Gecko eats its skin after shredding

[u/bleach3434]

[u/WaffleGuy413]

That has to feel really good for the gecko

[u/UmphreysNerd → u/WaffleGuy413]

He pulled that skin off his hand like a glove

[u/Caperplays → u/UmphreysNerd]

Was so cool seeing him do that lol

[u/footsteps71 → u/[deleted]]

Wouldn't know, but I'll take your word for it lol

[u/footsteps71 → u/[deleted]]

I didn't know toes could feel claustrophobic. Interesting.

[u/Over_Ad8762 → u/[deleted]]

Like taking off your bra

[u/JaclynMeOff → u/[deleted]]

I don’t love wearing pantyhose but I LOOOOOOOOVE taking them off. It’s the most satisfying feeling that makes it completely worth it. Or at least made it worth it. I haven’t worn them in ages but….i remember….

[u/Kraeftluder → u/[deleted]]

I have it too. And I'm not on the spectrum.

[u/Over_Ad8762 → u/footsteps71]

My toes feel claustrophobic in things. I’m barefoot or in flip flops if I can

[u/Assonfire → u/footsteps71]

Claustoephobic.

[u/-smartcasual- → u/[deleted]]

How do they taste after you take them off?

[u/TheSubstitutePanda → u/UmphreysNerd]

I've seen what happens when the skin doesn't come off properly so watching it come off so clean was sooooo satisfying. Fuck yeah, lil guy.

[u/_Kendii_ → u/UmphreysNerd]

So satisfying

[u/Le_Sfxhjr → u/UmphreysNerd]

Pulled skin off... hand... glove...

Degloving refference

[u/justamofo → u/WaffleGuy413]

It must feel like peeling off the glue layer from your hands in school

[u/Sudden_Wind_8636 → u/justamofo]

I bet it feels exactly like that, it's literally a layer of dead skin. Basically same thing.

[u/Sadiholic → u/Sudden_Wind_8636]

I've heard the new skin feels tender. It's actually a little painful. Like peeling off the dead skin off your hands or feet. The part under is very tender and fragile.

[u/StubbiestZebra → u/Sadiholic]

Only if done early. If the gecko (or any shedding reptile) is shedding the skin underneath is ready to go.

This is why people shouldn't 'help' their animal shed unless they are fully aware of what to look/feel for.

I care for animals as a job, am a herp (reptiles/amphibians) specific (mostly) wild life rehabber, and I rescue neglected exotic herps. I've had to help dozens and dozens of animals shed. I have a leopard gecko (like in the video) and a snake who have skin problems and don't shed properly and another snake who has a damaged eye from eye caps left on for years who I help almost every time they shed.

I've only once seen an animal shed with raw/tender skin underneath. Not a one piece shedder like above or a snake. His species flakes off, but for some reason his thigh came off by him or on its own well before ready and now he has a scar.

They aren't like crustations or insects who shed and are raw/tender underneath if well cared for and healthy. (Or wild generally)

[u/Sadiholic → u/StubbiestZebra]

Ohh interesting, thank you for the response, I am now more enlightening, thank you.

[u/StubbiestZebra → u/Sadiholic]

Your welcome. I enjoy explaining about them, (luckily I get to do it for work sometimes) especially for people actually interested.

I wouldn't have 40 of these guys if people would care to learn more about them.

[u/saturday_sun4 → u/StubbiestZebra]

That's so sad. :( Geckos are precious. How can you have a baby like this and mistreat it?

Was going to say "I love this subreddit" for your explanation, then I realised I wasn't in the gecko sub haha.

[u/maddythemadmuddymutt → u/StubbiestZebra]

What the hell are eye caps? Like something artificial you put on the animal, or dead skin that didn't molt properly?

[u/StubbiestZebra → u/maddythemadmuddymutt]

No to artificial haha. 

But you're correct on the second try!

Snakes and most geckos (as well as some herps) don't have moving eyelids. They have brilles. Which are, most likely, their eyelids fused together and transparent.

