My Smiley won't shed by herself anymore!

[tomcatguy74]

Hey everyone!

It has been quite awhile since I posted on this forum. Actually it's been awhile for any forums.

I'm worried about my leo. We have had her for about 2 1/2 years or so and she used to perform complete sheds by herself.
Lately it has only been her body, tail, legs and feet. She would miss her head and just run around with the skin hanging on her head.
Now she won't even try to do any of it.
There have been no changes to her environment at all.
I know I will probably get blasted for this but I have been aiding her in removing the old skin because I am worried she won't get it all.
The last time before today's shed she left the head part of the skin. As I helped get it off her head I was unable to get all the skin that covers her eyes.
I tried everything short of tweezers which could really hurt her if i were to try them. Mostly used my finger or a q-tip. Of course this is all after a good warm soaking.

What am I doing wrong and how do I fix this situation?


Robert and Smiley

 

[indyana]

Okay, let's check a few key things for shedding:
- Do you have a humid hide available for her? Does she seem to use it?
- What supplements and/or gut loads are you using on her food?

In general, is she doing all right with eating and activity? Is her home properly heated?

 

[tomcatguy74]

Yes she has a three in one hide that has spagnhm Moss in it that is constantly moist and almost every day. She uses it a lot not all the time but quite a bit. Her food has calcium with D3 for leopard geckos.

She has an under the tank heater on the right side of her terrarium with a red bulb lamp on top of the terrarium

As far as eating she has just come out of her winter cycle and has started eating again.

Last week I fed her some mealworms by hand and she ate about 10 of them. That was the first time she ate in months. I try to feed her after her shedding experience yesterday and she wanted nothing of it.

There was a new problem discovered today with her. Her left eye Is wide open most of the time. When I mean wide open I mean like she's getting ready to eat something wide open.
Her right eye was completely closed like she didn't want to open it.

I took her out handled her a bit and finally both eyes opened but were wide open like I stated above. In other words her eyes were more open than normal but wide-open because something is either wrong or she's really scared or something.

I did some research online and found that maybe if there something wrong with her eye
To put her in a Tupperware container with holes to breathe, a wet paper towel that is soaked in warm water to create a very humid environment and maybe she will lick her eyes and make them better.

I have had her since she was tiny and she is very tame and very gentle and you really have to do a lot to get her to bite you.
She is the sweetest thing in the world.

Here are some pictures from a couple of weeks ago of her terrarium and it's set up.

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[tomcatguy74]

These are what her eyes look like now. I have never seen them open so wide.

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[tomcatguy74]

These are what her eyes usually look like.

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[tomcatguy74]

Anyone?


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[CrazyLeopardGeckoLady]

You said she just started eating again? Her tail looks very fat to me (good job!)
I'm not sure if the eyes open that wide is a problem, it might be because of the skin on it that you had to get off
How long do you soak her in the water for? And do oh put a lid on it to keep the humidity in?
I'm no expert so this will probably need a second opinion but I recommend to keep trying to feed her (be careful with D3 I have heard that they can overdose on that stuff) and give her crickets or Dubias (roaches)
Mealworms have a hard shell that's not always easy for them to digest and they don't have as much nutrition as crickets and Dubias do and Keep soaking her when you can

(Forgive me if this is no help, someone will probably be able to give you better advice)


-Maisie

 

[Neon Aurora]

How many times has it occurred that she refuses to shed by herself? If it's just once, I might just think it is a fluke and say to see what she does next shed.

You say you've had her for 2.5 years and you dust her food with calcium w/D3. Have you ever used vitamin supplements during the time you've had her? Vitamin A deficiency can cause shedding (and other skin) problems, as well as sight problems.

Your set up looks good to me, but I am wondering if you measure the floor temps?

She looks very healthy. I would be more concerned if she was refusing to eat, lethargic, or losing weight.

Personally I don't think her eyes being wide is a big problem. Are her eyes still wide now? Does it seem like her vision is okay (not bumping into things or missing strikes at food)?