HELP! Toe bleeding... stuck shed? keep it on? rub it off???

[ggg111]

Heeeeelp! My leo (1.5 yr old female super healthy) shed yesterday and the tips of a few of 2 of her toes are bright red/purple... What do I do... soak? Does this mean there is some shed stuck?? Use neosporin? Not sure what to do please help!!!

Update: I used a wet q-tip to try and rub off the shed it was almost like a scab on her so when i rubbed gently it kind of lifted it off and she is bleeding now - I am soaking her in the tub.

What do I do? Put neosporin on it? Try to rub it again???

 

[Khrysty]

Calm down. This happens sometimes. As long as she's in a clean environment (don't let her walk around in her poop), it'll heal up just fine. There's no real need to put neosporin on the wound.

 

[Dog Shrink]

I agree with khrysty. No need for neosporin, it'll only make things stick to the booboo. I would just do the soaks for a couple days until you notice good viable skin coming in. How do you think she would react to a lil salt water food soak Khrysty? Just so it has some antibacterial qualities. If you're using a substrait you may want to go with just plain paper towels for a week or so until she's all better.

 

[Jordan]

youll know when its stuck shed, because there will skin on their toes.

 

[ggg111]

Well if its not shed then why are his toes bright red and bleeding? What should I do? It is actively bleeding a bit.

 

[Jordan]

well i havent experienced this myself so it could very well have been down to some stuck shed. However what im saying is if the shed was still stuck on the toes youd be able to see it quite clearly.
Have you checked the tank for anything he might have injured himself on?

 

[Khrysty]

The only time I've ever had toes bleed was when a) a heater was malfunctioning and one of my males burned the bottom of his feet, b) when a hide was too rough and while she was shedding, one of my females scraped her toes too hard, and c) there was some built up stuck shed and with the next shed it came off with a little bit of extra skin, causing a bleed.

With all of these, I was keeping the animals on paper towels, so I just switched out their towels every day and let them heal on their own.

I'm not sure I'd soak unless it is bleeding pretty profusely. There's no need to stress your little guy out any further.

 

[Dog Shrink]

What about styptic powder? Like when we cut our dog's nails too short and the quick bleeds, we usually pack it with flower, but styptic powder is always an option right?

 

[Khrysty]

I suppose that's an option if the bleeding doesn't stop. We use it at my parents' house for the dogs but I never thought to use it for geckos. Good thinking

 

[Dog Shrink]

that's me... the idea gal All I do is fall back on my mammal knowldege to try and see if it can apply to the herp world.

 

[ggg111]

I looked at the bottom of her tail and there was a 1" line extended from the middle to the tip that was dried blood looking/red. I'm starting to think that it could have been a burn? But the rest of her body (underside) is fine. Her hide is a coconut that is right over the heater so I think if it was a burn than her whole underside would be burned too? Or is the tail just sensitive?

I have repticarptet which is pretty thick so I don't know how hot it could have gotten. I have the heater hooked up to a thermometer but it looks like the heater is on all of the time but that is probably becasue and ambient temperature is cold now that is winter...

ANy new ideas know that you know the bottom of her tail looks "burned" or at least scraped?

 

[Dog Shrink]

She could have scratched it on a piece of tank furniture since they tend to drag their tails when they explore. I don't think it's a burn, like you said you'd see it all over her bottom side, not just her tail. Do you have a probe thermometer in her coconut hide over her uth? That would be best to make sure the temps don't get to levels that could burn. A thermostat could also be used if you think the UTH is too variable in it's heating range, set it to the right temps. Generally 93-95 F is a good range for leos. I back mine off if it gets to 98. If you still think it's too hot with just the repti carpet you can by a single vinyl floor tile and put it directly on the glass then the repti carpet over top of it. The vinyl tile will disperse the heat a bit more than just going thru the glass and carpet to make a larger warm spot rather than a smaller hot spot, if ya know what I mean.

 

[ggg111]

The bottom half of her tail is kind of hard. I put some neosporin on it because it is a pretty big wound and if the scab comes off I don't want it getting infected. I just thought it was a burn because her foot was messed up to. I guess it could be an injury to her tail and her foot... maybe she fell and landed on a rock or something.

 

[Dog Shrink]

Think about it like this... your uth should range between 90-maybe 100 tops performing under normal circumstances. Our body temperature is 98.6. Do you think if you hold your leo for an extended period of time he could get burnt? Just try to think a little more logically which I know is difficult when our babies are hurt. Breathe Make sure you have the probe thermometer on the floor right over the uth to make sure you're getting proper performance out of your uth, and that will solidify if it's a burn or an injury imo.

 

[Jordan]

Think about it like this... your uth should range between 90-maybe 100 tops performing under normal circumstances. Our body temperature is 98.6. Do you think if you hold your leo for an extended period of time he could get burnt? .

haha,nice metaphor. They would probably get burnt if we swallowed them though... might be hotter inside. lol.

 

[Dog Shrink]

No hotter on the inside really, maybe a degree or 2 but nothing extreme... the only thing internal that would burn them would be saliva, since human saliva holds digestive qualities, and stomach acids. If you were to hold a leopard gecko in your mouth for an extended period of time you'd likely puke before he'd get burnt, or cut a gaping hole in your leg and stick him in there (gross I know but ...), same difference. Internal body temperature should be more accurate to the 98.6 that humans are suppose to be than external body temps 'cause externally we are subject to surface changes due to ambient temperatures. That's how coroners can determine time of death based on liver temps. :main_yes:

... and that kids is our biology lesson for the day