To "humidify" them stress free, put a wrung-out warm washcloth on the bottom of a plastic container (I use the shoe boxes that most of us use for leopard geckos). I put the gecko with the problem in the container, mist with warm water and close the top (which either the top or the shoe box has air holes). I put this container with the gecko on top of a fluorescent lighting fixture (keeps the box warm) - monitored (don't boil the poor critter) - for fifteen minutes. The alternative is to hold the gecko in the washcloth in your hand but this is best reserved for adults. Fifteen minutes later and the shed should easily be removed with tweezers. Do hold the gecko in the wash cloth for this - it tends to calm them down a little (no guarantees with grandis).
Listening to what you've said about the shed problem, how it starts to come off and then dries up, I would first venture to guess that dramatically changing humidity levels could be the problem. You say that the enclosure has a paper towel substrate and a straw for a perch. When you mist, I am guessing the humidity shoots up to 70%-80%. Without much to retain that humidity (potted plant or substrate) the humidity level drops to the house average of 30%-50% within an hour or so. At your next misting the humidity shoots up, and then down again. Same at your third misting. Nights are just longer stretches of low humidity. So, the shed gets moist during the misting and starts to "pull-off", and then humidity levels drop. The shed re-adheres, especially to toe areas. Measure humidity levels in the enclosures, all day long. Don't guess, get a hydrometer. I kept juvenile grandis humidity levels between 65% - 75% (when I kept the finger biting, spastic little suckers). Not yet mentioned as a possibility, is nutritional deficiency. In cases where I've seen hatchlings not fed on a daily basis and not getting the food, vitamins and especially calcium that it needs, shed problems follow. Adults with nutritional deficiency problems often have shed problems. Another possiblilty, stress. Julie mentioned parasites; always a possibility. leann ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, July 21, 2002 9:19 PM Subject: Re: [Gecko] Advice needed: juvenile Phelsuma mortality > These are offspring from very healthy adults. They are incubated in deli > cups containing 2:1 sterilized vermiculite and water. After hatching, they > remain undisturbed in the deli cup until they complete first shed and fully > absorb yolk. I then place 2 (one for each hatchling) pinhead crickets dusted > with a 1:1 mixture repcal and herptivite. If they eat, they are ready to go > to a larger enclosure. I separate them into individual plastic "pal pen" > containers. The 4x6 inch container has paper towel substrate and plastic > drinking straws on which to climb. A fluorescent light is placed over them > (285-315 nanometers wavelenghth) and the pal pens have a plastic screen type > lid so there is nothing to filter out the UV light. I mist the little guys > 2-3 times daily with reverse osmosis water (no hard minerals) and offer > dusted crickets or peach baby food (with same supplement added as used to > dust crickets) every few days. I have done it this way for years and have no > idea why there is a problem now. You are right, these guys are VERY hardy > and I am stumped as to what could be the problem. When they begin to have > trouble I mist them more and even get the cage bottom wet so it might loosen > skin. Are they too wet? Is the environment too sterile? If I assist > shedding it seems too be too stressful and they die. Why have I not > encountered this problem before? > > Thanks, AMY > > ########################################################################### > THE GLOBAL GECKO ASSOCIATION LISTSERV > WebSite: www.gekkota.com Archive: [EMAIL PROTECTED]/ > The GGA takes no responsibility for the contents of these postings. > ########################################################################### >