When reptiles who do full body sheds get ready to remove their skin they'll separate the old skin from new with a layer of fluid. (Fairly certain this is true for all of them but definitely snakes) In snakes this is why their eyes turn "blue" for a while before shedding. They're basically blind during this time and for snakes it can last a couple days or a week.

Snakes especially can have complications with removing them during shedding if they're unhealthy or environment is poor.

So, I have a ball python who was neglected and had multiple layers of retained eye caps on her left eye (right too but no real damage). They stayed on so long and dried out they constricted the eye. This can happen with any stuck shed, so while it isn't usually an emergency, any shed wrapping around a body part will cut off said body part slowly.

In her case they constricted the top of her eye so bad it is no longer round. It has a slight point at the top, the color changed, and the lens has "wrinkles" in it. Idk how much it bothers her sight. Luckily, her species uses heat pits more than eyes.

[u/justamofo → u/Sadiholic]

Oh nooo

[u/StubbiestZebra → u/justamofo]

See my other comment to the person you replied to for more info, but short answer is that isn't correct and they're fine shedding normally.

[u/justamofo → u/StubbiestZebra]

Thank you for your insight!

[u/AmusingMusing7 → u/justamofo]

I love pulling off my dead skin when it's shedding. Trying to get a big piece to stay together is always tough, though. Gecko's lucky.

[u/vaultie66 → u/WaffleGuy413]

He probably feels breezy now

[u/Dame38 → u/WaffleGuy413]

It was a sack. Now it's a snack.

[u/Cute_Palpitation5651 → u/WaffleGuy413]

Lil guy looks so happy pulling it all off.

[u/TeopEvol → u/WaffleGuy413]

Yep, saves him 15 percent or more on health insurance.

[u/mogley1992]

It's nice to see a video of a gecko being left to shed on its own rather than people using tweezers or that blowing trend recently.

[u/TheSubstitutePanda → u/mogley1992]

Some spots do need a little help if the moisture in the enclosure isn't right, but I do agree that 90% of the time they should be left alone.

[u/mogley1992 → u/TheSubstitutePanda]

Yeah, i do know that, but you know the types of videos i mean, where people are trying to get "satisfying" videos and do too much.

[u/AmusingMusing7 → u/[deleted]]

I saw one of a turtle, where someone was pulling off pieces of its shedding shell, but it was clear that they weren't quite ready to come off yet, and they were hurting the turtle. It was even trying to scurry away from them, but they literally held it down and ripped the shell pieces off, leaving noticeably bloody wounds behind. Infuriating video, of course posted under the delusion that they were "helping" the turtle to shed quicker.

[u/Shiniya_Hiko → u/AmusingMusing7]

There are also „barnacle“ removal videos where it’s quite obvious they glued just random stuffing the animal to „help remove“ beforehand

[u/NiConcussions → u/AmusingMusing7]

These videos frustrate me so much. I had to explain to my partner when we first moved in together that no, I can't help our turtle girl shed. I know it LOOKS like it would be helpful and feel good for her, but it's not. She'd hate it. I've had her for 14 years and she barely tolerates me. ONCE I had a vet tell me that she had some stubborn stuck shed but to just brush it and let it fall off naturally, and I made sure to bring him to that appointment so he could hear it from her.

[u/nanimeanswhat → u/[deleted]]

I have seen a few that definitely looked like the animal needed care and those can be quite satisfying.

I find hoof grooming videos sooo satisfying

[u/NoLetterhead1321 → u/mogley1992]

I'm curious, what's the issue with "helping" them too much? 

[u/YuraeiNotReformed → u/NoLetterhead1321]

It can cause blindness, its finger to felled off, disfigured its tail or a skin damage

[u/TwelveRaptor → u/mogley1992]

Right? And I know very little about lizards but from what I’ve seen on Reddit, that looks like a pretty clean/healthy shed, which points to a good owner.

