first shed- still on toes?

hi! i got my leo 2 weeks ago (i already posted here about taming him, heh) and he just went through his first shed, but it's still on his toes. i tried the bath + q tip method but nothing came off. it isn't loose so i cant pin it down or anything, it literally just looks like his normal toes but white. i'm so worried he's going to loose them because it's on all of his toes, but i dont know where to go from here. do i wait and see, mist him, try bathing him again? i'm worried bathing him too much might make him sick!

also, i feel like my shed box isn't working. it's just a hide with moss underneath, and i dont think its staying moist for long at all and he's never in it.. if someone who's leo actually uses it could explain how they made their shed box, that would be great.

tank things: 20-long, repticarpet, he eats dusted crickets every day, he has 3 hides and plants and a water bowl, temps range from 93-80

I've never found bathing to actually work for getting stuck shed off. My preferred method is to get a tupperware and put some wet paper towels in it. Then place the gecko in, put the lid on (it should be sealed), and place the tupperware on a heat pad. Leave it there and check frequently (forgetting to check on it for a while could be dangerous). This seems to really saturate the skin and make it easy to just tear and get off that way. I've also never found q-tips to be very useful. I use my fingernails (gently, of course).

The best way to make a humid hide is with a tupperware that seals very well. Cut a hole in that is just big enough for your gecko to fit through. Some people make them on the lid of the tupperware, but I don't like to do this because it loses too much moisture to evaporation this way (might not be a problem for people who don't live in deserts). I cut my hole on the side of the container and leave the lid alone. Then you put whatever substrate you prefer inside. Personally, I don't like using moss. I've seen too many geckos eat moss and get sick to be comfortable with it. I use Eco Earth (coconut fiber). Many people also like to use a mix of coconut fiber and vermiculite because it holds the moisture really well.

Also, as an off note, 80-93 is not a very good temperature gradient. Your warm side should be 90 F and your cool should be no higher than 75 (preferably lower).

Post some pics.

For my adults I use a smaller square storage container with a hole a little bigger than they are like this one.. Sterilite 2.5 -Qt. Flip-Top Box 18038612 at The Home Depot - Mobile

For my hatchlings I use empty deli cups from worms. Again I cut a hole just big enough to get them through with wiggle room. I use Better-Gro brand long fiber Orchid sphagnum moss for the substrate. Often I find if its not retaining moisture the hole is too big, temps are too high, or not enough substrate. I used paper towels years ago but they always dried up too fast for me. Make sure you do allow some time between sheds for it to dry out to avoid any possible bacteria or mold, though I never seen any occur myself.


I also wouldnt try and pull it off just yet. As long as it stay moist and soft they usually work it off.

I'm a new leo owner too. I've only had Rango for 3 weeks and we have not had a shed yet but I am worried about having the same issue you have. My guy doesn't like being handled yet so I'm really worried if I have to try to get shed off his toes. I can't give you advice on removing the shedding but I can tell you about a moist hide. I read conflicting info as to whether the moist hide should be on the cool or warm side so I put one on each side so Rango could decide which he preferred. I've only seen him in the cool moist hide once but he is in the warm moist hide on almost a daily basis, late at night and sometimes all night. I used a tupperwear container and cut a small hole at the end just big enough for him. You don't want it any larger than necessary because you want to keep in as much humidity as possible. Inside the tupperwear container I put about an inch of sphagnum moss and sprayed it until it was very moist but not soaking wet. I lightly spray the moss every evening. So while Rango likes the warm moist hide, your guy may like a cool moist one. But the tupperwear container with moss has worked great for me.

Good luck!
Debbie