It can be scary when your leopard gecko refuses to open its eyes. A leopard gecko that keeps its eyes closed could indicate an underlying health issue. But don’t panic yet – there are several possible reasons for this behavior.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Your leopard gecko may not be opening its eyes due to stuck shed, irritation from substrate or lighting, infection, dehydration, or improper temperatures. Check for signs of these issues and make any necessary husbandry changes.
In this comprehensive article, we’ll explore all the possible reasons for a leopard gecko keeping its eyes closed. We’ll also provide tips on how to examine your leopard gecko, diagnose potential problems, and get your pet to open its eyes again.
Check for Stuck Shed
One of the most common reasons for a leopard gecko keeping its eyes closed is retained shed skin sticking to the eye caps. This prevents the gecko from being able to open its eyes fully. Here’s what you can do:
Look for retained shed skin around the eyes
Carefully inspect the area around your leopard gecko’s eyes and look for any bits of stuck shed skin. Shed skin can often get caught around the eye area since it is more delicate. You may see flaky greyish-white skin remnants clinging to the edges of the eyes or covering the eyes entirely.
This needs to be gently removed for your gecko to open its eyes again.
Provide a humid hide to loosen shed
If the shed skin is stuck tightly, placing your leopard gecko in a humid hide can help loosen and soften the skin so it is easier to remove. Make a humid hide by placing moist paper towels or sphagnum moss in a plastic container with a hole cut out of the lid.
The increased humidity will help hydrate the skin and after 30-60 minutes, you can try again to gently rub off the shed skin with a cotton swab.
Gently help remove difficult eye caps
In some cases, the retained eye caps can be challenging to remove. Try using a moistened q-tip or soft toothbrush to gently brush the stuck shed skin little by little until it comes off. Take care not to tug too hard or scratch the delicate eye area.
You can also try placing the gecko in a shallow, lukewarm bath for 10-15 minutes to further soften and loosen the skin before attempting removal. Persistent eye caps may require a veterinarian’s assistance.
Once all traces of stuck shed skin are removed from the eyes, the gecko should be able to fully open its eyes again. Providing proper humidity, hydration, and supplementation can help prevent future stuck eye caps.
But checking for retained shed and assisting when needed is an important part of caring for leopard geckos.
Assess Environmental Irritants
Switch out any abrasive or dusty substrate
The substrate or floor lining of a leopard gecko’s habitat can potentially irritate their eyes if it is too dusty or abrasive. Common problematic substrates include calcium sand, crushed walnut shells, aquarium gravel, and certain types of wood shavings.
These particles can get kicked up into the air when the gecko moves around, landing in their eyes and causing discomfort or injury.
It is generally recommended to use a soft, smooth substrate instead, such as reptile carpet, paper towels, or a plain soil mix without added sand or stones. These materials won’t scratch the delicate surface of a leopard gecko’s eyes or cause dust clouds leading to eye infections.
According to the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians care guidelines, proper substrate choice is crucial for maintaining eye health. Switching out irritating particles for a smooth covering often results in rapid eye opening once inflammation subsides.
Monitor the gecko for increased activity and appetite as well when changing substrates.
Move heat lamps or bright lights farther away
Bright overhead heating and lighting can also lead to squinting or eye closure in leopard geckos. Hot spots from concentrated heat lamps along with intense illumination from close-range bulbs essentially recreate sunlight exposure.
Since leopard geckos are naturally crepuscular and avoid excessive daytime light, these habitat conditions can irritate their vision.
Adjustable height lamp fixtures allow for easily moving heat and light sources farther away from the tank’s floor. Zilla’s deluxe dome fixtures with extendable cables are excellent choices. Adjust until basking temperatures reach 88-92°F when measured directly on the substrate beneath the lamp using a digital infrared thermometer gun.
This strikes the right warmth level without excessive intensity.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums notes that leopard geckos require a distinct day-night cycle as well. Make the nighttime ambient temperature about 10° lower by turning off overhead heating. Switch out daylight bulbs for a ceramic moonlight heat emitter after 12 hours.
This maintains habitat warmth while allowing a proper visual rest.
Watch for Signs of Infection
Look for swelling, reddening, or discharge around the eyes
Leopard geckos can develop eye infections just like us humans. Some common signs to watch out for include swelling or reddening of the skin around the eyes, or any kind of discharge coming from the eyes.
These are indications that bacteria or fungi have invaded the sensitive eye area and inflammation is occurring as a result. If left untreated, eye infections in leos can lead to serious damage and even blindness, so it’s critical to get veterinary care right away.
Some specific symptoms that point to an eye infection include:
- Crusty or sticky discharge around the eyes
- Swollen or reddened eyelids
- Squinting or keeping the eyes closed
- Rubbing or scratching at the eyes excessively
- Watery eyes
- White film or cloudiness over the eyes
In mild cases, using a sterile saline eye wash to gently clean away discharge can provide some relief. But antibiotics or antifungal medication prescribed by a vet are usually needed to fully clear up an infection.
Left untreated, the bacteria or fungi can spread quickly and cause permanent damage like corneal scarring. So don’t delay – schedule a vet visit as soon as you notice any swollen or reddened eyes in your leo.
See your vet promptly if infection is suspected
If your leopard gecko is showing any signs of an eye infection like discharge, swelling, or reddening around the eyes, it’s important to have a veterinarian examine them right away. Reptile eye infections can rapidly escalate to a serious issue if left untreated.
