My leo, Ducky, never wants to eat just before and after a shed. She didn't eat Saturday or Sunday and yesterday she shed. I tried to feed her last night and she wouldn't eat. Is this normal?

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Kelly

My pets:
Leopard Gecko ~ Ducky
Rabbit ~ Chester
Kitten ~ Lil Fang
Black Bear Hamster - Charlie
Parakeet ~ Ray
Eastern Box Turtle ~ Ollie
Hermit Crab ~ Mr. Crabs
Teddy Bear Hamster ~ Poppy RIP 7/12/07

Totally normal. Most reptiles I have ever had showed the same type of behavior. They loose their appetite and are very irritable.

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MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!

Do you think shedding hurts them or is just uncomfortable? I did notice she didn't want to be bothered with me last night. Most nights if I put my hand in her tank she comes over and climbs on, which she didn't do last night.

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Kelly

My pets:
Leopard Gecko ~ Ducky
Rabbit ~ Chester
Kitten ~ Lil Fang
Black Bear Hamster - Charlie
Parakeet ~ Ray
Eastern Box Turtle ~ Ollie
Hermit Crab ~ Mr. Crabs
Teddy Bear Hamster ~ Poppy RIP 7/12/07

I suspect that the shedding makes them uncomfortable. This is probably what causes them to pick at the skin to remove it in the first place.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Hello,

I would also say it bothers them. Think about a sunburn. Have you ever had one peel after it started healing? That is awfully itchy and uncomfortable to me!

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Many of my Crested Geckos have this same complex. I've also noted it in my Blue tongue skink, as well as various types of snake. Seems to plague alot of them, especially those that eat their sheds (like most geckos).

Do Leopard Geckos eat sluffs?

yes Leopard Geckos eat their sheds. and if you happen to catch it, its really cool to watch!

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yes i am a she ^_^

~My Babies~

1 Rosy Boa (male) Chaos
1 Snow Corn (male) Blizzard
1 Anertherystic Corn (male) Bullet
1 Senegal Parrot (male) Shadow
2 dogs (male) Spot and Bear

none of my frogs want to eat or do anything when they are shedding. Its just how they are and I call it normal.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

My tokay gecko did that to and I also notice that they prefer to get closer to the place were the heat is located like the heating lamp

"I tried to feed her last night and she wouldn't eat. Is this normal?"

-Sounds completely normal to me. my Leo does that sometimes too.

"Do you think shedding hurts them or is just uncomfortable?"

- I doubt that shedding hurts them. The skin is meant to come off (be shed) when the reptile is growing. Since all reptiles have scales, which are not the most stretchy, they cannot be expanded when the reptile is growing. This results in a shed or sluff (I think "slough" is another spelling).

"yes leopard geckos eat their sheds. and if you happen to catch it, its really cool to watch!"

-By strange coincidence, I caught my Leo eating his shed while I wrote this post. Weird.

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Grammostola rosea 0.1.0
Pandinus imperator 2.0.0
Lampropeltis getula nigrita 0.1.0
Uromastyx maliensis 0.1.0
Rhacodactylus ciliatus 2.2.2
Uroplatus henkeli 0.0.1
Eublepharis macularius 1.0.0