Major Shedding Problems

[Leopard.Geckerz]

I've got problems with one of my geckos, Ralph. He can never get the skin shed off of his toes. Ralph is unfortunately missing a couple and it makes me feel like a terrible gecko mom. I soak him frequently, lukewarm water and Zilla Shed-Ease for as long as he'll let me, usually 20 minutes ish before he starts chirping. I use a q-tip to try to loosen the skin.

Ralph DOES have a moist box, I've tried both moss and damp paper towels... and he doesn't use it. He barely uses a hide at all. He has 3 (moist, semi-warm, and a cool) and he doesn't use any, he just lays out in the open like a cheeky little thing.

I've tried misting the enclosure, but it does little.

I use carpet as a substrate and he didn't seem to have as MUCH trouble on paper towel so I'm thinking of switching him back. My other geckos don't have trouble with the carpet though. It IS winter here and QUITE cold so that might be part of it, the air all over is pretty dry.

I'm not too sure what I'm doing wrong and I feel like a bad gecko mom. As I said, no one else has any trouble and use their moist boxes. My other young gecko, Clementine, does have SOME trouble with her feet but not nearly as bad as Ralph.

 

[theclean1]

Well my gecko hates the moist box to but somtimes he goes in. So you have to add a moist box anyways. And dont for get to make watever the moist box is under wet!

 

[gothra]

Some of my geckos don't use the humid hide either while shedding, I guess you just need to check on him more often after each shed. I don't soak them for retained shed, I just wet a piece of tissue paper and wipe their toes; the skin will soften very quickly. Then I gently pull it off with a tweezer.

 

[Leopard.Geckerz]

Well my gecko hates the moist box to but somtimes he goes in. So you have to add a moist box anyways. And dont for get to make watever the moist box is under wet!

It stays in there, he just chooses not to use it, or any hide.

I made a new moist box tonight with a different substrate in hopes he'll like this one better.

 

[Leopard.Geckerz]

Some of my geckos don't use the humid hide either while shedding, I guess you just need to check on him more often after each shed. I don't soak them for retained shed, I just wet a piece of tissue paper and wipe their toes; the skin will soften very quickly. Then I gently pull it off with a tweezer.

It takes awhile when he soaks for it to soften, and I'm paranoid with tweezers unless it's like very close to falling off. I'll try wetting his toes with the tissue between soaks though, thanks!

If only it were more simple and he weren't so lazy! He doesn't even TRY with his feet, lol.

 

[myjoyoverflows]

We have a gecko much like yours...every time she sheds we have to help her with her toes...she was given to us as an unwanted gecko and has some nails missing. You're doing everything that you need to be doing. Don't feel like a poor gecko mom...you can't train a gecko to shed "properly"....just try as hard as you can to get to it directly after she sheds....keep at it with the moisture...q-tips work well. If your gecko is good about you holding him, I would try out the tweezers....they actually work really well!

 

[Leopard.Geckerz]

We have a gecko much like yours...every time she sheds we have to help her with her toes...she was given to us as an unwanted gecko and has some nails missing. You're doing everything that you need to be doing. Don't feel like a poor gecko mom...you can't train a gecko to shed "properly"....just try as hard as you can to get to it directly after she sheds....keep at it with the moisture...q-tips work well. If your gecko is good about you holding him, I would try out the tweezers....they actually work really well!

I do use the tweezers, but only once the skin is really falling off and I stop as soon as I hit resistance. I once took a toe off (it was already dead..) and since then I'm so paranoid. The Zilla shed-ease stuff really loosens it a lot and makes it hang in pieces that are easier to pull at.

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one with a stubborn gecko. I guess all geckos are just different. Thanks for the support!