Why has my leopard gecko turned white?

Why has my leopard gecko turned white?

You have probably come to this page worrying because your colourful leopard gecko suddenly looks very ill and ghost-like.

But please don’t fear – this is perfectly normal and it is just a sign that your leopard gecko is about to shed its skin.

As the gecko approaches shedding time, their top layer of skin will slowly loosen, getting ready to come away from the newly-formed skin beneath. Your gecko may take on a more dusty-looking appearance maybe a day or two before a shed, and then will turn very white immediately before the shed.

Here is a photo of my gecko looking her bright and normal self with very dark spots, a little bit dusty a few days before a shed with slightly more pale dots (you have to look closely), and then very white a few hours before shedding.

When your leopard gecko sheds, he or she will pull the skin off their body and then eat it. They will not need your help during this period (please don’t pull off their skin!) and will probably seek the privacy and safety of one of their hides (usually their moist hide).

The best thing you can do is make sure they have the best possible shedding environment; make sure their enclosure is humid enough (a quick spray of water will do), and make sure their moist hide is suitably damp.

This will mean their skin is more supple and easy to pull off- insufficient moisture is the main cause for a gecko having shedding problems.

See: Why is my leopard gecko having shedding problems?

Afterwards make sure there is no shed stuck on their body (you may need to help them remove it IF they can’t do it themselves).

See: How to remove stuck shed from a leopard gecko


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