Leopard geckos need to shed their skin regularly so they can continue to grow and develop properly. While shedding is standard practice for most reptiles, it’s not unlikely for captive-bred leopard geckos to experience problems when undergoing the problem.

There are often three types of shedding issues when it comes to leos. These conditions include retained/stuck shed, excessive shedding, and the inability to shed. However, the most prevalent of the three is retained/stuck shed.

Below are the most typical shedding problems that leopard geckos are likely to experience:

1. Dysecdysis/ Stuck/ Abnormal Shedding

One of the most prevalent health issues affecting pet leopard geckos and other domesticated reptiles is disecdysis or abnormal skin shedding. While certain species of lizards lose their entire skin in a single large piece, other reptiles shed their skin in smaller patches at different times.

However, once they are done with the process, the reptile should have a new layer of skin covering its entire body. Leopard geckos need at least 2-3 days to shed their external skin exhaustively.

However, leopard geckos usually suffer from incomplete/abnormal or stuck skin due to low humidity, extreme temperatures, and poor husbandry. Rather than shedding the skin from the entire body, some pieces get stuck and refuse to come off during shedding. 

Fragments of old skin can cling to the body, especially in intricate places. These bands of retained skin have the potential to form a tourniquet that restricts blood flow into the appendages. Usually, this may result in tissue death and the amputation of toes or parts of the tail.

Conversely, infections can form behind the flaky skin, causing the area to become red and inflamed, with possible pus. The unshed skin spectacles can also give a reptile’s eye a milky, sometimes wrinkled appearance. Some of the common spots where you might find stuck shed:

• Face
• Tail
• Toes
• Nose

While skin can get stuck on different parts of the leopard gecko’s body, these are the most common areas.

Dangers of Stuck Shed in Leopard Geckos

People don’t think a leopard gecko’s stuck skin is a big deal because it’s just skin. But due to the gecko’s little size, it can cause quite a few complications. The following issues can arise if a leopard gecko’s shed becomes stuck:

• Restricted blood flow
• Tail, toes, and legs might become necrotic and fall off
• Overaccumulation of skin cells on the legs can cause slow movement
• Bacteria and fungi can build up beneath the skin leading to various illnesses

While some owners may be tempted to wait for the shed to fall off on its own, doing so can cause these symptoms and, in the worst instance, result in the gecko’s death. Your gecko may have trouble removing shed in areas such as toes, tail, or face. In this case, you’ll have to help your gecko get rid of the skin.

How to Get Rid Of a Stuck Shed from a Leopard Gecko Eyes (Face)?

As mentioned in the last section, the leopard gecko’s face, including around the eyes and mouth, is highly likely to have stuck shed.

Removing shed from the leo’s face is a little complicated and differs slightly from removing shed from other body regions, such as the toes and tail. Hence, it should only be done at home by experienced or by a qualified exotic vet

You’ll need the following:

• Cotton swab
• Lukewarm water

The removal of the stuck shed from the gecko’s eyes (face) should follow these steps:

1. Saturate the cotton swab with lukewarm water
2. Hold the lizard on your arm carefully to avoid hurting or being too rough.
3. Using damp cotton, gently brush or swab it against the area with the stuck shed. The retained shed can be particularly tenacious, so you may need to repeat the swabbing a few times before the skins yield off. Once more, remember to be careful not to injure the lizard.
4. Verify that the stuck skin has peeled off. Ensure the shed has come off fully after massaging it with a damp cotton swab. If not, you’ll need to repeat the procedure.
5. If you’re afraid of hurting your cute friend, don’t hesitate to ask for help from your local vet.

How to Get Rid Of Stuck Shed from a Leopard Gecko’s Toes and Tail?

When the skin is stuck around the leopard gecko’s toes or tail, it can curtail blood flow, leading to the scaly friend losing its limb or tail.

However, as a leopard gecko owner, you don’t have to wait for the worse. You can remove the shed skin from the lizard’s tail or toes from the comfort of your home.

You’ll need items such as;

• Paper towels
• Lukewarm water
• Cotton swabs
• Shallow container

Here is the procedure to follow

1. Put the paper towel in a shallow container
2. Add water up to a level to ensure that your leopard gecko doesn’t drown
3. Place the leopard gecko inside the container and let it relax. Soak the leopard gecko’s feet or tail for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Take the leopard gecko out of the water and gently brush the stuck skin with a cotton swab. You can do this a few times until the stuck shed comes off entirely.

