Black toes despite humid hide?

[Ignitius]

Hey all! I recently got a Leopard gecko named Riku. He's been great thus far and shed twice now. However, tonight, days after his last shed I saw several toes on one foot black and kinda crusty.

Does that indicate a bad shed and I didn't notice? Any advice?

 

[acpart]

It happens to even the best leopard geckos. Let him sit in about 1/2" of warm water for a few minutes and see if any of that black stuff can be pulled off. He may lose a toenail or part of a toe and there may be a bit of bleeding, but this is not a big deal. If you can't get anything off, it may fall of by itself. Watch him the next time he sheds to make sure all the white skin is off. If not, soak and peel. Be sure he has a humid hide, but even this doesn't prevent some geckos from having trouble shedding.

Aliza

 

[cricket4u]

Hey all! I recently got a Leopard gecko named Riku. He's been great thus far and shed twice now. However, tonight, days after his last shed I saw several toes on one foot black and kinda crusty.

Does that indicate a bad shed and I didn't notice? Any advice?

The picture was not close enough to even guess. If there's dried up blood and it's only one, he make have pinched his digit between something. If it's more than one obviously it's due to shedding problems. My oldest leo now I've had for 13 years and none of them have had any shedding problems ever or had to soak them for any reason. This is a common problem in leos due to glass enclosures. I keep the humidity at 40-50 %. Do you have a reliable hygrometer? Picture of your humidity hide.

 

[Ignitius]

The picture was not close enough to even guess. If there's dried up blood and it's only one, he make have pinched his digit between something. If it's more than one obviously it's due to shedding problems. My oldest leo now I've had for 13 years and none of them have had any shedding problems ever or had to soak them for any reason. This is a common problem in leos due to glass enclosures. I keep the humidity at 40-50 %. Do you have a reliable hygrometer? Picture of your humidity hide.

I do not have a hydrometer but I'll pick one up on the way home. I can post a picture of my enclose if you'd like. The humid hide is cut out tupperware with wet moss in it.

 

[cricket4u]

I do not have a hydrometer but I'll pick one up on the way home. I can post a picture of my enclose if you'd like. The humid hide is cut out tupperware with wet moss in it.

Any swelling or oozing? A close up of the digits will be great.

 

[Ignitius]

Any swelling or oozing? A close up of the digits will be great.

No swelling or oozing thankfully. I'll get a better picture tonight (if he can hold still long enough).

 

[cricket4u]

No swelling or oozing thankfully. I'll get a better picture tonight (if he can hold still long enough).

If the black skin is only on the tips, chances are it will just flake off soon afer the soaks. If it is progressing higher up on the digits, there might be an infection and will need vet care. You may want to take pictures daily so that you can compare and check for improvement.

The problem is that not all leos are fans of spending too much time in their humidity hide. Sometimes they will go in it when it's too late, during the shed. The skin needed moisture prior to the shedding. This is why I keep the humidity at 40-50% which helps avoid dehydration as well.

 

[Conched]

Any chance you can post a pic of the setup along with the humid hide ?

Do you keep the moss wet or moist ?

 

[Ignitius]

Good news all!

After giving him a warm water soak like Aliza suggested, the black powder-y junk came off and his foot looks normal! So swelling or missing limbs or even bleeding.

Conched, I keep the moss wet usually.

 

[cricket4u]

Good news all!

After giving him a warm water soak like Aliza suggested, the black powder-y junk came off and his foot looks normal! So swelling or missing limbs or even bleeding.

Conched, I keep the moss wet usually.

Great, that's what I thought. I just had to give you the warning as precaution just in case you were unable to post a close up picture. One never knows how severe the situation may be based on a description alone.

 

[Ignitius]

Great, that's what I thought. I just had to give you the warning as precaution just in case you were unable to post a close up picture. One never knows how severe the situation may be based on description alone.

Too true sir. Thank you all for the help!

 

[cricket4u]

You're welcome. Just so that you're aware I'm a lady.:biggrin:

 

[Ignitius]

You're welcome. Just so that you're aware I'm a lady.:biggrin:

Well poop. Thanks ma'am! :crackup:

 

[XoVictoryXo]

Thank goodness!
He is a real cutie by the way!!!