Gecko 'assisting' shedding?

[geckomom]

Just saw this yesterday. Morrigan, one of my females, was shedding, and her "head-shed" was hanging back over her shoulder, almost like she had a hoodie on. Ciar, another female, was just standing, watching Morrigan try to rub her shed off. Ciar slowly walked up to Morrigan, and very gently grabbed the "hoodie" part of the shed, and tried to tug it off. Didn't seem to bother Morrigan at all.

Then Morrigan turned her head around, and went to grab one of her own hind feet, to get the shed, but she accidentally caught Ciar's foot! I've never seen Ciar move as fast as she did...she turned and ran into a hide! Poor Morrigan just looked around like she couldn't figure out what she did wrong....and then went back to rubbing her shed off.

Has anyone seen a gecko "help" another gecko with shedding? I know I tend to put "human" motivations on my geckos, but it was one of the cutest things I've ever seen.

Just thought I'd share :D

bobbie

[DragnDrop]

It's not uncommon to see them help each other. Wild ones probably do it more than captives. There's some nutrition in the shed skin, eating not only helps recycle, but for wild ones who have to work at getting their food it's one mouthful or two they don't have to work hard for. If you see someone else shedding, may as well grab an easy meal. (Also doesn't leave traces around for predators to find).
Some of my leos will regularly help others (eeeeewwwwww, remind me not to be reincarnated as a leo ;)

[geckomom]

I knew about the nutritional factor and the cleaning up for predators, I guess I just didn't realize that they were "smart" enough to figure someone else's shed was a free snack!

Should have realized it, tho....they are pretty smart little critters, aren't they!

That's the first time I've been lucky enough to see it, and I just thought it was so...cute. Kinda reminded me of how primates pick bugs off of each other....I know, I'm weirddddddd.

bobbie

[Dolly]

Awwwww! that sounds adorable

[LISA127]

When I had leo's, I had a female that used to help the other with her shed. It was very cute!