Is it okay to help them shed?

colleen0904

New member
So last night I noticed that one of my baby blizzards was shedding. He still hadn't made any progress when I got home from today, so I gently helped peel off the dead skin. Is it okay to do this? I felt bad because the skin was getting in his eye and he kept licking his eyeball trying to get it off.
 

Allee Toler

Member
It's fine. I always shed GiGi.

She goes nuts when she starts to shed. Running around in circles like it's the end of the world or something. Running, squealing, and chirping. It's quite a site.

When she turns white, and it's clear she'll start to shed, I take my finger and rub in little 1cm circles. It kind of imitates their efforts in stretching to loosen the skin.

She has problems shedding off her feet, so I end up soaking her. Lol.
 

rglove

New member
My female leo has problems shedding the foots but I don't help because you can hurt the gecko on the nail.
But when my leos are sith problems shedding on the body I help a little.
 

Allee Toler

Member
If you don't help them shed with their feet if they have problems they can lose a toe. I say give them 24 hours to get it off themselves.


It doesn't hurt them to take off their shed, as long as it's coming off on it's own already. If you take the shed off too early, it can hurt them because the skin underneath is raw.
 

colleen0904

New member
Yeah that happened to my poor Suri. She had stuck shed at some point because her toes are all weird looking. She still hasn't shed since I have had her though. How often do adults shed? Should I be worried?
I just felt bad for the little guy because his dead skin was all in his face and it was obviously bothering him. I made sure to check that all of the skin was ready to come off before I helped him though. It was all loose and wrinkly, and parts of it were cracked like an eggshell, where the dead skin has stretched and split. How long should a full shed take? He didn't eat last night, I assume because of the shed. Will he eat tonight? Just wondering.
 

cat_named_noodles

New member
Yeah that happened to my poor Suri. She had stuck shed at some point because her toes are all weird looking. She still hasn't shed since I have had her though. How often do adults shed? Should I be worried?
I just felt bad for the little guy because his dead skin was all in his face and it was obviously bothering him. I made sure to check that all of the skin was ready to come off before I helped him though. It was all loose and wrinkly, and parts of it were cracked like an eggshell, where the dead skin has stretched and split. How long should a full shed take? He didn't eat last night, I assume because of the shed. Will he eat tonight? Just wondering.

You can help your leo shed, it sounds like he needed the help. I notice mine will generally eat less the couple days up to a shed, and appear much duller than normal, then after about 3 days they go white, and a couple hours later they are all bright and shiny and new.
Some leos take an hour or two after going white to shed, some take a little longer. If any of mine still have shed skin stuck somewhere (usually the toes) after 24 hours, I put them in a container with warm moist sphagnum moss (you can use damp paper towels instead; moist vermiculite can be used, but for adults only-babies could eat it, rare, but why take the risk?).
I leave them in there for about 1/2 hour, then try to help peel the shed skin off w/tweezers (Athena goes through this routine pretty much every time she sheds- she's lost the ends of all but 4 toes due to improper keeping a the pet store (no humid hide)). If the skin doesn't come off easily, I'll put them back in the container w/the moss for another 1/2 hour and try again. Usually that's all they need help with. My two little guys have so far never had any shedding issues.
Some leos won't eat around shedding time, some (like Sprocket) eat up until the skin comes off, then they eat the skin. It's normal for them not to eat insects during and up to a shed. I wouldn't worry if he eats tonight or not, but feed him any way- if he goes a couple days with out eating after the shed is complete, then I might worry a little, but keep trying.
 

cat_named_noodles

New member
My female leo has problems shedding the foots but I don't help because you can hurt the gecko on the nail.
But when my leos are sith problems shedding on the body I help a little.

My Athena was improperly kept w/o a moist hide before I bought her, and do to shed skin getting stuck around her toes, she's lost all but 4 of them. I think, unless you want a toe-less gecko, it might be wise to help if skin is still stuck around the toes after a day. I had to do this with Sprocket yesterday, who's never been improperly kept, uses her moist hide, and has never had a shedding issue before this time.
 

Allee Toler

Member
yeah, my GiGi has like 6 nails left. Due to my boyfriend thinking nothing of it. She always needs help. Especially right now with her tail and eye.

I think it's cool when you pull the shed off their head. The inner ear sheds too. Lol.
 

cat_named_noodles

New member
yeah, my GiGi has like 6 nails left. Due to my boyfriend thinking nothing of it. She always needs help. Especially right now with her tail and eye.

I think it's cool when you pull the shed off their head. The inner ear sheds too. Lol.

I had a little "Sprocket" mask for a day- but everybody thought it was gross so I threw it away, hehe.
 

colleen0904

New member
I did the same thing... I pulled off the skin on Orpheus' arm and it turned inside out. It was from the armpit all the way to the foot. So cute. Everybody in my house thought it was cool :)
 

Kichi

New member
I don't have much experience on this, as my little leo has shed okay by herself so far.

But I would definitely make sure the skin would be ready to fall off. Just make sure you aren't ripping the skin off before its ready. That would be bad...essh.
 
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