Blindness?

[Irwin4530]

Hello all!! I am new to geckos but have been a reptile keeper all of my life.
I have a small male leo who is about 1 year old. He came from a reputable breeder and was in perfect health until a few months ago. he began to loose weight and refuse all food, despite my attempts to vary diet. After going to a reptile show and talking to EVERY gecko person there I learned that the "calci-sand" he was living on may be to blame.

Needless to say I removed all of the substrate and put down paper towels. he has a water dish a hide and a humid hide. I began to offer repti-aide and soaks every night and he has eliminated the sand (gross!) and has begun to have normal bowel movements, but he still will not eat........he apperars to be blind!!!! sould these two be related???

at first I thought he was just not finished shedding but the eyes look cloudy and he does not flinch when I go to touch them. he does spin around to see me and continues to be happy when he is held....in fact at night he climbe into his soaking bowl and starts licking his nose (for the repti-aide) he has yet to take an insect from the feeding tongs or attempt to eat one when placed on his feet or in front of him.

I know this is A LOT OF INFO. but any advice is welcomed :0)
he is an ablino named "Loki" and I will try to get a few shots of his eyes.......SIDE NOTE: I have been trying to get a shot of his eyes but he closes them when the flash goes off....I know you can still detect light when your eyes are shut but he clamps them shut tight when the light goes off....is this a good sign?????

 

[Styx]

I don't know much about leos so these are just some theories based on general knowledge about animal/reptiles.

Sometimes infections in the body can lead to a deterioration in the lenses of the eyes (see it a lot in fish) and can cause a cloudy look. Usually it's bacterial. Sometimes it can be parasitic where the parasites have spread throughout the body and gotten into different areas.

Considering the weight loss, anorexia, and the look of his eyes I would suggest you get him to a vet. If it's an infection that has turned systemic and is causing widespread problems in his body, he will likely need medication to clear it up.

Alternatively, it could be something like cataracts not caused by disease, which animals with albinism have a greater tendency to develop. But, like I said, a vet would need to see him to figure that out.

What are his temps like, and what, if any, type of lighting do you provide?

Hopefully someone can chime in that knows more about leos with some more suggestions.

 

[Josh2]

Welcome to the site. That sounds kinda weird. Once we get a bit more info hopefully we can narrow down what it might be for you. Keep trying to get some photos! Those always help a lot!

 

[Geckomaster743]

Take him to a Vet while you still can. I regret not taking Thesus to a vet in time because i thought she was healing good, If this is an eye infection or parasite its out of your hands because you need a Prescribed medication. See if you can take photos with out a flash to try and not bother your gecko, Otherwise getting those Photos up here would be good though Loki needs an examination.

 

[Caleb C]

You shouldn't turn on flash when taking a pic with the camera, it shocks them and probably isn't good for the eyes, just bring him into a room with the lights on, and take a pic there.

 

[Irwin4530]

Thanks everyone!!
I am contacting my vet now (leaving a message) and will call again in the morning....
thank you for your input and I will deffinatly keep you posted.

TO ANSWER ?'s
I do not have any light on him because I was told leo's are nocturnal and do not need lights (is the true?)
he has a heat pad on the bottom of his tank and is graded between 70 and 90 in the tank....temps taken at the bottom of the tank.....again, IMPUT IS WELCOMED!!!

 

[Styx]

That sounds good to me, setup wise with the temps and stuff. I asked about the lights because of the link between albinism and eye problems mostly.

Hopefully you hear back from the vet soon.

 

[Caleb C]

They are nocturnal, but after many generations of breeding, and people being diurnal, they're often awake during daytime because of all the people walking around their tanks, and being fed during daytime. I have a lamp on mine that I turn on during the colder months, and it makes the tank look much nicer and brighter.