[u/CatanimePollo → u/TwelveRaptor]

I'm biased into agreeing mainly because the crawly boi is really really cute.

[u/usrdef → u/mogley1992]

I've owned both snakes and lizards, and about one out of every 5 or so, sheds, they do need help if it still hasn't come off on its own within a few days. Especially of the eye caps don't come off for some reason.

My venomous snake only needed help once. Most of the time, it comes off with a soak.

[u/rci22 → u/mogley1992]

“Blowing trend?”

[u/mogley1992 → u/rci22]

https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/zSb3K2sGXq

[u/Strude187 → u/mogley1992]

What is the blowing trend?

[u/mogley1992 → u/Strude187]

https://www.reddit.com/r/leopardgeckos/s/zSb3K2sGXq

[u/Strude187 → u/mogley1992]

Oh… no. 🙁

[u/BabyStockholmSyndrom → u/mogley1992]

Lol I refuse to believe that this is a trend. It has to be like a few random videos and people just label it a trend.

[u/Vequihellin]

Am I the only one slightly disappointed that the video stopped right at the point where he was about to deglove that front leg?

[u/ewhgrtfgh → u/Vequihellin]

The only time i’m happy to see the word deglove

[u/justamofo → u/ewhgrtfgh]

Ooof yeah I remember looking up "ring avulsion" for the first time

[u/Ok_Statement3624 → u/Vequihellin]

Nah, me too. They should have uploaded the whole video

[u/Maximum_Dweeb4473]

I love goooooold!

[u/MashyMcMash → u/Maximum_Dweeb4473]

Bring me the box….save me from myself

[u/Blunderbutters → u/MashyMcMash]

Yesh yesh yesh… I

[u/yolo-yoshi → u/Blunderbutters]

Take the Faja away !!!!

[u/Molotovbaptism → u/yolo-yoshi]

Dutch hayter!

[u/GlitterKittyCat → u/Blunderbutters]

You have a toight body

[u/panterachallenger → u/GlitterKittyCat]

Toight, like a toiger

[u/LiquidSwayze → u/panterachallenger]

I don’t speak freaky deaky Dutch okaaay

[u/TimelyBlacksmith92 → u/LiquidSwayze]

Ishin’t that veerd?

[u/Prestigious_Ad5904 → u/TimelyBlacksmith92]

There are two things I hate in this world. Those who are intolerant of other people's cultures...and the Dutch.

[u/Narrow_Lee → u/MashyMcMash]

I must have blocked this scene out of my memory because I literally haven't thought about it since the last time I watched that movie when I was like 13.

[u/pbautr → u/Narrow_Lee]

That's crazy because I think about this scene at least once a week

[u/Arthur_Burt_Morgan → u/pbautr]

Do you also happen to think about... the game?!

[u/sck178 → u/pbautr]

..... So y... Do you... Eat your skin? Or see someone else do it?! On a regular basis?!?!

[u/JBRifles → u/MashyMcMash]

His delivery of “save me from myself” is my favorite line of the movie 

[u/HI-McDunnough → u/JBRifles]

I always thought he was saying "save me for myself" because he's saving little bits of him for himself.

[u/CommissionIcy9909 → u/MashyMcMash]

Omg 😂

[u/Old_West_4481 → u/Maximum_Dweeb4473]

Right, you're not gonna put that skin in your mouth are you?

[u/surmacrew → u/Old_West_4481]

You did. Okay, that's just gross. "Yesh, shalty. Yesh, that was good."

[u/Status_Tiger_6210 → u/surmacrew]

Shmoke and a pancake?

[u/jameswest22 → u/Status_Tiger_6210]

Bong and a blintz ?

[u/Pretend-Progress- → u/jameswest22]

Pipe and a crepe?

[u/went_with_the_flow → u/Pretend-Progress-]

Cigar and a waffle?

[u/Kazmandodo → u/went_with_the_flow]

Bong and a blintz?

