My leopard gecko won't eat and is shedding again. What should I do?

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.

Check the temperature in the enclosure. Low temps can affect appetite and digestion in reptiles. Soak her in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte to provide warmth and hydration. Confirm appropriately sized prey, no bigger than the space between the eyes. You can offer crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms and phoenix worms. Gut load all prey for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. Submit a stool sample to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites. If she will allow, look in and around her mouth for any signs of injury or infection. This may include redness, swelling, discharge or bleeding. If you see anything suspicious, have her physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose and treat any underlying causes.

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

Thanks for your question about Leo lela, and I am sorry that this is happening to you both! Typically leopard geckos should shed all of their skin in a short period of time, and they often eat it so owners may not realize they have shed at all. When we see shed sticking around, like in Leo lela's case, we begin to worry about dysecdysis (retained shed). This is common when there are imperfections in the husbandry that is provided. Most frequently, there is not enough humidity present. For leopard geckos, we recommend having a humid hide available for them that is lined with moist sphagnum moss. It is recommended to have a humid hide on the warm end of the enclosure as well as the cool end to provide your gecko with options regarding humidity. As far as him being lighter - I am not sure if you mean lighter in color, which may be associated with the shedding, or lighter in weight. If you mean lighter in weight, then I would be concerned that he has an underlying issue occurring. To help him with shedding, you can soak Leo lela once daily in 85-90F water. This will also help any skin around his toes, which is often hard to see, to shed as well. I would also recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian when you can. It is beneficial for reptiles to have wellness examinations, just like dogs and cats. Your veterinarian can also provide you with detailed information on husbandry that is tailored to Leo lela after his physical examination has been performed. You can look at the ARAV website to find a reptile veterinarian in your area. I hope this gives you a place to start, and I wish you the best of luck!

Thanks for reaching out about Rem. Continue to provide 5-10 minute warm water soaks, a few times daily to stimulate defecation. Intestinal infections, parasites, ingested foreign bodies (substrate, bark, etc) or metabolic disorders can all lead to bloat and anorexia. If this continues a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and assist with a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.

Often when a reptile doesn’t want to eat, it is a sign that they don’t feel well. The most common reason behind them not feeling well is imperfections in their husbandry and diet. I would recommend consulting an online care sheet to ensure that your husbandry is as perfect as possible. Common areas of imperfection include temperature, lighting, and humidity. I would also recommend having Ash seen by a veterinarian, as they can help to counsel you about Ash’s husbandry as well. In addition to a thorough physical examination, they may recommend diagnostic testing including radiographs (x-rays) and blood work to evaluate systemic health. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Make sure any prey is of appropriate size, no bigger than the space between the eyes. Confirm again that temps are within normal ranges. Low temps will affect appetite in reptiles. Soak him in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 20 minutes daily. You can supplement with Fluker's Repta Boost. Find it in the local Petco. Look him over for any signs of injury or infection. This may include redness, swelling, discharge, bruising, bleeding or odd lumps/bumps. If he doesn't begin eating, you will need to have him physically examined by an experienced herp vet. I will include a link below to find one as well as a link to review leopard gecko care. http://www.anapsid.org/leopardgek.html https://arav.site-ym.com/search/custom.asp?id=3661