Dysecdysis

Dysecdysis, more commonly called stuck shed, happens when a reptile is unable to fully remove its old skin during a shed cycle, leaving patches of dead skin stuck in place, most often around the toes, tail tip, or eye caps where the skin is thinner and more prone to sticking. Left in place, stuck shed around a toe or tail tip can restrict blood flow over time.

Low humidity during the shed cycle is the most common underlying cause, since skin that dries out before it fully separates is far more likely to tear and stick rather than come away in one piece. A humid hide, a temporary soak, or a period of higher enclosure humidity around the expected shed time can help a shed complete normally, and gently misting or offering a humid hide is generally safer than trying to peel stuck skin off by hand.

A pattern of repeated stuck sheds, rather than one occasional incident, usually points to an ongoing setup issue such as humidity that is consistently too low or a missing humid hide rather than a one-off event, and is worth addressing at the enclosure level. Forcibly pulling off stuck skin, rather than softening it first with moisture, is a common mistake that can injure the skin underneath, particularly around toes and the tail tip.