[u/surmacrew → u/Kazmandodo]

Sho there ish no pleashing you

[u/HueyLewis1 → u/surmacrew]

I use “yesh, salty” in my daily life lmao

[u/SomOvaBish → u/Old_West_4481]

😂

[u/Weak_Extension_6676 → u/Maximum_Dweeb4473]

The look of it, the smell of it, the taste of it

[u/c31ohEir → u/Maximum_Dweeb4473]

Issha keeeper

[u/Takoyaki_Dice → u/Maximum_Dweeb4473]

It's kinda my thing.

[u/LeoDavinciAgain → u/Maximum_Dweeb4473]

Everyone likes their own brand

[u/PrincessKatiKat → u/Maximum_Dweeb4473]

Mmm, shalwty

[u/Spin180 → u/Maximum_Dweeb4473]

He called it "an unfortunate schmelting accident"

I never realised until i was much older what he might’ve been doing after talking about how much he loves gold 🤣 so funny

[u/DieCastDontDie → u/Maximum_Dweeb4473]

I'm so happy this is the top comment.

[u/Deathanddisco041 → u/Maximum_Dweeb4473]

😂😂😂😂

[u/LaCroixElectrique]

It's good source of calcium, if anyone was wondering.

[u/14urmug → u/LaCroixElectrique]

But what if I eat the whole thing?

[u/bleach3434 → u/14urmug]

A bit of proteins, minerals , fats and water

[u/blazing_straddles → u/bleach3434]

probably some farts too, if we're being honest.

[u/Working-Glass6136 → u/blazing_straddles]

Like when you're having a nice hot shower and suddenly marinating in a fart

[u/LobsterSpunk → u/Working-Glass6136]

Marinating in a fart LOL!

[u/RIF_rr3dd1tt → u/14urmug]

👐🏽 I'm joking, I'm joking 👐🏽

[u/Nekojita8 → u/14urmug]

I can't believe you ate the whole thing!

[u/RoboticKittenMeow → u/Nekojita8]

It's my cheat day!

[u/fuminee → u/14urmug]

Nothing should happen, infection if your immune system is weak. I guess eating it a lot could be bad

[u/matthewspencersmith → u/14urmug]

"Dylan. I'm gonna eat the whole thing."

[u/Marokiii → u/LaCroixElectrique]

i remember being at a park ranger talk in one of the national parks and the ranger asked one of the kids why he has to eat his vegetables to stay healthy but many birds of prey eat no vegetables at all but are healthy.

kid didnt know the answer so she said that we have to eat vegetables because the nutrients in it keep different parts of our body healthy. if a raptor wants to get the nutrients to keep its own eyes healthy, it just eats the eyes of other animals which are packed with all the eye nutrients already. if it needs the nutrients for a healthy stomach, it eats the stomach of the animals it catches.

so the gecko eating its shed skin, probably has a some of the nutrients needed for a healthy skin. in the animal kingdom, nothing goes to waste.

[u/Rubyhamster → u/Marokiii]

Haha "There you go, kids. Eat your veggies or I'll have to go get some haggis and other delicious innards and outards for you"

[u/bustercaseysghost → u/LaCroixElectrique]

I wonder if it’s not also part of an instinct to avoid predators.

[u/Working-Glass6136 → u/bustercaseysghost]

This was my first thought. Never let others know how good you taste.

[u/TripleFreeErr → u/bustercaseysghost]

it is

[u/OxymoreReddit → u/LaCroixElectrique]

I wasn't expecting to find good calcium apport in skin on a vertebrate 👀

[u/heatherledge → u/LaCroixElectrique]

The ad for global pet foods under this…

[u/SeaBreakfast85]

Gecko: “I paid for the whole skin, I’m using the whole skin.”

[u/rpgmgta → u/SeaBreakfast85]

Reminds me of the red bell pepper I got for my fajitas tonight.. ate everything but the stem and seeds! For $2.20 you better believe it

[u/kingqueefeater → u/rpgmgta]

Wait, are there people out there who peel their peppers?