2. Not Shedding

Another issue that pet owners, especially beginners, struggle to comprehend is when their leopard geckos don’t shed or experience delayed sheds. Some leopard gecko owners may go for months without witnessing their scaly friends shedding. This causes a lot of confusion and stress, with most of them wondering whether their gecko is healthy.

However, if you haven’t seen your leopard gecko shedding but it’s healthy and growing as expected, it is actually shedding, only that you haven’t noticed. You might have missed it because you couldn’t keep up with the shedding pace.

Conversely, leos have a habit of eating their shed. They might be feeding on the shed skin before you see it. Still, your leo might halt shedding when ovulating or brumating.

Why Is My Leopard Gecko Pale but Not Shedding?

Another common problem that leo keepers have reported is their geckos turning pale but not shedding. If this happens, it usually infers that something is amiss. While shedding is a natural process that must occur to leos of all ages, there are a few things that might delay or make it halt or delay:

Stunted Growth

While the age of your leo will determine how frequently it will shed, its growth and development rate will directly affect the shedding routine. If your lizard becomes stunted either due to poor diet or any other reason, there’s a high probability that it’ll have a delayed shedding routine.

The primary reason leopard geckos and other reptiles shed their skin is to create new space for expanding tissues and body cells. If your leo isn’t experiencing much growth, it won’t make sense for it to keep shedding its skin.

Some of the issues that lead to stunted growth in leopard geckos include a poor diet, stress, bullying, unfavorable tank temperature, recovery from illness, and genetic disorders. If your scaly friend has some growth abnormalities, don’t be surprised if it also experiences delayed shedding.

Health Complications

Diseases and health complications can also affect how often your leo sheds. When your reptile friend gets sick, their appetite dwindles, meaning they won’t get enough nutrients for optimal growth. Conversely, the recovery process needs a lot of energy and nutrients and can end up leading to weight loss and slow growth.

If your leo is pale but has not yet shed, it might be suffering from any of the following diseases:

• Respiratory, parasitic, or Hemipene infections
• Metabolic bone disease
• Injury
• Tail loss

However, you should not panic if your leo has delayed shedding routine because of illness. As long as you take it to a vet for treatment and provide proper care, it will recover in a few months and get back to its usual shedding routine.

Age

Leopard geckos of all ages must undergo shedding to provide ample space for growth. However, the time between sheds differs in leos at different growth stages. The first shed takes place 5-7 days after hatching.

Baby leos shed once after 1 or 2 weeks, while juveniles shed once every 4 weeks. Mature adult leos shed once in 4 to 8 weeks. As you have seen, the frequency of shedding is higher in younger leopard geckos than in adult lizards.

Sometimes, you might get used to seeing your baby gecko shed so many times that you might get worried if a juvenile or adult stays for long without shedding.

Therefore, as a dedicated leopard gecko owner, you must understand that the shedding routine becomes less frequent as your leopard gecko gets older.

Brumation and Ovulation

When leopard geckos are ovulating, they’ll do everything to reserve enough energy for this process. When leos start ovulating, you’ll notice a few changes in behavior.

Their appetite will slump, they’ll become grumpier and slow, and they will spend more time in the cooler part of the terrarium. Therefore, it’s not unlikely for female geckos to delay shedding once they start ovulating and resume a few days after laying eggs.

Leopard geckos also go through a period of dormancy known as brumation when it becomes too cold. Just like ovulation, leos will also not shed their exoskeleton when brumating.

Therefore, if your scaly friend slows down its metabolic processes and keeps hiding most of the time, it might be undergoing brumation. So, you shouldn’t expect it to shed its skin during this period.

The Leopard Gecko’s Diet

Another possible reason your leopard gecko might be pale but not shedding is its diet. Leopard gecko owners must provide their reptile friends with a diet incorporating all nutrients and essential elements for optimal and timely shedding.

A poor diet and nutritional deficiencies will likely lead to abnormal or delayed shedding. Usually, vitamin A deficiencies and chronic malnutrition are the leading causes of delayed shedding. When your leo doesn’t get enough nutrients and vitamins, it can completely halt shedding or shed haphazardly due to false signals.

Leo owners should feed their pets with gut-loaded insects coated with essential supplements such as calcium, multivitamins, and vitamin d3. Leos recovering from illnesses should be provided with additional treats to boost their energy reserves and promote fast growth.

