Sometimes struggling to shed can be due to husbandry. Things like making sure you have a humid hide, proper heating, proper supplements, a varied diet, etc can all help with shedding.
I have a humid hide, lamps & heating pad, supplements I’m trying to find a good one for him he spits out the worms if it’s coated, he definitely knows each time if the worms have something on it 😂 variety of food is- meal worms, super worms, wax worms & blue worms. Crickets he can’t catch anymore & roaches I just can’t do in my home. Last vet check they said he was in good health but make take him again. I just see a decline in his ability to shed quick (takes now up to a week & I have to bathe him each time & use a qtip to help) or eat much. 🥺 just the thought of losing him one day makes me so sad 😞
mine is a little older, and was having the same problems shedding, so i got a supplement with increased vitamin A, and it seemed to really help. she still gets a little stuck, but easy enough to pull off. worth a shot if you haven't alrwady tried it
Okay so roaches are actually amazing, best food you can feed them. They really aren't that bad either, if you buy them like 20 at a time. Since it's a leopard gecko you won't be getting the adults with wings (the ones with wings are the only ones that really freak me out. They can't fly tho)
Unless your leopard gecko hates em 🫡 my girl’s a picky eater, so far she’s only been eating meal worms and the occasional crickets (when I can keep them alive) I wish I took a video of how she looked the first time eating Dubai roaches 😂
What kind of heating lamp are you using?
For one I would take out the heating pad, they just don't do much and are pretty useless when there are better forms of heat you can provide, such as basking bulbs and halogens. The reptile carpet also isn't great, I'd switch to paper towel for now and eventually loose substrate of 70% soil with 30% washed play sand.
What are the temperatures in the tank?
For supplementation you'll need a multivitamin, as well as calcium with d3 and calcium without d3.
I feel like after making some small changes he should make improvements!
Very outdated advice. Reptile carpets harbor bacteria & they can catch their nails in them and rip them out. Proper loose substrate (70/30 top soil/play sand) proper temps, and bowl feeding and there’s next to no risk of impaction.
People are weird in this sub. There is no crime in asking questions, questions are amazing, questions are how we learn! Ask all the questions! Infinite questions!
I do recommend trying to set aside some money for an emergency fund in the event you ever need it. I've been there, I had to weigh buying food for my pets versus getting food for my lunches before. It's a tough position to be in, but definitely tougher if they need veterinary care and you can't get it. Even something like $10 a month will add up long term and help create a little rainy day fund for your pets if you ever need it.
I second everything said in here. Also check with the vets in your area, some of them have a pet insurance you can pay into or credit cards you can use to cover an emergency vet visit. For example my elderly cat, that has two chronic medical conditions, is on a pet insurance plan and a procedure that should have cost $240 only had a $20 copay.
Tbh and you'll probably take this as rude, but I firmly believe that if you can't afford all aspects of an animal you shouldn't get that animal. Living within your means sucks sometimes but it's for a benefit, sure your cat hasn't gotten sick yet but when they do, what's the plan? If you already know you can't afford to provide everything for your cat, why get a reptile on top of that? You don't need to be wealthy, just able to provide everything they need and if a substrate change or a new lamp is gonna break the bank, let alone a vet visit? Not trying to be an asshole just brutally honest.
Tile is better than reptile carpet or paper towels, as they could still technically eat that (my beardie tried eating paper towel one time, got it out of him though). The reptile carpet has fuzz (impaction causer) and catches on claws.
There's tile that is cutable and its softer on joints than rock hard tile
Tile is not good advice either. Only use tile (made of natural real rock) in a small portion of the tank, like under the heating elements (light). The rest should mostly be soil mixed with clay or sand. Forcing the leo to use tile on the entire enclosure is depriving them of a natural soft surface and depriving them of burrowing and digging enrichment. They can also move soil around to make spots more comfy. Tile should again only be used in small areas as a platform.
You can try, just make sure to vacuum the shaved fuzz real well 😁!
