My Leapord Gecko has shed on his eyes, and can't see the crickets. Help?

Question

So my boyfriend got a leapord gecko a while back, and I noticed recentally that she's getting really skinny and only opens one eye since the other is covered in shedding. I was wondering if there is any way to get it off so she can fully see the crickets again?

Thanks. (:

Answer 1

that happen to mined just take it to the vet be cause there eyes r very sincitve so just let the dr do it

Answer 2

hold the lizard down and pull it off gently if you wanna get it off, but its better to let the gecko rub it off by itself...dont use tweezers to hold the crickets...geckos only attack and eat crickets that are moving with speed, (walking, running , or jumping crickets) not squirming ones

Answer 3

try a light sponge thats new, wuth warm water lightly rub in one direction, down.  hold crikets with tweesers for her

Answer 4

time to take Gecko to the vet. Generally, shedding reptiles do not eat.

Answer 5

DO NOT attempt to pull off the skin!  You can seriously injure the Leo.

Using a small clear bowl w/lid (poke holes in the top of the bowl, and also the lid, to permit in air, and punch from the INside of the bowl/lid, so there is nothing sharp for the gecko to rub its nose on), or a tiny cricket carrier (plastic mini cage with vented top).  Place the gecko in, and fill the bowl/cage slowly/gently with tepid (not warm - do NOT cook her!) declorinated water to a level just even with her back as she stands (not underwater... just so it reaches the top of her back, but she isn't underwater).

Monitor her the entire time so she doesn't drown.  Use a small piece of clean paper towel, and soak it in the water.  Gently brush it over the closed lid, if she'll permit this without too much struggle.  Don't get water on/in her nostrils.  If she's not objecting too strongly to this - restroke the eye with the wet paper towel every 3-5 min. or so.  You do not want to add to her stress, so don't make her struggle.

If she hasn't been eating and drinking well; she will absorb some water through her skin.

Don't let the water get cold (either keep the bowl/cage IN the habitat at the mid point between her warm and cool end, or put a heating pad on low under 1/3 of the bowl/cage.  Don't let the water become warm to the touch, but don't let it get too cool, either.  Let her soak 15 - 20 minutes.  She SHOULD calm down after the first couple of minutes, and relax for her soaking.

Once she has soaked; the skin on the lid will either 1.) have softened, and be easy to roll off of the lid (use your finger in a VERY gentle touch, and roll top towards bottom of the eye), or 2.) remain firmly stuck/stubborn.  DO NOT TUG THE SKIN!

If the soaking fails; I would suggest that you use a gentle alcohol free and fragrance free moisturizing lotion (such as Eucerine, etc.), and lightly coat the eye area.  Return her to the habitat.  Apply the lotion morning and night, until she is able to rub the skin free/off.

BUT - if her weight has dropped seriously (she has no fat reserves in her tail - it's pencil-chopstick thin and ribbed/boney in appearance), then she is in serious trouble, and you should get her to a qualified reptile/exotics vet immediately.

I'll post a few links below which you can check out at your leisure, but please note my disclaimer: ---Though these sites list the use of play/repti sand, I STRONGLY DISAGREE with this.  The number one killer of Leos is impaction by sand or a loose substrate, which leads to costly vet bills, and even death.  Consult your reptile veterinarian for their opinion.--  Some of these links have "reptile health problem" sections.

I'll also include a basic recipe for gut loading insects:

GUT LOADING CRICKETS for REPTILES:

The number one problem:

Dried up and malnourished pet store crickets and mealworms. These food items are essentially useless. A dehydrated and unfed cricket contains almost no nutrients at all; refrigerated mealworms are even worse. A lot of the variety in nutrients found in wild insects is actually in the stomach content - usually plant material. We need to duplicate this to provide the best for our reptiles; without the risk of illness/disease/parasites which can result from feeding our pets wild insects.

Please note that wax worms, while fattening, are not nutritious.

Basic Dry/Staple Cricket Food:

Equal amounts of dry Iguana food, dry dog food, chick starter mash, oatmeal (you can add dry baby food wheat/rye/barley, etc. as well; even shredded wheat - no sugar).

Grind these items together.  Place in a small lid/bowl for the crickets to eat.  Store the unused portion in the refrigerator or freezer, until needed.

Supplement daily with one of the following: sweet potato, bananas, zucchini, oranges, carrots, strawberries, assorted squashes (acorn, yellow, etc.), grapefruit, green beans, apples, kale, spinach, cactus pads, and just about any other nutritious item you can think of (do not use white/yellow potatoes - these are starchy and only good if used as a moisture source during shipping, and NEVER use Avocado - it's poisonous to most animals).

Provide the dry food and kale at all times (kale is readily available during the winter months, too), rotating the other food items through in succession. The key is variety, and to provide an assortment of varying nutrients. What you are trying to do is offer your reptiles crickets with guts 'loaded' with fresh foodstuffs.

The crickets should be gut loaded for 1-2 days prior to offering them to your reptiles.

Also, provide fresh clean water in a lid/bowl, adding a sponge or folded paper towel to prevent drowning.

  

Don't offer more crickets than the reptile(s) will consume within: 1.) a few hours if it’s a lizard, salamander, frog/toad, or 2.) a few minutes, if it’s a water turtle, so you know the crickets will still be full of the good stuff when eaten.

The crickets should be dusted (shaken in a plastic bag gently to coat them) with vitamins (keep these refrigerated) and calcium D3 powder 2-4 times a week, depending on the age of the reptile.

Be sure to remove any uneaten crickets so that they do not soil your pet's environment/water or bother your pet, once it is full.  Crickets CAN turn the table - and feast upon your pet! Or aggravate them, causing stress and even cessation of eating.

Also be sure the crickets are the correct size for the reptile.  The cricket should be the same size long as the reptile’s head is wide.

Good luck, and I sure hope she's feeling better soon.

I hope this has been helpful.