My leopard gecko's eye injury: How long to heal and get him to eat?

He may have a retained eye cap which could be the cause of those symptoms. Check temps in the cage. Low temps may affect appetite and activity in reptiles. Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 15-20 minutes. This will provide warmth and may treat or prevent minor dehydration. It may also help is he has any residual shed. You can also massage his abdomen, front to back, during the soak to stimulate defecation. I see you use sand as a substrate, so an impaction is always a concern. Pick up some Fluker's Repta Boost or Oxbow Carnivore Care from the local pet store. This is a better option than baby food. If he doesn't start eating in the next few days or if the eye does not improve, have him seen by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles.

Give him a good soak (20-30 minutes) in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte. This will provide hydration and warm him up which may stimulate his appetite. An exam with your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet is always recommended for "new" pets or pets that may be ill or injured. Offer food about an hour or 2 after the heat lamp comes on in the morning. This will allow him to warm up and he will be more likely to eat what is offered. Use a variety of prey if possible. This can include crickets, dubia roaches, phoenix worms and the occasional superworm. Superworms are good to feed if you have a skinny gecko that needs to put on weight. Review additional care info here: http://www.anapsid.org/leopardgek.html

Monitor for any aggression. You may need to separate them, especially if the enclosure is too small. You can use a diluted betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution daily to gently cleanse the affected area. Monitor for lethargy, decreased appetite, redness, swelling or discharge. See your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles if the wound doesn't heal or if any of the above mentioned symptoms develop.

If you think it is a wound severe enough to expose intestine, Koopa should be seen immediately by your vet or an experienced herp veterinarian. A physical exam may diagnose injury, infection or a bad shed. It may also be a prolapse from the vent. These conditions cannot be diagnosed without an exam. Confirm proper temps in the enclosure. Soak him in a warm solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte daily for 15-20 minutes as long as he is not eating. keep him on paper towels or reptile carpet to keep the affected area clean. Loose substrate may stick to it and contaminate it further. If it is a bad shed, the soaks may loosen the skin/scab.

He should be examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. If there is infection, antibiotics will be required for treatment. Gently clean the area daily with a cotton swab and some diluted betadine or Chlorhexidine (Hibiclens). Use paper towels as substrate and change daily to prevent contamination. Provide a moist hide (at least 60% humidity) for him within his enclosure as well. Consider increasing temps slightly to aid in recovery

Have him examined by your veterinarian or an experienced herp vet. Submit a stool sample to diagnose intestinal parasites. This will all give you a better idea of his health status. Barring any major illness or injury, he could be rehabbed and live a "normal" life. Set him up in an appropriate enclosure with correct parameters. Offer appropriately sized and gut loaded prey as well as some Fluker's Repti-Boost. Soak in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte daily for 20-30 minutes to maintain hydration. It may take time, but with a healthy diet, proper environment and some care, he could recover.

It does appear to be of the takydromus species. These grass lizards are common and fairly easy to keep. Being adept climbers, more vertical space should be offered in an enclosure. Branches and vines can be placed for climbing. Bring reptiles, they need an external heat source and UVB lighting. Daytime temps can range from 24 C to 30 C (75-85 F). Provide a basking spot of around 35 C to 38 C (95-100 F) using a heat lamp. Aim for 70-80% humidity. Provide a shallow bowl for water. Mist the cage daily. Feed appropriately sized prey, no bigger than the space between the eyes, that have been gutload for 24 hours prior to offering. This will maximize nutritional value. Crickets, mealworms, dubia roaches, waxworms or wingless fruit flies can all be offered. Dust prey with a calcium supplement and a multivitamin supplement several times weekly. Ideally, the wound should be addressed by a veterinarian experienced in treating reptiles. You can clean it with dilute Betadine or chlorhexidine solution daily and monitor for redness, bleeding, lethargy or decreased appetite.