL ANY MORE SKIN ) okay !

Next, do you have neosporin ointment or any type of antibiotic ointment? If so dab some on foot and over eye. Dont think it can hurt at this point.

If you do not have antibiotic ointment (atleast for tonight use a dab of vaseline)

Anytime you have a problem with skin that will not come off , an easy tip is to use a little olive oil or better yet buy a bottle of mineral oil about a dollar and come in handy for that.

Rub it on the places that hes having a hard time shedding , and it will soften it right up and it will come off.

Whenever you see pus, its a sign of infection, I would think, and it is only my opinion, that the skin you pulled from his eye area, was irriatated, and became infected.

Try this with the water and then ointment after it is washed. See if it helps atleast for tonight !

I wish you and your little friend the best. Let us know how he does!

If it continues see your Vet!

NO MORE SKIN PULLING !

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Eve

Thanks for your advice. After I originally discovered him, bathed him, and changed his moist hide substrate to wet paper towel... I read your post an hour after... then I went to check on him again, and his eyes were mostly clear. He was kind of keeping them closed, but did open them widely a few times and I didnt see any pus. Maybe it was more wet skin?

I am way too attached to my pets. Anyway, I've calmed down. I used polysporin on his toes, and around his eyes. Then, I used vaseline on the end of his tail, and some other spots with skin stuck on still.

Closed up his tank, and left the heat lamp over his tank. He's in his moist hide now... and tommorow morning I will check on him, and go get some mineral oil. May take him to the reptile vet. Is mineral oil harmful to them if they eat their skin after its been applied?

Anyway, I am very releived and he is looking a lot better. Still worried, and I'll post another update tommorow.

I got a little panicky... My very first leopard gecko died 4 years ago, at 8 years old... he had an infection inside his stomache, and I ended up paying over $600 to try and save him... He ended up dying... and my new babies (Tank, my gecko who is sick now is one of them) got sick. I had to handfeed them every day, and mush crickets up. It was oddly tramatic for me as teenage girl, and so I like panicked when I saw Tank looking so grey and icky. Probably an overreaction. Sorry. Anyway, enough blabbering. Your advice was VERY helpful!

I also get too attached, thats why I said relax, because I'm older than you, and have learned you can THINK much more clearly what to do to help them while relaxed.

I'm so happy he looked better in the eyes. The other areas (feet and tail are not as serious. Hopfully, Tank will be fine.

The mineral oil is not toxic, if he eats any the most that will happen is he will go to the bathroom, hehehehe. People can take it when they are constipated (can't go) LOL

So its basically a sofener. It works wonders in softening their skin.

You did GOOD ! Let me know how he made out over night.

I'm always here, I will check back to see, and HOPE Tank and You are just GREAT
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Eve

Tank is looking quite better today. His eyes still seem sensitive, but he is opening them, and they look clear. I went out and got mineral oil this morning, and it worked wonders on the old shed. I think he may have a problem w/ a couple of his toes, but otherwise, things are looking okay. He was sort of irritated with me, and wouldn't eat, but tommorow I am going to go get some waxworms (his fav treat) and if he doesn't eat them, I'm going to use Ensure mix. Called a couple vets, and am making him an appointment soon.

Thank you again for your advice =)

Thats great ! Put more mineral oil on toe area, it should work,

They aften decrease their appetite when shedding, may be it. He will probably be fine, just keep an eye, hehehhe on his eyes !

Take care, when hes better, post his pretty pic for me, love to see Tank!
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Eve