My leopard gecko suddenly seems blind and terrified. What's happening?

Hi there. It sounds like Aang could have the beginning of a Vitamin A deficiency. If you are feeding the same feeder insect all the time (crickets and mealworms only) you are at risk of causing hypovitaminosis A. Not only do you have to vary the types of insects you are feeding her, you also have to preload or dust the insects with Vitamin A before you feed them to Aang. This is a product you would want to get: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=31924 Follow the feeding instructions on the bottle. Double check all your husbandry. You didn't mention the temperature in the cage or the lighting. You need to make sure this is correct. This article should help: https://www.thespruce.com/leopard-geckos-1236911 Best wishes to you. Hope this was helpful! Dr. Amber

Thanks for reaching out about Spyro and including photos. A common malady in insectivorous lizards is abnormal shedding and secondary infections around the eyes, usually related to low vitamin A in the diet. Insects need to be varied and gut loaded with green and yellow/orange/red vegetables (a source of vitamin A). A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. An injection of vitamin A, irrigating the eye area withy sterile saline and topical medications can help. If the cornea becomes dry, the eye could be lost. Good luck.

He may have a retained eye cap which could be the cause of those symptoms. Check temps in the cage. Low temps may affect appetite and activity in reptiles. Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 15-20 minutes. This will provide warmth and may treat or prevent minor dehydration. It may also help is he has any residual shed. You can also massage his abdomen, front to back, during the soak to stimulate defecation. I see you use sand as a substrate, so an impaction is always a concern. Pick up some Fluker's Repta Boost or Oxbow Carnivore Care from the local pet store. This is a better option than baby food. If he doesn't start eating in the next few days or if the eye does not improve, have him seen by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles.

Have him examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet. Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites. This will all give you a better idea of his health status. Barring any major illness or injury, he could be rehabbed and live a "normal" life. Set him up in an appropriate enclosure with correct parameters. Offer appropriately sized and gut loaded prey as well as some Fluker's Repti-Boost. Soak in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte daily for 20-30 minutes to maintain hydration. It may take time, but with a healthy diet, proper environment and some care, he could recover.

Thanks for reaching out about Draco and including a photo. Vitamin A deficiencies are common in geckos and can lead to secondary opportunistic ocular infections. Insects need to be properly gut loaded to provide a more appropriate diet than plain crickets or mealworms can provide. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide ophthalmic antibiotics and a possible vitamin A injection. Continue to clean with moistened soft towel but this is not a cure. There are other possibilities such as a scratched cornea or other trauma. Good luck.

Thanks for your question about Leo lela, and I am sorry that this is happening to you both! Typically leopard geckos should shed all of their skin in a short period of time, and they often eat it so owners may not realize they have shed at all. When we see shed sticking around, like in Leo lela's case, we begin to worry about dysecdysis (retained shed). This is common when there are imperfections in the husbandry that is provided. Most frequently, there is not enough humidity present. For leopard geckos, we recommend having a humid hide available for them that is lined with moist sphagnum moss. It is recommended to have a humid hide on the warm end of the enclosure as well as the cool end to provide your gecko with options regarding humidity. As far as him being lighter - I am not sure if you mean lighter in color, which may be associated with the shedding, or lighter in weight. If you mean lighter in weight, then I would be concerned that he has an underlying issue occurring. To help him with shedding, you can soak Leo lela once daily in 85-90F water. This will also help any skin around his toes, which is often hard to see, to shed as well. I would also recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian when you can. It is beneficial for reptiles to have wellness examinations, just like dogs and cats. Your veterinarian can also provide you with detailed information on husbandry that is tailored to Leo lela after his physical examination has been performed. You can look at the ARAV website to find a reptile veterinarian in your area. I hope this gives you a place to start, and I wish you the best of luck!

Keep her warm and as stress free as possible. If she continues to have seizures, she will need to be examined by your vet, an experienced herp vet or at the nearest veterinary ER. If the lameness persists or if her foot becomes swollen or bruised, she will need to have that examined as well for fractures or soft tissue injury.