Skin Flaking Off

[kimbosaur]

My albino checkered is overdue for a shed. When she was basking under the light yesterday, I noticed her skin was slightly off. When I handled her today, my fingers were covered in tiny scale sized & shaped pieces of skin. I put her into a shed box for about an hour, took her back out and it was the same thing, even while she was still wet: little pieces coming off. Tried running her under warm water, and making an edge to work with and nothing. She's still sitting in the shed box now.

I didn't think humidity was an issue because it's been steady at 45-60%. Now I'm starting to think my hygrometer is crap because it's telling me the humidity in my room is 60%. Seems unlikely that the heated winter air in my room is that humid...especially since my skin and hair feels really dry.

Is this definitely a retained shed or could it be a pre-shed with dry air type of a thing? How long should I leave her in there for? She seems super miserable.



Edit: Forgot to mention, she's been on and off with sheds. First shed was perfect all on her own. Second shed came off in two pieces on her own. Third shed was assisted.

[guidofatherof5]

Is this definitely a retained shed or could it be a pre-shed with dry air type of a thing? How long should I leave her in there for? She seems super miserable.

Yes and yes or a combo of the issues.
You could leave her in until she sheds or take her out and do the running water thing and shed her yourself.

[kimbosaur]

Steve, I tried the running water thing and it really wasn't working at all. No luck getting any sort of an edge...even in the spots that I could see had pieces coming up.

I took her out once again and there was much less flaking. Going to leave her in her enclosure tonight with a large flat water dish and a wet towel covering the screen and see if she does anything on her own. If not, it's back in the shed box tomorrow morning.

Got some pics:

She's actually very shiny in some spots...




Flaky spot


Flake


Edit: Two towels and two large water dishes later, all the glass of the tank is fogged up. Guess I kind of made their tank into a shed box. Hope my other girl doesn't mind...

[guidofatherof5]

Looks to me like it might just be a patchy retained shed. If that's the case I wouldn't worry too much.
As long as the shed is broken it will not be as constricting. Far less of a problem then a full retained shed.

[kimbosaur]

Noticed something else today!!






I've kept the two large dishes in the tank for the past two days, a well as a towel on the top. She's been in and out of the shed box. No notable changes other than this! I'm starting to get really worried! Any ideas what this is??

[guidofatherof5]

Looks like a small abrasion. Probably nothing to worry about.
Doesn't look infected.

[kibakiba]

Perhaps the start of scale rot? Doesn't seem bad though.

[kimbosaur]

I use Carefresh as substrate and it's always completely dry. Also, she spends most of her time (I'd say at last 80%) on a platform with no substrate at all. Unless it's because I've been putting her in the shed box for too long?

[chris-uk]

Looks more like she's caught herself on something sharp, or the edge of something. I would keep an eye on it, but I wouldn't worry unless it gets worse.

[Light of Dae]

Mite bites maybe? I've never seen mite bites but I'd guess that's what they might look like?