# leopard gecko wont go in his humid box of sphagnum moss



## Chrisuk33 (Oct 10, 2010)

btw its a her not a him i typoed the title

i just got a leopard gecko yesterday, hes in shedding, i had a box with sphagnum moss in it so it would help her shed but he wont go in it, soo..... i put some of that damp moss in her favourite hide on the warm side, she just looked in it and refused to go in, instead she went in the other hide that has no sphagnum moss in.

i cant spray her with water she hates it, besides i have paper down. soo... what next?


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## EssexMiles (Nov 14, 2010)

Get a little bowl of shallow warm water and place her in there and just gently with your hand pour little handfuls of water from the shallow bowl over her. You can then help her peel the shed of and use a damp cotton bud in her toes if you need to.

Hope this helps

Miles


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## sam12345 (Dec 28, 2007)

Unless she is having problems with shedding then i dont see the need for her to use it.
Leos usually know when they need a bit of extra help in the form of the moist hide : victory:


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## mariex4 (Oct 19, 2009)

if you have only got her yesterday hun shes gonna be trying to settle in ,and moving things is gonna stress her out big time just leave her and just keep checking , a pic would be good to see . you can try taking other hides out and just leave the moist hide in she will get used to it or shes not 100% ready to shed yet . i know my boy sometimes starts to shed then when mostly off he goes into the moist box .


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## Chrisuk33 (Oct 10, 2010)

mariex4 said:


> if you have only got her yesterday hun shes gonna be trying to settle in ,and moving things is gonna stress her out big time just leave her and just keep checking , a pic would be good to see . you can try taking other hides out and just leave the moist hide in she will get used to it or shes not 100% ready to shed yet . i know my boy sometimes starts to shed then when mostly off he goes into the moist box .


she hates water sprinked or anything, its still a bit timmid running about if i open the box, i can splash or spray anyway cos i have newspaper down as substrate.

what i tried was, the exo terra medium hide she seemed to prefer and put some moss in there and sprayed that with water. it looked in, ignored the hide and went to the other cardboard hide id put down.

i heard using a a old sandwhich box with a lid, turn it upside down and cut a hole in it for her to walk in, instead of that sphagnum moss, to use a damp paper towel instead???

problem i thought with that is, it wont have the nessisary roughness of the moss to help the shed come off..... or will this idea of the sandwhich box and kitchen tissue work????


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## CactuarJon (Mar 4, 2009)

give her time, my merc hates anything new! I bought some moss for him in September, he's only just started using it for his sheds lol 

And as previously metioned, if you see no signs of her struggling with it then she'll be fine. Just let her settle in and get on with it  These guys are stronger than we think they are.


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## Chrisuk33 (Oct 10, 2010)

SkyCaptain said:


> give her time, my merc hates anything new! I bought some moss for him in September, he's only just started using it for his sheds lol
> 
> And as previously metioned, if you see no signs of her struggling with it then she'll be fine. Just let her settle in and get on with it  These guys are stronger than we think they are.


 sounds silly but i worry it will stress out and drop its tail or something:lol2:


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## ginnerone (Aug 2, 2009)

maybe its a little too warm for her, try moving the moist hide into the middle of the viv rather than in the warm end so its at a happy medium,
either that or it could be clostraphobic(sp)


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## kirky1980 (Apr 4, 2010)

ginnerone said:


> maybe its a little too warm for her, try moving the moist hide into the middle of the viv rather than in the warm end so its at a happy medium,
> either that or it could be clostraphobic(sp)


i had to do the same with mine and put about a qtr of the hide over the heat matt and now i can hardly get her out the bloody thing lol


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## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

sam12345 said:


> Unless she is having problems with shedding then i dont see the need for her to use it.
> Leos usually know when they need a bit of extra help in the form of the moist hide : victory:


*nods* some of mine use it and some don't ~ unless there is skin obviously stuck and/or causing problems I would leave the leo alone to do it's thing 



ginnerone said:


> maybe its a little too warm for her, try moving the moist hide into the middle of the viv rather than in the warm end so its at a happy medium,
> either that or it could be clostraphobic(sp)


lol ~ most of my damp-hides are towards the centre/cooler side of the vivs were my geckos prefer it


