What is wrong with my leopard geckos eye?

Question

He is about 3 years old and has one eye that is pussed out and 5 times the size but you cant see its eye just the outside. The other eye is closed with a tiny bit of puss on it. I have to hold it and put the crickets in his mouth his tail is really skinny because of lack of eating I also have to help him shed. But the other gecko that he lives with is fine. I also have been shaking the crickets in protein powder.The puss on/in his eye is dry not wet almost like dead skin.

Answer 1

you should have taken him to the vet long ago if it has affected his eating for so long that he is skinny

its needs to go to the vet

Answer 2

As far as the eye goes-it most likely is from stuck shed and I would try taking a Q-tip moistened with warm water and very gently trying to remove any skin and crust to get a better look at the eye itself.

As you said it is infected and swollen, theres really no other choice than to take this guy to a vet for treatment. Please, dont wait to take him though, because if you wait to long, he'll start to no longer eat and starve to death.

As far as next time, make sure that when he sheds, he has a moist "hide-out' to go to. Making these are simple, just get a plastic container, becel, cool-whip and place a moist peice of paper towel in the bottom of it. Leave the lid on; this way, the skin will come off easier and you wont have to worry about pieces of skin getting stuck in his eye!

Answer 3

It sounds like a very serious eye infection. Remove him from any loose substrate and have him on paper towel to keep things clean. This kind of infection cannot be home remedied and a vet appointment is a must, preferably a vet that deals with reptiles. He will need the appropriate anti-biotics to make a full recovery, if remained untreated his condition could gradually get worse and the infection could become life-threatening so should be dealt with ASAP.

Answer 4

This is just TOO sad. :(

You will be very lucky if you don't lose the animal.  If the fat reserves in its tail are depleted; it's in serious trouble.   It requires immediate vet attention.  It will have to be put on antibiotics, and the vet will provide you a liquid food to force feed, and tell you how to do this, so you don't accidently drown it during feeding.

It will be a miracle if it doesn't lose the badly infected eye, if it hasn't already.  Since the other is now infected as well, immediate action is needed to prevent the animal from going completely blind.

If you have the animals on sand, I would recommend very strongly that you get them off it IMMEDIATELY.  Substrate of any kind should NOT be used on Leopard Geckos.  Leopard Geckos do not come from a sandy region.  They live on hard packed earth.

I'm posting a few links below, which have some good basic information about care, and gut loading crickets.  As with all sites, some of the information may be contraditory.  Your vet can resolve these dilemmas for you.  I would recommend that you take a peek at them, when you find time, once you get the animal medical attention.  

***Disclaimer - you will see play sand mentioned in this information, but I strongly DISAGREE with the use of play sand for Leopard geckos.  They can impact easily, and this can result in expensive vet bills and even death.

I feel your pain, and I sure hope your little guy pulls through.

I hope this has been helpful.

Answer 5

Thats very strange, Did he get sand or anything in his eye? I would take him to a vet, I know taking a gecko to a vet sounds silly but I had to do the same with mine and the vet can help.