Leopard Gecko walking around cage with eyes closed!! New Owner, very worried!!

[Gecko2D]

I just got a 2 year old male leopard gecko on the 17th. I got him from someone who could no longer care for him, they told me he is very sweet, friendly, and loves being handled. I have not yet gotten the chance to see this side of him, he has been hiding in his new hide the whole time I've had him. He has not eaten, I haven't seen him drink. He has been walking around his cage with his eyes closed, this worried me so I searched online to find it probably wasn't a good sign. I am hoping to get a clearer answer as to what it could be. I am not totally sure what morph he is, but from looking online it looks like he could be a Tremper Albino. Could his eyes be more sensitive? He has lived his whole life with a light in his tank and the lady I bought him from told me it has never bothered him. I want to begin taming him, but I can't until he can actually see my hand. He sometimes opens one eye, but they are usually both closed. I am very concerned for his health. I read online it could be shed in his eye, so I setup a moist hide for him, but he won't use it. He only stays inside the warm hide, sleeping all day. Any advice or help would be appreciated as I am new to Leopard Geckos and I am extremely worried for him. Thank you!!

 

[puppylover160]

Albinos do have sensitive eyes, perhaps you could get a heat mat instead?

 

[Gecko2D]

I am going to buy a heat mat today, but the person who had him before told me he has never done this and they have always used the light? Is there anything else I can do to help?

 

[puppylover160]

I am going to buy a heat mat today, but the person who had him before told me he has never done this and they have always used the light? Is there anything else I can do to help?

Give him or her a week, if he or she still isn't eating I'd suggest a vet

 

[Gecko2D]

Okay, I am going to buy him a heat mat in a few hours, along with calcium powder. When do you think I can begin trying to tame him? He was tame and loved being handled with his old owners but now that I have him and it's his third day being here should I be trying to tame him?

 

[puppylover160]

Yes start taming him or her now, or he or she might be harder to

 

[Gecko2D]

I have been trying to tame him, but he can't see me. His eyes stay closed when he's walking around so he can't see my hand to get used to it. What do I do? He continues to walk around with his eyes closed.

 

[mecoat]

I have been trying to tame him, but he can't see me. His eyes stay closed when he's walking around so he can't see my hand to get used to it. What do I do? He continues to walk around with his eyes closed.

Have you tried popping your hand in there when the light in the tank is turned off? Maybe just have a small lamp across the room giving some light, that way you might be able to tell if it's the light that's bothering him.

 

[Gecko2D]

Have you tried popping your hand in there when the light in the tank is turned off? Maybe just have a small lamp across the room giving some light, that way you might be able to tell if it's the light that's bothering him.

yes, I turn the lights off at 8 but even in the night he has been walking around with closed eyes. Today I left a lamp light on and left his tank light off to see if maybe the overhead light was bothering him. I just came home and he is still walking around with closed eyes. I don't know what the problem could be. With the heating mat in, he is warm and should be walking around more. But all day he pretty much stays in one corner or in his warm hide. He hasn't eaten yet, he also hasn't drank any water. I am very worried. I called the vet but they don't take in reptiles, they referred me to a vet an hour away. I'm not able to spend a lot of money on vet trips, I don't know what to do. Any advice???

 

[acpart]

Are you seeing any sign of poop or pee in the enclosure? One thing you can try is to pick him up by sliding your hand underneath him and hold him gently in one hand, making a little cave for him with the other hand. If he'll tolerate this, try getting a drop of water on your finger and putting it on one of his eyes. This usually causes the gecko to open the eye. Then you can take a look to see if there is anything in the eye, or if it's crusty or infected looking. That also may help him keep the eye open.

