16 year old leopard gecko having trouble shedding skin

[Aeo]

So, this guy is really curious. I just got him from a friend, he's 16 years old with a lot of spunk. He eats like a pig (his tail is a little skinnier than it should be but he doesnt have fatty deposits behind his arms or legs so I want to fatten his tail up a little). He's eaten crickets his whole life but switched to dubias instantly the moment I offered him some sub adult nymphs from my colony. His poops are normal looking and he's very alert and active... yet he eats dubias in the middle of a shed. Isn't that... I don't know, odd? Everyone posts about their geckos not eating before/during a shed but I have yet to see anyone post about them eating -during- shed. So on top of the eating thing he's having trouble with the skin along the bottom of his neck, torso and back....and the upper part of his legs.

I soaked him earlier to see if it would help but it doesn't look like it, so I've been misting his terranium every few hours to keep humidity up. I don't have any containers I can use as a wet hide and no extra hides to use as a moist hide and I don't have any of the nice moss to use for his shedding atm. I've only had him a few days so I don't want to stress out more than he already has been, even if he's not showing the normal signs of a stressed gecko.

Does anyone have thoughts on the matter?

(Oh I know he's had bad sheds in the past before I got him, he's missing a a couple digits of fingers/toes and he's missing most of his claws.)

My previous gecko died from crypto which is why I don't have any extra hides, but I'm not new to gecko care.


and..... as I'm writing this he's getting skin off his front leg. So thoughts on the old fart (I mean that in a loving way) happily eating what I tong feed him while mid shed?

 

[indyana]

Humidity is definitely the way to go. Try putting him in a lidded container with dampened paper towels for a half hour or so. (Poke holes or keep lid slightly cracked for ventilation...) Then try to remove stuck skin by rubbing with your fingers.

Next time you're out, grab some cheap plastic food containers, and you can do a makeshift hide for him with damp paper towels.

 

[OhioGecko]

Humidity is definitely the way to go. Try putting him in a lidded container with dampened paper towels for a half hour or so. (Poke holes or keep lid slightly cracked for ventilation...) Then try to remove stuck skin by rubbing with your fingers.

Next time you're out, grab some cheap plastic food containers, and you can do a makeshift hide for him with damp paper towels.

I agree with indyana. Get a moist hide setup to help with the shedding. I suggest using cocofiber as a substrate. Good Luck!

 

[seandiaz]

Hi I have a 15 year old male and was wondering, do you know if males can be "too old" to breed?