Hi everyone. I have an 8yo crested gecko who recently has developed little stuck sheds to her eyes. Both eyes. Right seems a bit more built up.
It’s not like her to have anything but a perfect shed but I had an enclosure upgrade for her so maybe the stress and balancing humidity in the beginning brought it on.
So I’ve kept her humidity up and stable with misting day and night. Also every other day doing little saunas in a container with wet paper towel. Even after sauna with a wet qtip gently touching.
But it’s proven to be stubborn… and I don’t want to be anything but gentle with her eyes
She’s happy and eating but I’d like it off sooner rather than later as she’s had them for several weeks now.
What else can I do to safely help her?
Thank you!
Pics
I’m sure some very knowledgeable geckos folks will be along shortly.
Welcome to the family.
Personally I wouldn’t use a qtip as it could damage the eye.
Not sure what you mean by sauna but I would recommend putting the gecko in a empty clean tub, with some kitchen roll in it and spray liberally with room temperature water, it should be nicely humid but not filled with water. Then leave the crestie in it for 10-15 mins (under supervision) every day. The Crestie should lick it off on its own accord.
What humidity is the enclosure at before and after you spray?
Hope your Crestie gets better soon 
Thanks for the reply @foxreptile
When I say I used a q tip, I mean soooo gentle. Zero pressure just to see if it would move at all. Just a touch. When I saw it was stuck I did not do it again.
Yes that is EXACTLY what I mean when I say sauna haha sorry I should have specified. Container with paper towel and room temperature mist down. She hates it.
I was doing it every day for almost a week but she was getting stressed. She doesn’t like me as much as I like her unfortunately. So I’m doing like every other day now.
Humidity drops to like 45%-50% at the lowest. Bumps up to between 75%-80% after a mist. Trying to keep that a little higher now with a damp towel over the exposed screen and moistening her coconut husk substrate. Misting morning and night.
Definitely takes more attention to keep it up as I’m in Canada and it’s getting cooler here now which means drying furnace is on in the house.
How low should the lowest % be?
I thought that is what you meant by sauna, but I didn’t want to assume.
Qtips may be fine, but it’s not something I would use the eyes. Someone else might have more info on this.
I don’t believe a Crestie enclosure should reach below 60% humidity, I believe the humidity should range between 70-95%.
What is the temperature in the enclosure?
You need too up the humidity in the enclosure or the stuck shed will stay.
Enclosure looks great, is that sphagnum moss substrate? Including in the coconut (I love using coconut hides), If so it will tolerate high humidity really well. If not what substrate are you using?
Also are you using heat for the enclosure, if so what watt?
Ya I wasn’t planning on continuing to use a q tip since I would have to use pressure for it to do anything. Was hoping it was an easy one sitting there but it is stuck for sure. I definitely do not want to damage the eyes in all this.
Ok I’ll up it more by adding more water to the substrate with heavier misting! It’s mostly coconut husk with a tiny bit of sphagnum moss. I was trying to be careful to not create mold or other issues for bacteria to grow in the substrate and not letting it stay wet. She’s down in it lots at night exploring. I think she’s used her coconut hide once haha I have more moss in there and keep it moist.
Temps are about 76°f in the middle of the enclosure during the day (the height she hangs out the most at). It drops to about 72° at night. I use a 50w ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat that regulates it. Day light is a 13w UVB on a timer for on 12hrs off 12hrs.
Thanks for the replies and trying to help 
@foxreptile correction - I guess the temp reader isn’t half way up but more 2/3 the way up I’d say. Where she hangs in her favorite plant.
13w is high for UV, I use 7/8w. Can you reduce the UV by few hours? I usually have mine on for roughly 8 hours. I’ve read they only need it for 4-6 hours per day, but I don’t know how accurate that is, some people don’t use UV and offer suppliments instead. If you can reduce the UV a little, that might help with humidity too.
Hopefully the shed will come off soon and you won’t need to soak the substrate as much. I have a lay box in with some of my girls, it’s just sphagnum moss in a tub with no lid but it is a great help with humidity, maybe if you can add something like that in it might help.
I have found, if a Gecko is in the substrate area more than up top, it’s likely it wants more humidity… There are other reasons but
Ok interesting. 13 was the lowest I could find and didn’t think it was high but I could see if I could order a lower one. I could definitely reduce the time it’s on. I have tons of shade in there for her though. Tons. My live plants at the bottom aren’t doing great haha
I will add the moss box for her as well. I used to have one but she avoided it and never used it so I took it out but maybe she was in there more than I thought. Might as well offer it to her! She’s layed one slug clutch of two for me before but did it in the substrate even though she had a box at that time haha
I learned to not assume they are slugs though… as my 12yo ball python had a parthenogenesis clutch that hatched last month!! Lol
I wouldn’t say she hangs out down there all the time but I see her exploring at night. But maybe that’s why 
I’ll take your tips and hope for the best. Thank you!
Let us know how your gecko gets on. Others might have don’t suggestions to help too.
Mine don’t use the lay boxes either, but it helps with humidity
My UV lights are Arcadia jungle, yours might be okay with less time on.
Congrats on your baby ball pythons 
Humidity should be 60-80 for Cresties.
Also I’ve had this happen a few times. Infact a baby here (4 months) has it currently 
No need to worry it comes off! Usually next shed, sometimes they have have that stubborn bit 
I will update if these changes help them come off. Hopefully soon!
Thank you for taking the time to respond and help
Ya I think my humidity is dipping lower than it should in the day for her. I underestimated the new tank and it’s new location would be effected so much. It actually went up to 90% last night after I heavy misted the bedding as well. But dropped to 58% 12 hrs later. Just gave another good soak.
I’ll definitely keep closer attention to this!
Ok good to know it’s not just me and it will eventually come off haha it’s stubborn for sure!
Thank you to you and @foxreptile
I’ll be coming to this forum in the future for questions.
Always happy to offer advise, just hope it helps
Your Crestie is a cutie 
I think it will help. Makes sense to me what was wrong. Put in a moss tub today!
Thank you 
I’d have to agree but I’m biased. I’ll post good pics when her eyes are clear! This was her the day I brought her home so long ago vs chonky yesterday haha
Such a cute lil gecko I love getting Cresties from a young age and watching them as they grow
I remember getting my first Crestie at just a few centimetres long (a long time ago), when she died, I decided I wanted more, I only meant a couple more… Now I have 13 & I’m hoping to breed since next year they are addictive
I could talk Cresties all day long
Super happy that you got great information here and these great folks are able to help. Told you this is the place for it!!
She’s a beautiful extreme
They’re addictive so beware! You start off with one cute little bean, they grow up big and chunky, they get you hooked, then next thing you have 25 Cresties (adults), 26 hatchlings, 23 eggs and females still laying and eggs in the vivs you need to collect.
I love each and everyone one, enjoy watching them grow
Then again, how can you not get another looking at her! She’s so cute 🥲🥰
It’s amazing how chunky she is compared to how tiny she was. I love having her and watching her grow too.
I’d love to have 13 haha I bet they are so fun and rewarding to breed. I’ll have to check some of yours out!