aarrgg!!! The darn shedding is making me bonkers!!

[Euphillia]

Ok going to fill out the whole health questioner here...

About your leo:
- Sex- Male
- Age & Weight- Unknown age, certainly an adult. Don't have a weight, but I know he's not thin
- How long have you owned your leo-almost 6 months
- Where was he/she obtained -Reptile show

A) Health/History
- How often do you handle your leo-Daily
- Is your leo acting any different today? No he's acting normal
- Has he/she had any problems in the past, if so please describe. Still fighting with bad weekly sheds.
B) Fecals
- Describe (look any different than normal)Normal
- When was the last time he/she went- He is going almost daily
C) Problem
- I am going to assume Eggo is growing because he has been shedding once a week for over a month now. Every single shed is a bad shed. Feet and toes always stuck. I am having to soak him and help. I am giving him about 2 days to finish it, but he is not cleaning off his feet. Last week we actually had a scabby rear left foot and I had to clean it and was worried about his toes. The foot was actually swollen for a day or 2. I am at a total loss here. This week I soaked him when I started seeing him get cloudy. We soaked for 3 days and he STILL is stuck. He will not use his humid hide. I have been watching that very closely the last 2 weeks.

Housing:
A) Enclosure
- Size 20 long
- Type glass
- Type of substrate- tile
- Hides, how many, what kind 3, one cool, one hot and the humid that is center with paper towels.
B) Heating
- Heat source-UTH
- Cage temps -Hot side stays around 93, cool side is 70-72. What ever the house stays at
- Method of regulating heat source- Dimmer switch hooked to the UTH
- What are you using to measure your temps- Digital probe taped to tile.
- Do you have any lights (describe)-Just the window light
C) Cage mates
None

Describe Diet:
A) Typical diet
- What you're feeding Mealies. I just fill the bowel up and he eats all he wants throughout the day
- How are you feeding -dish
B) Supplements
Rapashy-daily dust
Mealworms are eating heat bran and oranges/apples


So yea...the shedding thing is crazy. He has previously shed just fine, no issues up until this sudden weekly thing. I just don't know how to help anymore. His poor little feet.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

It may help to lightly mist the sides on the arm end of his tank. This will raise the humidity and he may like it. A few of mine enjoy this and immediately go to drink droplets. Especially in the winter, when we have dry heat running in our houses, it sucks the humidity out of an aquarium thru the screen top, causing shed problems for some reptiles.

 

[Euphillia]

I think I will def start doing that.Are you doing this daily?

 

[Dog Shrink]

My house is really dry forced air heat as well, I keep a sphagnum moss hide (which Eros never uses) in his tank just so I hve something I can moisten to help raise the humidity in his tank, I spray that gently every other day when Eros gets fed as well as mistng the rocks in his tank about twice a week. He also has a humid paper towel hide, and that gets soaked every day once he starts ghosting up (well it's not dripping wet but gets heavily misted), with maybe wetting it every couple/few days when he isn't in active shed again to help with humidity levels. Eros was shedding every 2 weeks just until recently, I think he's approaching his adult size, and until we installed some of these protocols his last few sheds were bad. We also lowered his tank temps to between 88-91 as per my breeder's advice. It's likely a cobination of all 3 that have helped his shedding problems. The last 2 sheds were perfect 'cept for the very tip of his nose. Came off with in 10 seconds with a warm damp qtip. We also keep a fairly large water bowl in his enclosure which is actually just a ceramic soap dish but it does help keep the moisture in his tank I think.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

I think I will def start doing that.Are you doing this daily?

It's a per specific gecko needs basis. When I see they are starting to rub cage furniture, I'll give a little mist in addition to the moist hide. It's a small amount of fine mist, not enough to wet stuff down. But mine are in tubs and not so openly exposed to eat running in the house. Plus, we are in Florida and have different outside conditions. You could try it daily and adjust from there, according to your own home situation. When I kept all my animals in aquariums, more misting was needed.

 

[Dog Shrink]

Tubs or enclosed top containment certainly does seem to hold in humidity a lot better doesn't it. I've even gone so far as to cover about 3/4ths of my screen top with tin foil to help keep temps and mositure where it should be.

 

[Euphillia]

I am definitely going to be misting. This shed was still bad, but not nearly as bad as the others and I think it's because I was soaking him. He is eating like a horse again, so that is good.