What are white spots on my leopard gecko's ears? She's itching!

Thanks for your question about Trinity, and thanks for the photos- they are very helpful. For the spot on the nose - you can try soaking, and also use a wet q-tip and gently roll it over the spot to encourage the shed to come off. If it comes off, evaluate the skin underneath closely for any abnormalities. The spot on the back is concerning, as it doesn’t look raised like a shed. You can monitor the area for changes, or you can take her to a veterinarian to take a closer look. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It may be a bacterial or fungal infection. A mass or foreign body are also possibilities. Have her examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet. Without a diagnosis, treatment of any kind would not be recommended. Cage temps can range from room temperature to the mid 80s F. A basking spot of 90 F is recommended. High humidity can promote bacterial growth or respiratory infection. Ideally, it should range between 20-40%.

Thank you for your question about Loki, and thank you for the photos - they are very helpful! From what I can see in the photos, I think that you are asking about the large white area that extends from the eyes forward to around his nose and down along his mouth. This looks like areas of retained shed on top of new skin. Difficulty shedding, or dysecdysis, is often the result of imperfections in the husbandry. I would recommend starting with soaking Loki in 85-90 F water once daily for 15-20 minutes. While in the bath, you can wet a paper towel or cloth and get the areas of retained shed wet. Use caution around his eyes and nose, however, as we don't want him to feel uncomfortable or panicked. I would also suggest evaluating the husbandry and diet closely. You can consult an online care sheet, such as anapsid.org or Reptiles Magazine, and see if there are any areas that you may need to make adjustments. Common areas that require adjustment include lighting (UV lights need to be changed every 4-6 months), temperatures, and humidity/hydration/water. I would also recommend taking Loki into a veterinarian at some point for a wellness examination. Your veterinarian can make recommendations that are tailored to Loki after his physical exam has been performed. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). I would recommend to monitor it for the moment to see if it spreads or resolve at all. Should it deteriorate (bigger, more spots or swollen), a check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) may be needed to solve the problem. In the meantime you can swab the infected area with a diluted povidone-iodine solution twice daily.

The area in question may be local irritation or infection. Monitor it for resolution or spread. It will likely disappear at the next shedding. If it gets worse or if Peaches develops lethargy or decreased appetite, then have her examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose injury or infection.

Thanks for reaching out about Firkle and including a photo. Vitamin A deficiencies are commonly involved with ocular changes. The deficiency can lead to changes in skin cells (cornea, toes, etc) that affect shedding and can lead to secondary infections. Besides improving the diet, the eyes should be cleaned out during a veterinary visit, and antibiotics prescribed. Warm water soaks can help with the toes to soften the skin, and gently remove. Good luck.

I don't know if you tried posting a photo with your question but it did not come through. I apologize but we are having a glitch in the system. I will do my best to help you despite not having a photo. What you are describing sounds like red mites. My best recommendation is to get him to a reptile vet for treatment. You will also need to thoroughly clean the enclosure. You can certainly try home treatment first and if it doesn't work you will need to take him to the vet. Please refer to this link on how to go about treating Zeke and the enclosure. http://www.anapsid.org/mites.html Hope this helps. Best wishes.