sore/damaged toe please advise

[elliotuk]

ive had my leo for about 2-3 months now and i think its around 4-5 months old, i just noticed today that one of its toes looks bloody and sore. I have heard that when skin doesnt shed from the toe fully it can build up, tighten around the toe, restrict the blood supply etc, could it be that? heres a couple of photos i couldnt get my iphone to focus too well at that distance but you can see the tip of one of his toes is all bloddy and sore

I have always had a damp moss box in his enclosure in case anyone asks, also i gave him a quick bath in warm water just now in case that helped but didnt seem to do much.

Anyway just wanted some advice as to what may have caused this and what I can do now about it?

thanks

 

[Tailless]

Ouch! That looks painful! At this point, I would seek out a vet with reptile expertise ASAP.

My guess would be that it was caused by shed skin retained on the toe. (I think I even see a bit in the pictures.)

Even though my gecko has a humid hide, I also soak him before and after he sheds to loosen skin. (I rarely see him use his humid hide.) However, there is a "soaking controversy" thread on here as well. (My thought is that as long as you stay with your gecko the entire time and the water is shallow enough for him to stand in, soaking is just fine.)

Given that it's the weekend, you probably won't be able to see a vet for a couple days. In the meantime, I might try soaking his toes in salt water (draws out infection). I haven't tried this in leos--but I salt my wounds all the time!

 

[elliotuk]

ok thanks, will give that a try. not sure a vet could really do much though :/

 

[justindh1]

You do have shed skin stuck to the toes and it has already done some damage. My guess is that the toe will fall off or at least some of it. Don't worry about this. Even the most experienced breeders and keepers runs into issues like this. Just keep a closer eye on your geckos when you see them about to shed and you won't have to deal with things like this much at all. I don't think there is anything a vet can do. Try to get of the shed skin as much as you can whether it is by soaking it or what ever way you like best. A antiseptic would help keep the bacteria out.

 

[Coby78]

Just adding, a vet would probably either give you antibiotic or amputate it if it's bad enough, just to prevent the risk of infection when it does fall off.

 

[PaladinGirl]

It looks like shed did this. It happened to Toon once. I was able to save her toe by putting her in a plastic container with just enough water to cover her feet, then letting her sit for maybe 15 minutes. I put the container over a heating pad to keep her warm. Then I spent a good 5 minutes or so massaging her toe with a Q-tip. Her toe looked just like this. If you act fast, you might be able to save it, as it doesn't look completely black yet! I wonder if the bleeding may be from him biting at the toe in an attempt to get the unshed skin off it.

 

[elliotuk]

ok i left it in 5mm of warm water for 10 mins and then used a cotton bud to try and massage the toe but it still looks the same afterwards. i guess i will keep a check over the next few days and see how it goes, if it gets worse i will take it to the vet.