Leopard Gecko Shedding: What's Normal, What's Not, and How to Help
What a Normal Shed Looks Like
Leopard geckos shed their entire skin in one piece. Days before, color dulls and becomes milky-looking — the old skin is loosening. A healthy leo typically eats the shed skin immediately after.
The Humid Hide
The most important thing for clean sheds: a humid hide filled with damp sphagnum moss. Keep the moss consistently moist. Many stuck shed problems trace directly to a dry hide.
Stuck Shed: What to Look For
- Toes look constricted or darker — stuck shed rings accumulate and cut blood flow, leading to digit loss
- Eyes appear bulging or have a distinct cap — retained eye caps
- Patches of dull gray skin remaining on the body — partial shed
How to Help
If shed is stuck, soak your gecko in shallow warm water (85-90°F) for 10-15 minutes. The water loosens retained shed and most will slip off on its own or with gentle assistance using a damp cotton swab. For retained eye caps, consult a reptile vet. Never peel shed forcefully.