Aliza

 

[stefanoandvincent]

My leopard gecko was recently keeping her eyes shut at all times due to stuck shed. They won't eat if they can't see anything. When I took her to the vet, they told me to start off by putting her in a plastic container (Tupperware) with a paper towel on the bottom and enough water to come up to her belly, then put the lid on but leave one corner off for air. That way she was still at least getting hydrated and the humidity would help loosen her eyes open. The vet ended up pulling some of the gunk out of her eyes and then gave me an ointment to put on her eyes twice a day. I did that for about a week and now she's back to normal! He said that she wasn't actively keeping her eyes shut, but they were actually getting stuck shut from the swelling due to the obstruction and irritation. Definitely try the plastic container. Maybe it'll help. If not, you'll probably have to make a trip to the vet because conjunctivitis won't just go away if there's still something causing that irritation.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

My leopard gecko was recently keeping her eyes shut at all times due to stuck shed. They won't eat if they can't see anything. When I took her to the vet, they told me to start off by putting her in a plastic container (Tupperware) with a paper towel on the bottom and enough water to come up to her belly, then put the lid on but leave one corner off for air. That way she was still at least getting hydrated and the humidity would help loosen her eyes open. The vet ended up pulling some of the gunk out of her eyes and then gave me an ointment to put on her eyes twice a day. I did that for about a week and now she's back to normal! He said that she wasn't actively keeping her eyes shut, but they were actually getting stuck shut from the swelling due to the obstruction and irritation. Definitely try the plastic container. Maybe it'll help. If not, you'll probably have to make a trip to the vet because conjunctivitis won't just go away if there's still something causing that irritation.

:cheer: Thanks for sharing. I'm glad your leo is eating again.



Gecko2D ~

Poke some holes in the plastic box for ventilation during the soak instead of leaving the box's corner ajar.

• Mist the insides of the box.
• Place the box with the leo on top of the heat mat or underneath overhead lighting. That helps to increase the humidity.
• Monitor your leo at all times.

You mention calcium powder. What supplements have you now?

 

[Gecko2D]

Our vet said to try saline for his eyes, he now has one eye open! The other eye is starting to open too! He is getting better, I am still trying to get him to eat, but he lets me pick him up and hold/pet him now! I am so beyond happy!! I have still not decided on a name yet, but he is getting better. If the other eye does not get better, and he does not eat we will be going to the vet.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Our vet said to try saline for his eyes, he now has one eye open! The other eye is starting to open too! He is getting better, I am still trying to get him to eat, but he lets me pick him up and hold/pet him now! I am so beyond happy!! I have still not decided on a name yet, but he is getting better. If the other eye does not get better, and he does not eat we will be going to the vet.

Thanks for sharing. Improvement certainly feels great! :banana:

I ask about calcium, D3, and multivitamins, because they are necessary in small doses. Some brands are much better than others.

Some reptile multivitamins contain vitamin A acetate (retinol). Vitamin A acetate helps geckos' eyes stay healthy.

VITAMIN A:
: Promotes bone growth, teeth development.
: Helps form and maintain healthy skin, hair, mucous membranes.
: Builds body's resistance to respiratory infections.
: Essential for normal function of retina. Combines with purple pigment of retina (opsin) to form rhodopsin, which is necessary for sight in partial darkness.
: Necessary for proper testicular function, ovarian function, embryonic development, regulation of growth, differentiation of tissues.

• 19 March 2016: "The vitamin A from animal sources is called retinol, while plant source vitamin A is carotenoids, such as beta-carotene.
  
  "Animal sources of retinol are bio-available, the gecko can use it 'as is', no extra processing needed. The vitamin A from plant sources has to be converted to retinol before it can be used.
  
  "This is what the geckos have trouble with - they don't absorb beta-carotene very well, so they don't have enough to convert to the 'finished' vitamin A. Some species also seem to have trouble converting it to pre-formed vitamin A (retinol).
  
  "You can increase the beta-carotene rich content of the gutload as much as you want, but it won't benefit the geckos any. They still can't convert it properly, no matter how much you stuff into a cricket."

 

[Gecko2D]

Is it okay to have D3 in their calcium? That's the only one that was at the petstore and they said it was okay.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Is it okay to have D3 in their calcium? That's the only one that was at the petstore and they said it was okay.

Yes, BUT there's a huge range in D3 depending upon the brand. Some brands contain way too much D3. What brand did you get?

Leos also need a wee bit of multivitamins.

PS:
For instance, Rep Cal's D3 Calcium contains 38x more D3 than does Zoo Med's D3 Repti Calcium!

I like and use Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3 and Zoo Med's Reptivite multivitamins without D3.