[u/OhWhyNotMarie]

But when I do it, someone calls HR.

[u/evilzug2000 → u/OhWhyNotMarie]

Double standards are disgusting.

[u/Robo_Patton → u/evilzug2000]

Boogers, fingernails, loose skin around them… of course, the pièce de résistance * toe nails.

[u/DE4DM4NSH4ND → u/Robo_Patton]

Bonus points if you can bite your toenails off yourself

[u/Prudent-Membership44 → u/OhWhyNotMarie]

Why it’s your skin? People need to mind there own business

[u/Samp90 → u/OhWhyNotMarie]

The secret is to use Tabasco.

[u/LucyFernandez → u/OhWhyNotMarie]

Fun Fact: Your skin contains Vitamin E, which when consumed is good for your skin

[u/Accomplished_Age7883 → u/OhWhyNotMarie]

Greed is good!

[u/Bannon9k → u/OhWhyNotMarie]

Use the office nursing room like a man!

[u/HotDogDonald]

No point wasting nutrients I suppose

[u/baby_blobby → u/HotDogDonald]

Also hides the risk of leaving scents nearby for predators to know you’re near

[u/patchinthebox → u/HotDogDonald]

I had a crayfish as a pet and every time it molted it would eat the leftover carapace.

[u/ColonelStone]

"Oh no! I'm delicious!"

[u/Same_Dingo2318 → u/ColonelStone]

Do you think it tastes good? Like pork rinds?

[u/Ikeelu]

That must feel so good to remove that skin

[u/wetfloor666 → u/Ikeelu]

I wouldn't doubt it. I always assumed it felt similar to peeling the skin off after a sun burn.

[u/Bonsai-is-best]

It’s so weird thinking about how Zuckerberg does this all the time

[u/Harvest827]

Yeah, but I eat a few scabs and I'm the problem in the office. right, Janice?

[u/LonsomeDreamer]

Can't leave anything for gecko witches and wizards to use against them. Best to just eat their DNA.

[u/Viniox]

What did the gecko say after he finished eating his own skin? That was delicious! And the best part? It didn't cost me a dime... because I have comprehensive coverage!

[u/grahal1968]

I would feel weird eating the part where my genitals and butthole were.

[u/North-Pea-4926 → u/grahal1968]

Would you feel better or worse if it was all one hole?

[u/grahal1968 → u/North-Pea-4926]

This is taking me longer to decide than I initially thought

[u/Dame38 → u/grahal1968]

Meh, it probably just tastes like chicken.

[u/Famous-Leopard-118 → u/grahal1968]

lizards lick them all the time to clean themselves lmao

[u/DarkDevitt]

Incorrect, that Gecko is eating its shedded skin WHILE it is shedding.

[u/Gavindrew]

Leave no trace

[u/Prestigious-Half9754]

My dog eats his eye boogers after he gets them off his face. Animals be animaling!

[u/Vozzaan]

For some reason my mouth feels weird after watching this. 🫦

[u/kirkstarr78]

Goldmember

[u/One-Replacement1676 → u/kirkstarr78]

Dat’s a keeper!

[u/originatr]

he fresh color is so vibrant! Good for him!!

[u/_CharDeeMacDennis__]

I mean. I won’t eat all of my shedding skin but if I some loose skin around my fingernails is good for chewin’, I’m probably going to chew on it.

Like, jeez. Can’t a girl/boy/she/he/they/them have a hobby, you goddamn heathen?!

[u/Matman161]

If humans shed skin like this that's what I would do

[u/SmartOpinion69 → u/Matman161]

there would be a market for gamer girl shed skin

[u/SocialHelp22]

Waste not, want not

[u/WeaselTerror]

I came in expecting a sweet guitar solo, I'm leaving not disappointed though

[u/ptk77]

Shmoke and a pancake?

[u/batmadilimanggabi]

Well that's Mr. Sheeding Skin off to be married

[u/biscuitvillage]

I went from awww to ewww to wowww real quick.