Some common causes of eye infections in leopard geckos include:
- Bacterial infections – Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus bacteria are common culprits
- Fungal infections – Candida is a type of yeast that can invade the eye
- Vitamin A deficiency – Can make eyes more vulnerable to pathogens
- Foreign bodies – Small particles like sand or shed skin in the eye
- Dry eyes – Dehydration makes the eyes more prone to irritation
Your vet will swab the eyes and examine the sample under a microscope to determine if bacteria, fungi or foreign bodies are present. For bacterial infections, antibiotic eye drops or injections are often prescribed. Fungal eye infections will require anti-fungal medication.
Vitamin A supplements can help improve eye health and immunity against pathogens.
If treatment is prompt, most eye infections in leopard geckos can be cleared up. But delaying vet care raises the risk of permanent damage. So schedule an appointment as soon as you observe any eye redness, swelling or discharge in your leo.
With aggressive treatment starting early, most infected gecko eyes can return to full health and function again.
Check for Dehydration
Dehydration is a common issue that can cause leopard geckos to keep their eyes closed. Monitoring humidity levels, providing clean drinking water, and giving hydrating soaks if needed can all help resolve this.
Monitor Humidity Level in the Tank
Leopard geckos originate from arid regions and require specific humidity ranges to thrive. Ideal tank humidity should be between 30-40%. Using a hygrometer is the most accurate way to track this.
If humidity drops below 30%, dehydration can occur. Symptoms include sunken eyes, wrinkled skin, lethargy, and refusal to open eyes fully. Increasing humidity to 40% for a few days can help restore hydration.
Provide a Water Dish That’s Easy to Access
Having fresh, clean drinking water always available is vital. Use a shallow, stable ceramic water dish that allows easy access. Position it near your gecko’s warm hide.
Change the water daily. Rinse and refill the bowl with dechlorinated water. This encourages drinking and prevents bacterial growth.
Tip: Adding more plants and moss to your vivarium can naturally boost humidity too. But be wary of levels rising too high (over 50%), as this can cause respiratory infections.
Give Hydrating Soaks if Needed
If your gecko is showing signs of dehydration, rehydrating soaks can provide relief. Make a shallow “pool” in a plastic container with a little dechlorinated warm water (80-85°F). Place your leopard gecko in this bath for 5-10 minutes, ensuring its head stays above water.
Gently run the water over its eyes/head to encourage blinking and drinking. Repeat this daily until dehydration symptoms improve. Varying water depth and temperature can also promote activity.
If eye-closing persists beyond 48 hours of corrected humidity/hydration, seek exotic veterinary advice to rule out other causes like eye caps not shedding properly.
| Early Signs of Dehydration | Later Signs |
| Lethargy | Wrinkled skin |
| Sunken eyes | No urine/feces |
| Not drinking | Shriveled hemipenal bulges |
Catching dehydration quickly is key. If untreated long-term, organs can fail, leading to death. So observe your leo closely and act fast if you suspect fluid loss.
Following these hydration tips can perk up a dehydrated leopard gecko. Just be vigilant with husbandry, provide ample drinking opportunities, and soak as needed. With some TLC, you’ll have those eyes open and shining again!
References:
Verify Appropriate Tank Temperatures
Ensuring your leopard gecko’s tank has proper temperatures is crucial for their health and wellbeing. Leopard geckos are cold-blooded, meaning they rely on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature.
Having improper temperatures can lead to issues like lethargy, appetite loss, and even eye problems if they get too cold. Here are some tips on verifying and maintaining proper tank temperatures:
Make sure tank has a proper warm side and cool side
Leopard geckos need a warm side and a cool side in their tank to properly thermoregulate. The warm side should be around 88-92°F and the cool side should be around 75-80°F. Having this temperature gradient allows your leo to move between the sides to raise or lower their body temperature as needed.
- Place an under tank heater on one side of the tank to create the warm side.
- The cool side can be room temperature or you can place tiles/carpet over that section.
- Use a digital thermometer with a probe to check the ground temperatures on each side. Adjust heat sources as needed.
Use under tank heater on warm side to reach optimal temperature range
An under tank heater, also called a UTH, is the most common heating device used to create the proper warm side temperature in a leopard gecko tank. Here’s how to use a UTH properly:
- Place the UTH underneath the tank on one side, covering around 1/3 of the tank floor.
- Use a thermostat to regulate the UTH and avoid overheating.
- Make sure the UTH is on a solid, flat surface and the tank itself sits completely flat.
- Spot check temperatures using a digital thermometer probe placed directly on the warm side floor.
- 88-92°F is the ideal ground temp range for the warm side.
UTHs provide the localized heat leos need to properly digest food and raise their body temperature. Always monitor the warm side floor temperature when using under tank heating. Having the proper temperature gradient will allow your leo to thermoregulate and be active and healthy!
Conclusion
A leopard gecko keeping its eyes closed is often a symptom of environmental issues like problematic shed, irritants, dehydration, or improper temperatures. With some detective work and appropriate husbandry changes, you can usually get your leopard gecko to open its eyes again.
But if symptoms persist or appear severe, prompt veterinary attention is recommended.
Knowing your leopard gecko’s needs and consistently monitoring its habitat will help avoid most eye-related problems. With attentive care and handling, your leopard gecko can thrive with its eyes wide open and healthy for years to come.
