shedding & Floppy tail

[geickoJR.]

I'm not really asking for help or anything, but just wondering how do cresties start the process of shedding? i dont know how to explain it..like when they are ready to shed, how do they get it off their head/face inorder to eat the rest? anybody know?

also, not really about shedding, but as i look at my geckos, i noticed one of them likes to sit in this dense leaf cover i have, but does it upside down and sticks his rear end out of the "bush". he has abosultley no support for his tail (but its readily available in the "bush")...do you think it could lead to floppy tail? i have a UVB/A light on for the plants...not really important but just wondering. oh well.

So what do you guys think?

[CrestedLove27]

I've watched my geckos go to shed in the past, and I've witnessed them do one of two things. They'll either try to find something abrasive to rub their face against to loosen up the skin around the jaw to then work it down like they're wearing a suit, or they'll turn and bite the skin on their shoulder to tear it if it's loose enough. you'll notice right before a gecko goes to shed, the skin on the snout pales out. This is where the skin first starts to loosen up because there is a straight seam that separates at the mouth.

Floppy tail happens the second their pelvic girdle is severed. If the gecko has the tendency to hang upside down, it doesn't necessarily mean he will get floppy tail, but it does place more of a likelihood of him developing it. Some geckos also have stronger tails than others and they can hold their tail upside down without it bending forwards or to the side, while others just have weaker tails. Proper nutrition can also play a large part in the development of floppy tail, since certain nutrients come into play on bone strength and durability. If the bones are weak to begin with, floppy tail is more likely to occur.

Some geckos may just be more likely to get it because in the wild, all adult cresteds were found to not have tails. Since many hobbyists place a strong desire on crested geckos having and keeping their tails, this is a big difference on their wild counterparts. Some captive genetic lines just may not have developed a strong enough pelvic girdle to support the weight of a tail over a long term, causing it to droop from pressure.

If you see your crested hanging in an upside down position in his enclosure, you can try to gently nudge him or place him in a less awkward position. However reptiles to not learn corrective behavior in the same way that other animals might, and he may just go right back to the way he feels comfortable, even if it means hanging upside down. ;)

[geickoJR.]

ooh. thanks for the info. i dont really have a problem with him doing it...he can do whatever he wants. he changes his sleeping position quite frequently, so im not going to worry about it.