If the right diet and supplementation don’t help restore your gecko’s normal shedding routine, don’t hesitate to seek a qualified vet’s help.

3. Excessive Shedding

Leopard geckos need to shed to grow and stay healthy. But is shedding too much a problem? Essentially, leos at different growth stages shed their skin after a given period. Baby geckos get rid of their top skin after 1 to 2 weeks, juveniles after 4 weeks, and adult geckos after 4-8 weeks. If the lizard is shedding more often than this, there is a problem.

It’s crucial to examine your leopard gecko keenly when you think it’s shedding excessively. Sometimes, the lizards may retain skin from previous sheds and keep shedding them between subsequent cycles. However, if your lizard is experiencing excessive shed, it might be due to other various reasons.

Why Is My Leopard Gecko Shedding So Much?

Some of the underlying reasons for excessive skin shedding are:

Dehydration

The primary reason most leos experience excessive skin shedding is inadequate water in the body. When these scaly friends don’t get adequate water, their skin will dry, wrinkle, and peel off. While dehydration may cause the skin to become dryer and difficult to shed, it also leads to pieces of the leo’s skin falling off unexpectedly.

Therefore, if your leopard gecko doesn’t get enough drinking water, the skin might wear off excessively even before the shedding cycle is complete. Conversely, it may lead to retained or stuck skin.

Parasites

Parasites are also another nuisance that can make your leo shed excessively. Internal parasites such as cryptosporidium compete with the leopard gecko for nutrients causing weight loss and lack of appetite. These creatures can also feed on essential nutrients that nourish the skin. This may lead to abnormal or excessive shedding.

Conversely, ectoparasites such as mites can lead to too much skin shedding. These blood-sucking arachnids will bite and destroy the skin leading to irritation that makes leopard geckos restless. The leo may lose its skin as it tries to scratch itself against rough surfaces to curb the irritation.   

Stress and Anxiety

One sad thing about leopard geckos and other domesticated lizards is that they are easily prone to stress. When you handle your leo too often, house it with other lizards, or fail to provide the required conditions, it might get anxious and stressed.

 This might lead to loss of appetite, sluggish behavior, and aggressiveness. When leopard geckos are stressed and depressed, they may end up experiencing abnormal shedding.

Thermal Burns

When leopard geckos get burns from the heat mat or overhead lamp, the skin must mutate and regenerate faster. Skin shedding is how leos heal burns and injuries on the skin. If your leopard gecko keeps getting regular thermal burns, it might experience excess shedding trying to heal the skin.

Low Moisture in the Cage

Leopard geckos need a tank set-up with humidity levels of between 40%-60%. Suppose the humidity levels are below this range. The leopard skin and dry out and peel off unexpectedly. This will lead to constant shedding even when not expected.

For optimal shedding in leos, it’s crucial that you provide optimal tank humidity and also designate humid hides where your lizard can seek refuge when they are about to shed.

FAQs About Leopard Gecko Shedding Problems

Can Terrarium Conditions Affect Shedding?

For you to maintain frequent healthy shedding in leopard geckos, you must provide appropriate humidity and moisture levels in addition to rough surface décor. Additionally, the terrarium should be split into two zones, one warmer than the other. You should also provide humid hides where the lizards can escape when they need a more humid environment.

What Factors Contribute to Shedding Problems in Leopard Geckos?

Some of the factors that can cause abnormal shedding:

• Lack vitamins
• Viral, bacterial, and fungal infections
• Parasites
• Low or high temperature
• Low humidity
• Metabolic bone disease

Should You Take a Leopard Gecko with Stuck Shed to a Vet for Treatment?

Usually, owners can help leopard geckos remove stuck sheds right at home. However, the skin might be retained in delicate places near the eye, toes, or tails.

You should always take your leopard gecko to a vet if you don’t feel confident enough to help it shed skin stuck in such areas

Wrap Up

Shedding is an essential aspect of a leopard gecko’s life cycle, and while it may seem peculiar to humans, it is quite typical for the animal. Leos may become paler and more irritable in the days or weeks leading up to shedding.

However, once the shedding process begins, it can last anywhere from a few hours to two days. When the dead skin is peeled away, they’ll be left with fresh, new skin that’s healthier and more radiant than before.

While these lizards might sometimes face shedding problems, they can be avoided with proper care and feeding. Your leopard gecko’s behavior will change if it isn’t shedding properly.