About eyes...

[Alex G]

Just read the "Underdeveloped eye" threads and wanted to add... I only support this if the animal in question is eating, pooping, shedding, and moving normally save for a lack of eyes. Obviously if the gecko has ANY difficulty with these basic things, it needs to be put out of it's misery. I once debated for a month about putting down a beautiful coral snow cornsnake because she refused to eat every other week, never was able to shed without my help, and often had abnormal poo. She also once had mouth rot and never quite healed from it. I fought with myself for so long about doing the deed, and one day I checked on her and found she'd made my decision for me. I found her face down in her water dish, a slow and no doubt awful death, rather than the peaceful one I had debated giving her. Please don't let this be your animal; if it appears to be having difficulty in any way, even though it's hard, just put it down.

 

[UnicornSpirit]

I've seen on nature programs where snakes become blinded trying to steal bird eggs (momma seagull would defend the nest and peck it's eyes out). The snakes heal up fine and then continue to hunt for eggs (though a bit slower) using just their sense of smell.

Of course, leos are different and I feel that they do use their eyesight a lot with prey movement being a big factor.

 

[Jordan]

i think i agree with both sides here.
its a lovely thing that your doing for this gecko and i suppose your right, it should be cared for a treated.
but whoever this breeder you got it from is, then theyve made some terrible mess up releasing this out.

i think its pretty much been said, but any signs of this gecko not being normal or living a normal life then something has to be done.
and i know it sounds cruel and harsh but, a deformed gecko cant be compared to a deformed child.

if geckos were the same as humans they wouldnt breed with their mummys and daddys or eat their young when caged together.
its the harsh truth of it.

but its your choice if you feel you can ake this gecko happy.

 

[little98dime]

The birth defect may or may not have been genetic (IE: Fluctuating incubation temps), but either way, I have to agree that as cold and heartless as it may sound to some, culling actually saves the animal from living a hard life. Imagine how hard it would be to have to learn to live like that. Now, take into account, the leo can't understand what you are saying. Next the leo will ALWAYS be jumpy and in fact, may drop its tail EXTREMELY easily as a result of not knowing what is grabbing/touching it. This, as we can only imagine, is very painful. At least in my eyes it would be.

My advice, let the breeder do what he should have done the moment he saw the leo, and that is to cull the animal. I know that inevitably, I will have a deformed hatchling. Which is why I have taken the needed (all be it morbid) steps to make a CO2 chamber. It is painless when done slowly. Like falling asleep and just not waking up.

 

[roger]

Sorry the animal needs to be culled.I agree with so many others.