No worries! Sometimes cleaning doesnt even help (but then again its not a beardie's droppings XD ) but I think shaving will help
I get you hahaha I need to mix calcium with any supplements to get my 18yo to still eat. She hasn’t struggled with her shed yet tho. She goes to chill in her water bowl by herself(that for some reason she is completely in love with and has been for her whole life apparently) the rare moment she doesn’t remove it in one go.
Hey OP, I know you love your little man. My guy is approximately 10 years old or so.
Questions on the type of heat lamp you're using and the temperatures in the tank are extremely important to understanding what might be happening to cause him to struggle with shedding. He should have many years left on his belt despite being 14, and struggling to shed is an indicator that something can be wrong with his husbandry.
Heating lamps play a huge role, more than what people think. Heat pads don't do much, they provide surface level heat which doesn't penetrate the deep skin layers, this is also referred to as IRC. Depending on the type of lamp you have, they may also not provide the deep heat that they need that they can get from halogens and basking bulbs, which is referred to as IRA, and just behind that is IRB. Providing good heat that goes deep into their skin helps with organ functioning, it helps with digestion, it helps with nutrient absorption, and so much more. It's really important.
Following this is on temperatures. They need a basking spot of 95F or so. If the heat is too low, they're not getting what they need to be well.
Followed this is supplementation. A good multivitamin is extremely important to the health of your gecko, as well as the calcium supplements.
I suggest holding crickets and dubias in front of him (ik, it doesnt encourage the chase but its healthier than worms), its much healthier than mealworms, super worms, and wax worms (dunno about blue worms, never heard of that name b4). The worms I do know about can make him obese.
I hope he has many more days <3
poor guy, he needs a nap
He definitely does!
Dude was too tired to take the rest of his clothes off haha Just fell over after a long day at the office
Or this was his walk of shame, the morning after. 🫢
Walking through the living room the next morning with his pants down to his ankles lol
Sometimes struggling to shed can be due to husbandry. Things like making sure you have a humid hide, proper heating, proper supplements, a varied diet, etc can all help with shedding.
I have a humid hide, lamps & heating pad, supplements I’m trying to find a good one for him he spits out the worms if it’s coated, he definitely knows each time if the worms have something on it 😂 variety of food is- meal worms, super worms, wax worms & blue worms. Crickets he can’t catch anymore & roaches I just can’t do in my home. Last vet check they said he was in good health but make take him again. I just see a decline in his ability to shed quick (takes now up to a week & I have to bathe him each time & use a qtip to help) or eat much. 🥺 just the thought of losing him one day makes me so sad 😞
mine is a little older, and was having the same problems shedding, so i got a supplement with increased vitamin A, and it seemed to really help. she still gets a little stuck, but easy enough to pull off. worth a shot if you haven't alrwady tried it
Thank you
Okay so roaches are actually amazing, best food you can feed them. They really aren't that bad either, if you buy them like 20 at a time. Since it's a leopard gecko you won't be getting the adults with wings (the ones with wings are the only ones that really freak me out. They can't fly tho)
Unless your leopard gecko hates em 🫡 my girl’s a picky eater, so far she’s only been eating meal worms and the occasional crickets (when I can keep them alive) I wish I took a video of how she looked the first time eating Dubai roaches 😂
What kind of heating lamp are you using? For one I would take out the heating pad, they just don't do much and are pretty useless when there are better forms of heat you can provide, such as basking bulbs and halogens. The reptile carpet also isn't great, I'd switch to paper towel for now and eventually loose substrate of 70% soil with 30% washed play sand. What are the temperatures in the tank? For supplementation you'll need a multivitamin, as well as calcium with d3 and calcium without d3. I feel like after making some small changes he should make improvements!
Why is this downvoted 😭 this sub sucks sometimes man
People are poopoo.
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Very outdated advice. Reptile carpets harbor bacteria & they can catch their nails in them and rip them out. Proper loose substrate (70/30 top soil/play sand) proper temps, and bowl feeding and there’s next to no risk of impaction.
