Shedding help

[Shiidreams]

My little juvenile leopard gecko had his or her first shed with me and they are not exactly tame..
I think I see some stuck shed around their toes so what should I do? Should I just some how get them into a very shallow warm bath sort of thing to help or use a q-tip and rub warm water on their toes?
I'm just worried they will have some skin stuck on them and the toes eventually falling off due to me to acting quick enough to help.

At the moment I cannot take a picture due to them either sleeping or being a bit stressed from the shed!

 

[acpart]

The q-tip will probably not remove the stuck shed. I recommend you start by putting about 1/2" of warm water in the sink and closing the drain so the water will stay. Gently pick up your gecko and put it in the sink. It will try to climb out but won't be able to. Let it sit for a minute or two. If you think it can tolerate this, hold it in your lap and put a fold of your shirt over its head (so it thinks it's hiding). Use your fingernails to pull the shed off the toes. Don't worry about hurting the gecko.There is a slight chance the toenail area may start to bleed a bit. It's not optimal, but it's OK. If you don't think the gecko will tolerate this, put it back in its enclosure and see if it will take off the softened shed by itself.

Aliza

 

[Shiidreams]

How should I go about getting them out of their enclosure since he is only around 3 inches long? They are very skittish and are nearly always in their hides and if I were to stick my hands in when they were out ,well they wouldn't be out much longer! Should I just move the hides and scoop them up and move them into the warm water of the sink?

 

[acpart]

Yes, move the hides, scoop it up from below. Make a little cave out of your hands and let the gecko sit in there so you can transfer it to the water. Obviously, have the water ready before you pick the gecko up. If this is the first time you're picking the gecko up, once you get it into your hands, hold it within the cage for a moment to be sure you have it securely held and it won't leap out of your hand and get away.

Aliza

 

[Shiidreams]

I tried this today and they audibly screamed at me until a put their hide back over them. I couldn't even get the little guy off the ground before he began screaming , hissing , and biting! Should I persist after they scream or just leave them alone?

 

[acpart]

Why don't you leave it alone for now and see if those shed pieces come off on their own. If not, post again and I'll think of something else to try

Aliza

 

[ppoulto]

Your first comment was correct. Old shed can cause them to lose that part of their toes/feet. This is serious. You have to have both a wet and a dry hide in the enclosure. I use moss from the pet store for my wet hide, but for now, you can use wet /moist paper towels. (not dripping wet) Take the dry hide away so they have no choice but to be in the wet one. Keep the paper towels moist. I don't know about the size of your enclosure, but you can place a small plastic container with water about 95 degrees (not hot to the touch!). The water only need cover the affected area. This may help you as you only have to quickly pick them up and put them in it. I sometimes have to re-bath them several times till I find the skin has softened enough for me to assist in removing the skin. (Re-bathing is where I change the water out to ensure the water does not get too cold, but stays nice and warm - maybe every 5 min max.) Most recommend a moist q-tip to remove the shed. You should not force the skin if it does not come off easy. I do sometimes use tweezers, but mine are mature and easy to handle. Good luck.