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## Chrisuk33 (Oct 10, 2010)

sam12345 said:


> Unless she is having problems with shedding then i dont see the need for her to use it.
> Leos usually know when they need a bit of extra help in the form of the moist hide : victory:


 
i got her while she was supose to be in the shedding process, but its been 2 days now and not even a close, should i make the whole rub (really useful box) that shes in humid? if so how?

i used the hot end hide with some sphagnum moss in a exo terra medium hide, she goes in it NOW but i dont think its having much effect.

some say put it in a a little paddle of shallow water, but i dont see how i can keep a flightly speedy gecko in there long enough.

in other words helpppppppppp!!!!!:lol2:

***SIDE NOTE*** there is also a shedding problem with my Baby cornsnake ive had him 3 months and he must be at least 5 months old.
he shed about 2 weeks after i got him but for the past 10 weeks hes not even shed once, and he dont look like hes about to shedd eather i think


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## Chrisuk33 (Oct 10, 2010)

bump me up


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

Don't make the whole rub humid, this is not good for them. At what stage is she? It sounds like she has gone pale and looking ready to shed but none come off yet - yes? If so then don't worry - they can be like this for a few days before actually shedding. It may be the moss that is spooking her. A lot of breeders use kitchen roll in the moist hide - she might find this more acceptable. There is no need to start bathing / spraying etc unless she has got most of it off but some is still stuck - if this happens post again and we can advise on that. Leave her to do her own thing for now.


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## Chrisuk33 (Oct 10, 2010)

jools said:


> Don't make the whole rub humid, this is not good for them. At what stage is she? It sounds like she has gone pale and looking ready to shed but none come off yet - yes? If so then don't worry - they can be like this for a few days before actually shedding. It may be the moss that is spooking her. A lot of breeders use kitchen roll in the moist hide - she might find this more acceptable. There is no need to start bathing / spraying etc unless she has got most of it off but some is still stuck - if this happens post again and we can advise on that. Leave her to do her own thing for now.


 
ok gecko is still dull, i put some of that damp moss in his hot end hide, he will go in that but i dont think that creates a humidity like a humid box cos its a exo terra medium cave/hide with that moss inside.

today i tried to very gently dab her with luke warm water using cotton buds, well it was hell because it wont stand still it runs around when ever i try touch her.

im so worried to try pick her up because if she gets stressed from me trying to pick her up and drops her tail that will be like a worst knightmare :gasp:


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## Chrisuk33 (Oct 10, 2010)

bump up


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## angelgirls29 (Jul 10, 2010)

I have the opposite problem ATM.
Mine won't COME OUT of their moist hides!!! :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## Chrisuk33 (Oct 10, 2010)

angelgirls29 said:


> I have the opposite problem ATM.
> Mine won't COME OUT of their moist hides!!! :Na_Na_Na_Na:


 well
she would stay in that exo terra hide with moss in it, if i didnt lift it up.
like i said i dont think its creating the humidity of a normal humidity hide because its not confined enough.

ill have to try something else:bash:


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## angelgirls29 (Jul 10, 2010)

Chrisuk33 said:


> well
> she would stay in that exo terra hide with moss in it, if i didnt lift it up.
> like i said i dont think its creating the humidity of a normal humidity hide because its not confined enough.
> 
> ill have to try something else:bash:


I've got a "Lees" shedding hide
Lees Shedding Stump - Hides and Caves - Vivarium Decor - Blue Lizard Reptiles
in one viv and a plastic lunch box type thing in the other with a hole cut in the top :2thumb:


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## Chrisuk33 (Oct 10, 2010)

angelgirls29 said:


> I've got a "Lees" shedding hide
> Lees Shedding Stump - Hides and Caves - Vivarium Decor - Blue Lizard Reptiles
> in one viv and a plastic lunch box type thing in the other with a hole cut in the top :2thumb:


well it looks good but i think my gecko is lazy and wont climb in from the top, the hole has to be along the ground i think :gasp: lazy little thing


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## angelgirls29 (Jul 10, 2010)

Mine is plump and doesn't really move much but she gets in it! Or you can take the top off so there's not as far to climb?


