do gecko's lose sight after shedding skin?

Question

he seems to not be able to see his crickets and he was very quiet as in not moving much or interested in food, i think he's about 9 months old but not sure, we acqured him recently but know nothing about them, he is fed on crickets and i'm told he also needs meal worms, we was told to put sand in his tank but have since read this is not good for them, and i have found newspaper to have worked better for his heat mat. is this ok i would be grateful for any advice and info given, many thanks xx

he's called Eddie, as in..........Eddie Lizaaaaaaaaard lol lol he was called cilla when we first got him though lol

I'm really looking for as much infor on how to look after him as i possibly can as i like him and dont want to do him wrong lol xxxx

also today he has been "shaking" his tail at nothing in particular is this to do with aggression or is he shedding which is now finished with? and are we ok to handle him on a regular basis? and one more thing, how often do they shed their skin?

how do i know if the eye caps have shedded? i am literally a learn as i go owner due to cirumstances at the moment. i am getting confused as i am getting different info i was told (from hand book) that new paper was fine to use then the shop said use sand, i was also told by the shop to use the powder for every meal!!! i feel i am doing more wrong that right at the moment.

SAD NEWS. JUST AFTER ADDING MY LATEST DETAILS I WENT O LOOK AT "EDDIE" TO FIND HE HAD DROWNED!!!!! HIS WATER DISH WAS ONLY A JAM JAR LID (SO OBVIOUSLY NOT TOO DEEP FOR HIM) IT WAS JUST AS I WAS TYPING THE LAST DETAIL THAT I MENTIONED TO MY FRIEND HE SEEMED TO BE PICKING UP AS THE PAPER INSTEAD OF SAND WAS GIVING OFF HEAT AND HE WAS MOVING AROUND HIS TANK WHERE AS FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS HE'S BEEN QUITE LETHARGIC (DUE TO THE SHEDDING?????). POOR LITTLE MITE, THANKS FOR YOUR ADVICE I WILL TAKE IT INTO CONSIDERATION AS I THINK WE MAY ACTUALLY GET ANOTHER IN TIME.

I'M THINKING OF CONVERTING A 4FT FISH TANK INTO A NEW HOME FOR A FEW SO WILL BE STARTING FROM SCRATCH AND MAKING SURE I HAVE ALL THE FACTS FIRST, SO AGAIN, ANY TIPS WOULD BE GREAT, THANKS XX

Answer 1

No, he sight is fine. Reptiles usually lose their appetite before & after they shed.

He'll be fine, just do your daily feeding routine, he'll eat when he's hungry again.

Just be sure to take out any uneaten crickets the next evening.

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DETAILS: It's not good to use sand because it causes impaction. The thing i found works BEST is a reptile carpet. They come in a few different colors.

They are easy to clean, safe, and orderless. Also, mealworms really have NO nutritional value and are pretty fatening. They can also be tough for your Leo to digest.

Try waxworms, or silkworms. Be sure to have 2 hideboxes in your terrarium. One in the warmer area, and one in the cooler.

Also have prepared foods available to your Leos. That way, they can have something always avaiable for them to eat.
These are feasily found at a local pet store & usually connsist of fruit flies.

**Also, you will notice your Leo will hardly drink from his bowl, still, ALWAYS have fresh BOTTLED water for him everyday.

To be sure he drinks, when you see him active during the day, mist some of the leaves or branches [whatever u have there for him to climb] with water so he can drink. They prefer to drink the drops off of leaves.

Any other questions, just feel free to email [email address on my pro]

******They shake their tail when hunting or "stalking" prey. If there is nothing there, he could just be on the hunt for his next meal. The only way it could be tied with agression, is if you introduced [or have] another leo.

And as for handling, Leopard Geckos CAN be tamed, but usually will not allow themselved to become "overly submissive" to you.

It all depends on the overall disposition of YOUR Leo. But you can TRY to tame him. I wouldnt push it & take him out everyday, this will stress him out.

I would keep the handling to a minimum. As he gets older, he will become more and more calm, and easier to handle.

If he is young, he will shed often, there's really no telling EXACTLY how often, or how much time before his next shed, but as he gets older, he will shed less often.

Answer 2

Do not use sand or walnut shells--we see more impaction problems from these loose substrates than anything else! Use reptile carpet or non-adhesive (no glue) shelf liner. Paper towels or newspaper are just fine too. Besides the warm and cool hides, it is SO important to have a moist hide--a hide with some folded papertowels kept misted and moist and placed on the warm side of the tank. It is vital to help him shed properly--especially on the feet. Another problem we see from low humidity is shed skin getting stuck in the eyes--if his eyes don't look open and clear to you, you might need a reptile vet to remove the retained skin. Try this link for a great deal more info:

http://www.drgecko.com/index.html

Answer 3

Before the shed is usually when the sight is poor. Are you sure they eye caps are being shedded?
I would also suggest using a different substraight than newspaper. Its not sanitary, and ink rubs off.
A good substraight for leopard geckos is crushed walnut shells. It doesn't compact inside them, but you want to make sure they don't take too large of bites when going after crickets.
Once a week, and no more than that, lightly dust a couple crickets or mealworms, not all of them, with reptivite, or a calcium supplement.
The cage may not be warm enough, make sure to have a temp Gage, and that proper uvb lighting is provided at least 8 hours every day.

Answer 4

I'm assuming a leopard gecko, but not sure

Here's a care sheet
http://hubpages.com/_reptiles/hub/Caring_For_Leopard_Geckos

Here's an article about impaction, which is caused by different things, but loose substrates such as play sand and calcium based sands are usually the number one cause.
http://hubpages.com/_reptilehelp/hub/Impaction

You're fine supplementing every meal with the calcium and mineral dusts. Just alternate them. Use calcium at least 3 times a week.

Answer 5

I have had a leopard gecko for 8 years he is fine he will eat his shin that he has shed he want need food for a while I have always used sand for reptiles and had not problems and on Christmases he will be 9 he will need a quite time soon sort of a of hibernation I suggest you get a handbook for this gecko