AH! Gecko is shedding! What do I do??

[becca81]

I just got the geckos in the mail today. I opened up the humid hide to check on them and I saw that the female's skin is halfway off!

Is there anything special to do? The temp on that side is about 83 degrees or so, but is warming up with the bulb.

She's in her humid hide. Should I mist? What else should I do? Is she vulnerable? Do I remove other food?

 

[OldHag]

lol She should be fine! Im assuming this is a Leopard gecko? She will just pull off the old skin and eat it. Check the toes and eyelids after to make sure the skin is all off. If not let her soak or put her in a warm moist towel then gently peel off the skin.
I used to have one that would never pull the skin off his tail...Id have to peel it for him. He just wanted attention Im sure of it....

 

[WhyTeDraGon]

It'll be done before you know it She'll eat it herself. If your humidity is right, all should be fine Just make sure it comes off of her toes and the tip of her tail so she doesnt lose any body parts!

Congrats on your first shed, take some pics

 

[becca81]

I guess I'm too used to tarantulas.

I can handle her after the shed? Is her skin soft like a tarantulas afterwards?

Here she is:

 

[Schlyne]

You can handle her afterward. Calm down, she'll be fine. Most of the time you never see geckos shed becuase they eat the skin. Just make sure none of the skin is stuck in a place where it could cut off circulation. A damp washrag or q tip will help you get the stuck shed off afterward.

 

[OldHag]

Pretty leos BTW

 

[becca81]

Thanks for the help.

Sorry for freaking out - I didn't know what to expect! I just did some more reading and found out that they shed every few weeks.

 

[Jmadson13]

Shedding is always something reptile owners stress over a bit especially when it's a desert variety. What I do with leopard geckos is provide a shedding cup. This can be a deli cup with a hole cut in the side. I normally fill it with damp spagnum or peat and when ever I see one of my guys starting a shed, in goes the cup. I've not had any trouble with stray bits on toes since I started this method.

 

[Washout]

I keep the hide for my leos a lot wetter than that. I never see them shed since they do it so fast.

 

[becca81]

I keep the hide for my leos a lot wetter than that. I never see them shed since they do it so fast.

I've already sprayed it again. I set it up a couple of days ago when I thought the geckos would be here. I guess I need to spray every day or so to keep it moist.

 

[xelda]

Aww, what a cutie. That's a great picture too. I agree that you should keep the humid hide substrate a lot wetter than that. It should be damp all the way to the bottom. Put a thick layer (at least one inch) but really pack it down so it can hold more moisture.

 

[Washout]

I've already sprayed it again. I set it up a couple of days ago when I thought the geckos would be here. I guess I need to spray every day or so to keep it moist.

I just pack the peat down really hard and dump a couple cups of water in it every week or so.

 

[Beardo]

lol...It looks like she has a sweatshirt on.