Stuck shed on toe, turning black

[DooLittle]

So we just got a leopard gecko from somebody on cl. She said she had rescued it from a previously unfit home, fattened her up and was looking for a good home for her. So we adopted her. She look healthy enough except for what appears to be a couple layers of stuck shed on a back toe. It look like its turning black. I am afraid she may lose it. Is there Amy way i can get this off? Or do i have to wait for next shed and hope she sheds it off in a proper environment?

[Homegrownscales]

That's pretty common with Leo's. If its turning black unfortunately there's not much you can do about it. The toe will likely fall off. The Leo will still function fine. But since she's has issues with toe sheds make sure you have a really good humidity hide. This will prevent anymore issues in the future.


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[DooLittle]

Darn, I was hoping there was something I could do to help her and save the toe.

[TheWinWizard]

If the toes black it's a goner. Common with the Leo's though.

[mlededee]

I would soak her in a lukewarm bath that is just deep enough to cover her toe. You can use some sort of tupperware container with holes drilled or melted in it for ventilation. Soak until the skin is nice and soft (10-15 minutes or more, but don't let her sit in cold water for a long time). Then try to peel off as much of the stuck shed as possible. Unfortunately the part that is already black is dead tissue, but you may be able to save more of it from dying if you can get all of the shed off now. That will also help the toe to shed successfully next time she sheds, otherwise it is likely that it will just continue to build up. Depending on the level of damage, the black part may actually come off when you get to the last layer of shed. Don't force it, because you don't want to pull off the dead part if it is not ready, but do try to get off as much as possible. If you can't get it all and it doesn't come off with her next shed, repeat the process until you have all of the stuck shed off. If she sheds and ends up with a raw toe tip where she has pulled off the dead part with the shed, just make sure to keep her enclosure very clean and dry for about a week and it should heal up fine.

[Kodieh]

That's pretty common with Leo's. If its turning black unfortunately there's not much you can do about it. The toe will likely fall off. The Leo will still function fine. But since she's has issues with toe sheds make sure you have a really good humidity hide. This will prevent anymore issues in the future.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

It's actually not common for Leo's. Honestly, with a proper humid hide it will never happen. I don't have stuck shed on my Leo's.


Next time provide a tupperware container with damp paper towels in the bottom and a hole cut in the side. Place this over the warm side, and it'll stay humid allowing the Leo to shed properly without losing toes.

[Homegrownscales]

No it's rediculously common with Leo's. With a proper maintained humid hide it shouldn't or doesn't happen, correct. But.... How many Leo owners know about providing correct humid hides as well as even providing one? Leo's are in every pet store around the Us. And look at how many people going in to those stores pick one up and not even understand or know how to care for one.
On top of that even if you provide a humid hide if you aren't diligently checking the Leo after every shed. The skin can and will get caught on the toes and nails and the Leo isn't able to get it off on its own. Toe shedding problems for Leo's are common issues. Even with proper husbandry. Point is if you have a Leo provide humid hides at all times and diligently check the animal after every shed. Circulation can be cut off in a short amount of time. That can happen to even the best keeper.


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[Kodieh]

So then, what you're saying is there are lot of innocently ignorant Leo keepers. To say that this commonly happens to Leo's implies that they do it to themselves. Which is incorrect. Ignorant keepers cause it. I do check on all my Leo's a lot and rehydrate their humid hide every day typically. I do my job as a keeper and all my Leo's have all their toes. :/

[mlededee]

It is a common problem because of a lot of keepers that do not provide the correct husbandry. The keepers are not innocent--they should have done their homework before getting the animal so that they would know the proper care, but as we all know there are many people who don't do that.

And as mentioned, even with proper husbandry there can still be a chance of stuck shed on a toe every once in a while. I have an adult male leopard gecko that has had issues shedding his toes properly for his entire life. Sometimes they all shed okay, but a lot of times there are a few toes that don't and I have to soak them and help remove the shed. He is the only one out of many, many leos that I have owned, bred and raised that has the issue, but I am just saying that it can and does happen, even to experienced keepers.

[Homegrownscales]

1000% agree. Exactly what I was saying.


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