Toes & Shedding

[GeckoMandi]

Ok this past weekend I tried to remove some skin from my leo's toes and it didn't work, I used a q-tip and warm water while my boyfriend held her. It didn't come off, I also tried to gently rub it off with my fingernail, didn't work either, she started to get totally pissed off and is now in hiding.

I cleaned her house out sunday and I tried to hold her today but she is just to stressed and pissed off, she trys to bite me and hisses at me and I feel bad if I piss her off but I don't want her to loose toes. I misted her back toes the best I could without her getting even more mad.

Any tips on how I can get that skin off without totally stressing her even more? I really don't want her toes to fall off!

 

[Grinning Geckos]

Give her a good soak in a tub of luke warm water (90 degrees or so). 1/2" deep is really all you need. After roughly 15 minutes, take her out and try the q-tip again. Fingernails work fine as well (I always have better luck) but you have to be CAREFUL so you don't cut them while trying to get the skin. After the soak it should come off fairly easily. Whatever you do...don't force it off, you could do a lot of damage to those little toes.

 

[GeckoMandi]

Ok I'm really nervous to pick at the toes, I will see what I can do thanks!

 

[Grinning Geckos]

Just gently scratch at the edge, and if the skin is loose enough it will roll or come up pretty easily.

 

[GeckoMandi]

Ok I just tried to soak her with warm water and no luck, and I can say she is HIGHLY pissed at me right now. I dunno what else to do I tried my fingernail gently and it didnt come off. Plus I got the piss bit out of my finger!

 

[brandy101010]

Hmmmm. I never had such a hard time getting stuck shed off. Has it been like that for awhile? Maybe it is a couple of layers? Maybe post a pic?

 

[GeckoMandi]

Nope this is the first time she has not gotten rid of the skin on her toes, I'm really worried about this. I get stressed like she does! lol

Here's a pic. It's the left foot.
(note I'm not hurting her tail) I posted this pic on another forum, and someone got pissed because of the way I was holding her tail it was just laying in my hand.

 

[PaulSage]

I don't soak them in water. I put them in a shoebox-sized container with wet/soggy carefresh bedding and leave them somewhere warm for an hour or so. Make sure there are lots of air holes in the lid. The water will soften up the stuck shed, and by walking around on the bedding, it will start to loosen up the skin, if not pull it off entirely. You might still have to gently rub at the stuck skin to get it off, but I've found that the wet bedding (and I mean WET) will help a lot.

 

[GeckoMandi]

I'm going to let her rest tonight, she's so pissed it's not even funny. I will try again tomorrow and update!

 

[leopardgecko95]

LOL you go girl!

 

[Grinning Geckos]

Careful with holding that tail ... you'll know if you holding too hard!!

Paul's idea is worth a try. No need to wait til tomorrow, you may be nervous but that shed looks like it will come off easily if you soak the skin enough. Once you've soaked her, try to grab the skin by the end (if it's still there) - it looks like it's extending past the edge of the toe. When there is something unattatched to the skin to hold on to (tweezers may help), grab onto it. A lot of time, the gecko just trying to move it's foot away will be enough to get it off. If you give it a gentle pull and it feels stuck, don't force it. Try soaking again the next day.

 

[nwheat]

All the advice given so far is great, just one thing to add. I really don't like stressing out my geckos. I have one girl who used to be very wild that often gets shed stuck on her toes. To avoid being bitten, and to avoid making her even more wild I don't restrain her. I hold her lightly, let her walk over my arms & legs and using a wet q-tip try to roll the skin off the tip of the toes. Yes, it takes longer. But, I've never been bitten while doing this and my formerly wild gecko has actually tamed down because of all the time I have to spend doing this. If she starts to flip out, I put her back for a while and try again later. I have found that when they aren't being restrained they are often much more cooperative.

 

[Grinning Geckos]

All the advice given so far is great, just one thing to add. I really don't like stressing out my geckos. I have one girl who used to be very wild that often gets shed stuck on her toes. To avoid being bitten, and to avoid making her even more wild I don't restrain her. I hold her lightly, let her walk over my arms & legs and using a wet q-tip try to roll the skin off the tip of the toes. Yes, it takes longer. But, I've never been bitten while doing this and my formerly wild gecko has actually tamed down because of all the time I have to spend doing this. If she starts to flip out, I put her back for a while and try again later. I have found that when they aren't being restrained they are often much more cooperative.

Good point! The few times I've had shed stuck on the toes, it was on a calm gecko. With those wild ones, the more you restrain them, the more stressed they get.

 

[GeckoMandi]

Well I tried again tonight, I tried this morning to by putting her back into the bowl with warm water and just easy as I could with my fingernail and a q-tip but no luck, same thing I did tonight and she took a nip and brought some blood out!

She is pissed again and now she isn't eating I think I have just pissed her off really bad, and normally she eats like crazy.

My boyfriend is more aware about holding her the right way and stuff so I'm going to hold off until Friday so he can come and get that off for me. I just hope I'm not waiting to long.

 

[leopardgecko95]

I never knew that a leo could make someone bleed ouch....

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I use the "Nancy" method when geckos are feisty when trying to remove unshed skin on the toes. Another thing you can try is getting the Q-tip wet and then dipping it in hydrogen peroxide and applying it liberally to the toe skin. This usually softens it up enough to be able to remove it with a gentle rolling motion of the swab. I also agree with Jeanne... that skin looks like it is already turned inside out and should be able to be pulled off.

(BTW, leos have very sharp teeth and can do some real damage!)

 

[o0 Ryan 0o]

Our trick is to let them hang is a super moist hut for a little, then we use a wet q-tip. When we're rubbing with the q-tip we push down gently, while spinning the q-tip towards yourself. The spin action seems to do the trick, as it always works the skin loose. Like everyone else said, once the skin is wet and starting to roll inside out, it should pull right off then.

Also, the "Nancy" method does work for the spazy ones. I usually let them walk/sit on my stomach while I slouch in a chair trying to help, haha.

 

[GeckoMandi]

Well I got her pretty calm tonight I was quite shocked, I sat her in a bowl of luke warm water for about 15 minutes and I got the skin off one of the toes and then she spazzed out so to avoid stress, I'm going for the other toe tomorrow. Thanks for all the great tips!

 

[Jakeychs]

Yea I would go with what Paul Said Thats What i Do with My Girl