Are there any problems with a gecko shedding after an injury is healed?
I have a male palm gecko, newly acquired from a pet store in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. He is of good size and weight, and I was assured he was treated for parasites and mites. I also checked him visually and found no mites on him. He is in a new Exo Terra enclosure with a background temperature of 85 degrees F and 80 percent humidity. I have yet to see him eat, and he shows no interest in crickets or mealworms. I have been giving him T-Rex Hydro-Life, 9 ml, to rehydrate him and help him create the stomach bacteria he needs to begin feeding again. But this has not seemed to work. Can you help?
Scoopy, my bearded dragon, got his claw caught and pinched. We have been treating it with a healing aid liquid. It seems to be healing nicely, but I was wondering if he will have any problems with shedding after he is completely healed?
It would have been nice if you could have provided me with a photo of the injury so that I could better advise you. Without that I can give you only generalities.
If the injury involved only the claw, there should be no issues with shedding. However, if the skin of the toe was damaged, there is a chance that the skin might not shed normally until the tissue is completely healed. This may take one or two shedding cycles.
Since you are aware that there could be a potential problem, you can now pay close attention during the shedding cycles to ensure that the dead, shedding skin doesn’t remain adhered to the damaged toe. If it does, keep that foot very moist by wrapping the foot with a warm, wet towel for 10 minutes three to four times per day. You can even apply a little bit of aloe, directly from an aloe plant, to loosen up the dry, dead skin.
I commend you for thinking ahead to avoid a problem so that you can prepare to deal with it, if necessary. Hopefully, it won’t be an issue and if it is, it will be a small problem that is easy to address. If you notice any unusual swelling, discoloration or discharge you should have a qualified herp veterinarian evaluate Scoopy for possible infection in that toe.
