Skin On Toes - Tried Soaking, HELP!

[Bethany]

My gecko has skin stuck on her toes for the second time now. I'm having trouble getting it off of one foot! On the one front foot its on every single little toe, and its barely coming off :main_thumbsdown:
I've been soaking it and then trying to use a Q-tip to get it off.
Right now her feet are soaking for ten minutes, then I'm going to try again.

Is there anything else I can try?!
Please help!

 

[fuzzylogix]

after soaking use some tweezers to try and gently pull the skin off while it's moist. does your setup have a moist hide?

 

[Bethany]

after soaking use some tweezers to try and gently pull the skin off while it's moist. does your setup have a moist hide?

Thank you!
It does, but I've been using damp paper towel because we haven't been able to find the moss to put in. I'm going tomorrow night to check another reptile/fish store.

 

[fuzzylogix]

Thank you!
It does, but I've been using damp paper towel because we haven't been able to find the moss to put in. I'm going tomorrow night to check another reptile/fish store.

check your local hardware store instead. sometimes its called orchid moss. the same brick at the pet store that costs me 10 bucks cost me 3 bucks at lowes or home depot.

 

[Bethany]

check your local hardware store instead. sometimes its called orchid moss. the same brick at the pet store that costs me 10 bucks cost me 3 bucks at lowes or home depot.

Thank you very much!
I just tried with the tweezers and only got a little more off. I'm worried, should I try once more & then leave it for tomorrow?

 

[fuzzylogix]

Thank you very much!
I just tried with the tweezers and only got a little more off. I'm worried, should I try once more & then leave it for tomorrow?

no problem at all. its best to try and get the shed off as soon as possible. ive had luck with the "sauna" approach as well. put a moist paper towel in a ziploc sandwich container, put the gecko in, put the lid on, and set it half of the container on top of my flexwatt. i only do this for about 15 minutes then try and remove the shed. most of the time though the adults will eat it off when in the "sauna".

 

[Bethany]

no problem at all. its best to try and get the shed off as soon as possible. ive had luck with the "sauna" approach as well. put a moist paper towel in a ziploc sandwich container, put the gecko in, put the lid on, and set it half of the container on top of my flexwatt. i only do this for about 15 minutes then try and remove the shed. most of the time though the adults will eat it off when in the "sauna".

Alright, I'll try that next

 

[Bethany]

I don't think its working
And she is getting VERY impatient now, she is sitting in her little 'sauna' right now.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

If she's gotten agitated, it's best to leave her be for a few hours to reduce stress, then soak again. 10 minutes isn't long enough, you will have to add more warm water and take water out so it isn't too deep, but let her stay in for 20 minutes. Skin should then be loose enough to work off with a q-tip. Also, you might move the humid hide to the warm end to encourage her to spend more time in it.

 

[Bethany]

If she's gotten agitated, it's best to leave her be for a few hours to reduce stress, then soak again. 10 minutes isn't long enough, you will have to add more warm water and take water out so it isn't too deep, but let her stay in for 20 minutes. Skin should then be loose enough to work off with a q-tip. Also, you might move the humid hide to the warm end to encourage her to spend more time in it.

Thanks right now shes in it again & has been for 20 minutes. I just tried once more with a Q-tip - nothing. I'll leave her for a while now.
I feel so helpless, lesson through this is to always make sure you can find proper supplies for them

 

[joshyy_rey]

this is really helpful. my gecko has some stuck shed now on its toes

 

[Joao]

I also don't have much luck with soaks. I have been using a product called Zilla shed-ease that I picked up at one of the chain pet stores.

What I so is just apply it directly to the problem areas with a q-tip and let it soak up. It will quickly loosen up and then you can just roll the shed off.

A lot of people won't agree with using these products, but desperate times call for desperate measures sometimes.

 

[prettyinpink]

I haven't had any luck with soaks at all. The suana is the only thing that works for me.

I'm extreamly against those kind of products, they are not good for the skin. And we have seen what they can do.

 

[Joao]

You have seen what it can do?

I researched the crap out of shed-ease and didn't find anything negative on it, so I went ahead and got it. I would love to hear any negative reviews on it. Please share.

 

[prettyinpink]

I don't remember if it was on here or another site. Just read the ingredients...anything besides 'water' I'm strongly against. Unless it's something natural. Their body absorbs anything we put onto their skin.

I'd rather spend a little time making up a sauna then just spraying something on it because it's quick.

Just imo, maybe what you're buying is perfectly safe. I just personally am against it

 

[Joao]

I forget all the ingridients but its mainly water and aloe vera. All the ingridients are natural.

In all honesty I rather not use the stuff either, but snowflakes sheds get super dry very quickly. I've done the soaking, sauna, and her shed would still be super tight on her feet. Slowly but surely I am adjusting her environment to allow for a perfect shed, but I'm stil not fully there yet.

Its definatley not something I want to use every shed or even recommend using every shed, but if someone is having a real tough time ... It works REALLY well

Ill research it some more and see if I can find anything else on it.

 

[prettyinpink]

Rose has been having horriable sheds recently...if you can get the sauna right I don't see why it wouldn't work. Just have to make sure they're in there long enough

 

[Riven]

Another thing to try, after a soak, put a couple of small drop of baby oil on your finger and very gentle rub the stuck shed. I have done this a few times on geckos and dragons. Works everytime.

Scott

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Another thing to try, after a soak, put a couple of small drop of baby oil on your finger and very gentle rub the stuck shed. I have done this a few times on geckos and dragons. Works everytime.

Scott

Baby oil is the same as pharmacy grade mineral oil, but with added fragrance. It smells good for people but plain mineral oil has more safe uses for animals, without he need to be cautious in case of ingestion.

 

[Bethany]

Thanks for all your help! I got another one off one of her toes, there are still two left that have some left I think, and they are not coming off easily!
I'll look for baby oil/mineral oil, and see if there is any shed-ease things in the stores, I'd rather use it very rarely than have her in pain
Thanks for all the help, wish me luck!