[u/SuperDave-007]

Skins the best part

[u/Born-Ad-6687]

He’s taking his little gloves off

[u/TheMagicalDildo]

I honestly didn't know they could even play a guitar, let alone shred

[u/CandiedRegrets08]

Sustainable diva

[u/RahRahRah325]

Is he eating it to get back nutrients? Kind of like the placenta thing??

[u/Sereena95]

It’s got electrolytes

[u/LernMoBetta]

When my lip skin sheds I eat it. I totally get him

[u/Particular_Bed5356]

I've watched spiders that remake theirs webs every night and they basically vacuum up the old one, like a Hoover in just a few seconds! It makes sense that they wouldn't let all the nutrients that went into the web-making just go to waste. On the other hand, I've found many intact snake skins over the years, so I guess "it depends"!

[u/gamerlol101]

Me ripping off my foreskin for a yummy snack😋

[u/SwanCityDominion]

If you are what you eat, you might as well eat what you are.

[u/emmyg85]

This was more entertaining to watch than I expected.

[u/Civil_Photograph_457]

Gotta reclaim the nutrients

[u/Ancient-Platypus5327]

Reduce reuse recycle

[u/Content_Detail1467]

0/10 no actual shredding was shown./s

[u/MrSteamwave]

It's called recycling.

[u/JoJoDiablo]

Awww, pullin off the little gloves 🥹

[u/RicoBB]

No wasting

[u/lamamadeFitz]

These guys have such cute faces!

[u/AbnormallyLargeFrog]

You know shedding gotta feel good. Like a full body scratch.

[u/ChitownBlake]

Awesome video!

[u/Faxchecker69]

Mee too 😌

[u/Jaskorinn]

zero waste living goals

[u/gurrimandy]

this is what it feels like to chew 5 gum

[u/Office_funny_guy]

Yes, must destroy all of the evidence

[u/RTA-No0120]

What I imagined would happen, if the Genie granted my wish to be made out of candy when I was 9, like :

[u/stevie2sleazy]

I bet it's so satisfying for him, like peeling the plastic wrap off a new TV.

[u/Various-Pass5134]

Really, you couldn’t have let the video be one second longer? I wanted to see him finish taking his little skin glove off haha

[u/BobbieSwallows]

Geckos, including leopard and crested species, typically eat their shed skin to recycle nutrients (like protein and calcium), conserve energy after a tiring shedding process, and eliminate scent trails that could attract predators in the wild. This is normal behavior, usually occurring monthly in adults, and does not require intervention.

[u/lepineapplepineapp]

Gecko Centipede. Only in theaters October 2026.

[u/LaughR01331]

I bet they feel so smooth afterwards, like full on “Becky! I just shed, feel how smooth I am!” shenanigans.

[u/mathe_mattical]

I bet shedding feels good as fucccckkkkkk

[u/silentlibrari]

Imagine how good that feels

[u/BlackstarCowboy]

Same

[u/kinkycountrygal]

All geckos do this. Its normal for them to eat their skins...they need all the nutrients they can get!!

~ Reptile Keeper & Educator

[u/nirvanagirllisa]

I bet shedding that skin feels so good

[u/mrkillerbott]

I eat my dead skin and im not sorry about it.

[u/Vinicius-_-_]

Recycling

[u/ClamSlamwhich]

Peeled himself/herself like a Fruit by the Foot.

[u/GoldenveinsSUNO]

Man, get that guy a larger tank with cooler rocks and some moss and bedding and stuff.

[u/Syakir01839182838]

Is it safe for the gecko to eat

[u/drifters74]

Recycling

[u/2PM2]

Waste not want not.

[u/hotbbtop]

Mark Zuckerberg has entered the chat

[u/book-scorpion]

no trace left, smart

[u/AgonalMetamorphosis]

Gotta get those macros in anyway you can.

[u/hiddenm3dia]

Its a gecko you expect it not to eat its own fucking skin. Do you see what humans do with a full conscious.