Stuck toe shed

[geckoboy16]

Hey all. It's been a while since I've posted, but I just finished my first semester in college and while I've been away my twelve (almost 13) year old brother has been taking care of all my herps. He's been doing a great job! They're healthy, happy, have clean cages and are well fed.

The only problem he's been having has been with a few of my leos having stuck shed to their toes. I have explained and shown him how I do it, but that's not really working for him. I usually put my leos in a container filled with a little bit of warm water, let them soak a few minutes and am usually able to calm my leos down enough that I will be able to carefully pull the skin from their toes. My brother is having some trouble with this. He's afraid he will accidentally pull their toes off when trying to get the tougher-to-remove skin. I've heard of some different methods (using a q-tip to massage it off, etc) but wanted some input (maybe a reference thread for him to use) so he can see how others are able to get the skin off a little easier. Maybe also include the substrate you use for your moist hides?

Thanks!

 

[Lindz0518]

I just switched to cocoa fiber from moss. I actually just got done getting some stuck shed off one of my leos toes and nose. He just refuses to use his moist hide. I normally do a soak and take a q-tip and just keep rubbing it down the toe and it normally comes off pretty easy. I don't like using tweezers or my hands but the q-tip is a way to be more gentle.

 

[proBie3]

I just switched to cocoa fiber from moss. I actually just got done getting some stuck shed off one of my leos toes and nose. He just refuses to use his moist hide. I normally do a soak and take a q-tip and just keep rubbing it down the toe and it normally comes off pretty easy. I don't like using tweezers or my hands but the q-tip is a way to be more gentle.

Just a quick question in case I have to run in to this problem.. When you use the q tip do you do a kind of rolling motion with it or just a light rub?

 

[Geeko Chic]

For stubborn shed on the toes I soak a second time, then I use baby oil or mineral oil on a q tip in a rolling motion and finish with tweezers. If your worried about hurting the gecko with sharp tweezers, order the blunt, rounded stamp tweezers. Initially the gecko will react to every rub or roll of the q tip, eventually it becomes somewhat disensitized. Be patient.

 

[B&B Geckos]

For stubborn shed on the toes I soak a second time, then I use baby oil or mineral oil on a q tip in a rolling motion and finish with tweezers. If your worried about hurting the gecko with sharp tweezers, order the blunt, rounded stamp tweezers. Initially the gecko will react to every rub or roll of the q tip, eventually it becomes somewhat disensitized. Be patient.

Vegetable oil should work as well.

 

[ericssonfan81]

I've had problems with stuck toe shed before. I usually place my gecko into a tub or container with feet high warm water and let it soak for 5-10 mins.
Then I very gently work around the toes with a q-tip. The rolling motion or dabbing motion depends on how stuck the shed is. Sometimes after one soak, the shed is very easy to work with without much effort at all but other times the skin can be stubborn so I soak and repeat.

The hardest thing for me is keeping my gecko still during all this rather than getting the toe shed off itself. lol
I've never used vegetable or mineral oil but that seems like a good idea too.
No way i'd use a tweezer.. Even if you're extremely careful, one little mistake can result in one heck of a painful pinch!

 

[B&B Geckos]

I've had problems with stuck toe shed before. I usually place my gecko into a tub or container with feet high warm water and let it soak for 5-10 mins.
Then I very gently work around the toes with a q-tip. The rolling motion or dabbing motion depends on how stuck the shed is. Sometimes after one soak, the shed is very easy to work with without much effort at all but other times the skin can be stubborn so I soak and repeat.

The hardest thing for me is keeping my gecko still during all this rather than getting the toe shed off itself. lol
I've never used vegetable or mineral oil but that seems like a good idea too.
No way i'd use a tweezer.. Even if you're extremely careful, one little mistake can result in one heck of a painful pinch!

After soaking and/or lubing, you can use the tweezers safely once the skin has lifted or slid off the toes slightly. Vets use the blunt tweezers to remove shed from eye, so using on toes should be just fine.

 

[B&B Geckos]

I checked out some baby oil that I had around the house and it has that baby fragrance. I would use mineral oil or vegetable oil instead, as geckos have thin skin and can absorb toxins through it.

For stubborn shed on the toes I soak a second time, then I use baby oil or mineral oil on a q tip in a rolling motion and finish with tweezers. If your worried about hurting the gecko with sharp tweezers, order the blunt, rounded stamp tweezers. Initially the gecko will react to every rub or roll of the q tip, eventually it becomes somewhat disensitized. Be patient.