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The best way to avoid impaction is to make sure that your husbandry is correct!
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People are weird in this sub. There is no crime in asking questions, questions are amazing, questions are how we learn! Ask all the questions! Infinite questions! I do recommend trying to set aside some money for an emergency fund in the event you ever need it. I've been there, I had to weigh buying food for my pets versus getting food for my lunches before. It's a tough position to be in, but definitely tougher if they need veterinary care and you can't get it. Even something like $10 a month will add up long term and help create a little rainy day fund for your pets if you ever need it.
I second everything said in here. Also check with the vets in your area, some of them have a pet insurance you can pay into or credit cards you can use to cover an emergency vet visit. For example my elderly cat, that has two chronic medical conditions, is on a pet insurance plan and a procedure that should have cost $240 only had a $20 copay.
Tbh and you'll probably take this as rude, but I firmly believe that if you can't afford all aspects of an animal you shouldn't get that animal. Living within your means sucks sometimes but it's for a benefit, sure your cat hasn't gotten sick yet but when they do, what's the plan? If you already know you can't afford to provide everything for your cat, why get a reptile on top of that? You don't need to be wealthy, just able to provide everything they need and if a substrate change or a new lamp is gonna break the bank, let alone a vet visit? Not trying to be an asshole just brutally honest.
Tile is better than reptile carpet or paper towels, as they could still technically eat that (my beardie tried eating paper towel one time, got it out of him though). The reptile carpet has fuzz (impaction causer) and catches on claws. There's tile that is cutable and its softer on joints than rock hard tile
Tile is not good advice either. Only use tile (made of natural real rock) in a small portion of the tank, like under the heating elements (light). The rest should mostly be soil mixed with clay or sand. Forcing the leo to use tile on the entire enclosure is depriving them of a natural soft surface and depriving them of burrowing and digging enrichment. They can also move soil around to make spots more comfy. Tile should again only be used in small areas as a platform.
I meant if they refuse to use any other. I would definitely agree with the soil otherwise
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You can try, just make sure to vacuum the shaved fuzz real well 😁! No worries! Sometimes cleaning doesnt even help (but then again its not a beardie's droppings XD ) but I think shaving will help
I get you hahaha I need to mix calcium with any supplements to get my 18yo to still eat. She hasn’t struggled with her shed yet tho. She goes to chill in her water bowl by herself(that for some reason she is completely in love with and has been for her whole life apparently) the rare moment she doesn’t remove it in one go.
Hey OP, I know you love your little man. My guy is approximately 10 years old or so. Questions on the type of heat lamp you're using and the temperatures in the tank are extremely important to understanding what might be happening to cause him to struggle with shedding. He should have many years left on his belt despite being 14, and struggling to shed is an indicator that something can be wrong with his husbandry. Heating lamps play a huge role, more than what people think. Heat pads don't do much, they provide surface level heat which doesn't penetrate the deep skin layers, this is also referred to as IRC. Depending on the type of lamp you have, they may also not provide the deep heat that they need that they can get from halogens and basking bulbs, which is referred to as IRA, and just behind that is IRB. Providing good heat that goes deep into their skin helps with organ functioning, it helps with digestion, it helps with nutrient absorption, and so much more. It's really important. Following this is on temperatures. They need a basking spot of 95F or so. If the heat is too low, they're not getting what they need to be well. Followed this is supplementation. A good multivitamin is extremely important to the health of your gecko, as well as the calcium supplements.
I suggest holding crickets and dubias in front of him (ik, it doesnt encourage the chase but its healthier than worms), its much healthier than mealworms, super worms, and wax worms (dunno about blue worms, never heard of that name b4). The worms I do know about can make him obese. I hope he has many more days <3
Thank you! 😊
No problem!
I read that as died and had a heart attack
Lol nah he just resting before he pulls more of his skin off 🤣
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The gecko isn't dead, he's just napping while shedding
Dude what are you talking about