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## Chrisuk33 (Oct 10, 2010)

angelgirls29 said:


> Mine is plump and doesn't really move much but she gets in it! Or you can take the top off so there's not as far to climb?


and how is it humid is the tops off?


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## angelgirls29 (Jul 10, 2010)

Coz they've still got the wet moss... :whistling2:
We left it off for a few days to make sure and then put the lid on to see if she could get in and out of it


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## Chrisuk33 (Oct 10, 2010)

angelgirls29 said:


> Coz they've still got the wet moss... :whistling2:
> We left it off for a few days to make sure and then put the lid on to see if she could get in and out of it


well the moss on its own dont make it humid, all the moss is, is something that keeps damp for a while, at the same time it has the nessisary rough to help it shed. Its the inclosed space with the dampness that makes it humid as the heat, warms up the moisture and it has no where to go , thus creating steaming effect.


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## angelgirls29 (Jul 10, 2010)

Too humid for too long and they get RIs... (Respiratory Infections)


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## _TiMiSdRuNk_ (Aug 27, 2008)

Mine never go in the humid tub. I've seen some people just put them in there for like an hour if they have trouble shedding and just leave them in there


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## Chrisuk33 (Oct 10, 2010)

*latest pics of my leopard gecko*









this is pictures of the gecko


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

If this pic has only just been taken then I would say she is not ready to shed just yet - soon but not yet. In the pic she looks dark - what temperature do you have on the floor of the warm side of the viv? I certainly wouldn't be faffing around with dabbing water on etc. This will just stress her unneccesarily. Make her a temporary moist hide by cutting a hole out of the side of an ice-cream / margarine tub. Put moss or several layers of kitchen towel (I actually use flannels) in there and swap it for her favourite warm hide and she should use it. She should shed within a few days.


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## Chrisuk33 (Oct 10, 2010)

jools said:


> If this pic has only just been taken then I would say she is not ready to shed just yet - soon but not yet. In the pic she looks dark - what temperature do you have on the floor of the warm side of the viv? I certainly wouldn't be faffing around with dabbing water on etc. This will just stress her unneccesarily. Make her a temporary moist hide by cutting a hole out of the side of an ice-cream / margarine tub. Put moss or several layers of kitchen towel (I actually use flannels) in there and swap it for her favourite warm hide and she should use it. She should shed within a few days.


yes the pic was just taken

floor temp is is 88F (31C) i only use a mat on a thermostat and digital thermomiter.

Ok tomorrow i will do that and swap her hide for a moist hide with that paragum moss i think its called. then leave it along and check on it every so often with minimal disturbance

someone said she looks ill, like its duller then normal, i only got it 5 days ago which has got me super worried :gasp:

problem is, i think if i have just one moist hide on the warm side and a normal hide on teh cooler hide, it will choose the cooler end, im also concerned about her lyaing in damp with all this talk of R I


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

As long as the whole rub is not humid she should not usually get an RI - if she had one you might see her struggling for breath, hear a clicking sound when she breathes and perhaps a mucous discharge. I have to admit that the dark colour could be a sign of stress or POSSIBLY illness. If she were mine I would get faecal checks for parasites done as these can sometimes cause them to look dull and dark (I get all of my newcomers checked as a routine anyway). As long as she is feeding and seems bright and alert then don't worry too much.


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## Wizard (Jun 27, 2007)

My Phil really dislikes sphagnum moss. I used it for ages but it became more and more obvious that he didnt like going in the moist hide with the moss. I recently got one of those yellow super absorbant cloths...like those fake chammy leather things if you get me. I cut it into squares to fit the hide and sandwiched two pieces together. I immerse them in water and microwave for two mins to kill any bugs, and then hang them until they just stop dripping. They hold the moisture longer than the moss and he seems much happier to use the moist hide now. Plus i dont have to keep cleaning and sterilizing moss all the time...i just re-soak and nuke the cloth in the mic, and will replace when they get visibly dirty.

Just food for thought.


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