Is my leopard gecko alright?

Question

hi i own a leopard gecko and hes about 6 inches. i have the humidity and temperature at wht it should be. i have had him for a few months and i have never seen him shed his skin. i was told they shed about once every month or longer. is he alright? should i take him to the vet?

thanks : ]

Answer 1

If you are providing the proper heat and humidity, and you aren't seeing dried pieces of skin stuck to him (especially his toes - always watch for that)?  He's doing just fine.  

My geckos shed at all times of the day and night, and I always enjoy watching them.  It doesn't take very long.

Geckos eat their skin during a shed.  They begin by rubbing the head, and working the skin back towards their shoulders, where they can grasp it with their mouth.  They then proceed to tear the skin off in various pieces, and eat it as they do.  Usually after pulling the loose skin from the side area; the gecko will then grasp the remaining skin near its shoulder and tug it down the leg (kind of like watching a lady roll off a stocking lol).  Finally, they will rearrange their grip on it, and tug it off their toes.  That can be an amusing part, as they stagger/hop around a bit.  Usually the tail is the last place they peel, though some of mine do their whole body, before peeling their legs.  It just depends on the individual gecko, and what works best for it.

So, it sounds like you have no worries.  They do need increased humidity before a shed, so make sure you mist the tank, and keep the moisture box wet.

Just in case, I'll paste a gut loading recipe here for you, and also a few links you can check out when you find time.  But, please note my disclaimer:

--Though these sites list the use of play/repti sand, I STRONGLY DISAGREE with this.  The number one killer of Leos is impaction by sand or a loose substrate, which leads to costly vet bills, and even death.  Consult your reptile veterinarian for their opinion.--

GUT LOADING CRICKETS for REPTILES:

The number one problem:

Dried up and malnourished pet store crickets and mealworms. These food items are essentially useless. A dehydrated and unfed cricket contains almost no nutrients at all; refrigerated mealworms are even worse. A lot of the variety in nutrients found in wild insects is actually in the stomach content - usually plant material. We need to duplicate this to provide the best for our reptiles; without the risk of illness/disease/parasites which can result from feeding our pets wild insects.

Please note that wax worms, while fattening, are not nutritious.  Young geckos can eat small silk and phoenix worms, as well.

Basic Dry/Staple Cricket Food:

Equal amounts of dry Iguana food, dry dog food, chick starter mash, oatmeal (you can add dry baby food wheat/rye/barley, etc. as well; even shredded wheat - no sugar).

Grind these items together.  Place in a small lid/bowl for the crickets to eat.  Store the unused portion in the refrigerator or freezer, until needed.

Supplement daily with one of the following: sweet potato, bananas, zucchini, oranges, carrots, strawberries, assorted squashes (acorn, yellow, etc.), grapefruit, green beans, apples, kale, spinach, cactus pads, and just about any other nutritious item you can think of (do not use white/yellow potatoes - these are starchy and only good if used as a moisture source during shipping, and NEVER use Avocado - it's poisonous to most animals).

Provide the dry food and kale at all times (kale is readily available during the winter months, too), rotating the other food items through in succession. The key is variety, and to provide an assortment of varying nutrients. What you are trying to do is offer your reptiles crickets with guts 'loaded' with fresh foodstuffs.

The crickets should be gut loaded for 1-2 days prior to offering them to your reptiles.

Also, provide fresh clean water in a lid/bowl, adding a sponge or folded paper towel to prevent drowning.

  

Don't offer more crickets than the reptile(s) will consume within: 1.) a few hours if it’s a lizard, salamander, frog/toad, or 2.) a few minutes, if it’s a water turtle, so you know the crickets will still be full of the good stuff when eaten.

The crickets should be dusted (shaken in a plastic bag gently to coat them) with vitamins (keep these refrigerated) and calcium D3 powder 2-4 times a week, depending on the age of the reptile.

Be sure to remove any uneaten crickets so that they do not soil your pet's environment/water or bother your pet, once it is full.  Crickets CAN turn the table - and feast upon your pet! Or aggravate them, causing stress and even cessation of eating.

Also be sure the crickets are the correct size for the reptile.  The cricket should be the same size long as the reptile’s head is wide (about the space between the lizards’ eyes).

Enjoy your pet!

I hope this has been helpful.

Answer 2

i have only seen my geckos shed once, they normally shed in their little house and then eat it straight away

youll know if hes shed because their p**p should be grayish/greenish (:

Answer 3

It is not common to catch them shedding.  They shed all in one piece and they eat the skin right away.  Just make sure you have a humid hide available at all times and he'll shed without problems.

http://www.drgecko.com/index.html

Answer 4

don't take him/her to the vet. Leopard geckos are active at night. And when choosing the terrain don't pick sand it could kill them if they swallow to much sand.