Leopard gecko not eating and suffering from eye problems

Question

I don't know how old my leopard gecko is, but I've had him for a few years. He used to eat fine, but I would always have a bit of trouble getting him to eat... it got worse and worse. I didn't have a proper shed hideout for him, and he would always have shed on his toes. Then, my dad dropped the gecko house on my gecko. It landed on his tail, it got black and infected, but we went to the vet and got the medicine.

Eventually, the black part of the tail fell off (yay!) but he has had serious problems eating ever since. He does not want to eat. Ever. I haven't fed him in months, because he acts as if he can't see the food. Now, he gets shed stuck in his eye, causing mucus, and I have gotten it out of his eye successfully a couple times, but it gets harder each time... and I am constantly afraid that I am damaging his real eye instead of the "mucus eye". I use tweezers to get the mucus out, which seems to be damaging. I am very worried. The mucus removal has gotten more difficult and less successful each time. It seems that even after I get it out, it comes back. He also squints his eyes a lot and never opens them. He may be too sensitive to the light, as he is albino. This past time when I got the mucus out, his eye began to bleed.

Now I am very worried. I know he is dying (his tail is very thin, but still has a bit of fat) but how long does he have to live? Is it worth it to go the vet? What should I do?

Answer 1

If you already knew that he needs a shedding hideout and had problems shedding for a long time, why haven't you given him a suitable place to shed already? The way you describe his behavior, it seems he is not happy the way he lives.

First of all, make sure his enclosure is well-suited for leopard geckos. Check that all parameters are accounted for, like

• different temperature zones
• humidity
• clean substrate (no mold or anything)
• the type and intensity of light

Here are some questions that hopefully help you adapting his enclosure to his needs:

• How do I keep my leopard gecko cage warm?
• Should I get my leopard gecko a substrate?
• Leopard Gecko Health Issues

As for the feeding, many people feed the wrong type of food. Please see these questions for more details:

• What types of food and vitamins are appropriate for a leopard gecko?
• Gecko won't eat

And for shedding problems, see this question: My leopard gecko sometimes has trouble shedding. How can I help?

To read more about leopard geckos and the common problems our users have, have a look at existing questions and their answers.

The squinting is a clear sign that he doesn't feel well. He could either be very sick, or trying to avoid you because you cause him pain every time you remove his mucus and stuck skin.

I'd say with all the problems you describe, you need to get him checked up by a vet. Even if you give him the perfect enclosure and the perfect food, he might need some medical help to get better. It's also worth testing for parasites.

I honestly cannot know if or when your gecko is going to die. But it sounds like if you don't go the vet with him, it won't be too long...

Answer 2

Update: I gave him a shed hide a few weeks ago, I just forgot to mention that in the post. I will look at the resources you gave me, thank you very much. I am going to try some different food and take him to the vet. We took him before but the vet said it was "normal" for the geckos to refuse food for even months, but I will go again, get him checked for parasites, and such. Sorry I have to respond in an Answer, it won't let me comment. But I promise that now I will use better methods to get the shed off his toes and I will use q-tip and saline to get the mucus out of his eyes. I will give him a light that is less intense, and I will make sure his shed hide is clean and humid. I also read that you can give geckos a revitalizing drink, and I will try that. Thank you for your help!