Will My Gecko Get Her Colors Back After She Sheds?

Geckos are lizards belonging to a family of creatures that range in size from just under 1 1/2 inches to just over 13 inches in length. Geckos are mainly nocturnal and their oversize eyes are adapted to low light conditions. The eyelids of geckos have become transparent and immovable and are kept clean by the animal's tongue. Geckos are found in warm habitats and tend to make gentle and relatively easy to keep pets. Shedding skin is a normal part of a gecko's life cycle.

  1. Normal Shedding

    • As with many amphibians and reptiles, geckos shed their skin to accommodate new growth. Most species of gecko sheds their entire skin at once. Both the age and the growth rate of a gecko will influence the frequency at which it sheds. Young and sub-adult geckos will shed at a higher rate than an adult. A gecko begins to loose its brilliant colors and turn white as shedding commences.

    Removing the Evidence

    • Geckos eat their freshly shed skin in an attempt to reclaim energy that they expended as the original skin grew and to remove evidence of their presence. Loose skin that is lying around can attract predatory animals that will prey upon the gecko. Under captive conditions, the skin of a gecko may come away piece by piece during the process of a shed.

    Shedding Problems

    • Although shedding is a natural process, geckos under captive conditions occasionally experience problems during a shed. These problems are typically associated with the humidity being too low. Excessive handing just prior to or during the shedding period may also cause complications. A shallow container that contains moist moss or cypress mulch will help under these circumstances, as will lukewarm baths during the shedding period. Gecko enthusiasts also sometimes use a moist shelter, which consists simply of a small overturned plastic container with an entrance cut out of one side. The bedding material in this hiding place is then also moistened.

    Regaining Colors

    • Gecko skin that is about to be shed dries out and dies. The skin also takes on a white color. The fresh skin below that which is being shed will exhibit the normal color and pattern of the particular gecko species. If this is not the case, the diet of your gecko may be lacking in important vitamins and trace elements. The gecko may also be ill and should be seen by a qualified reptile veterinarian.