leopard gecko health & such

Question
QUESTION: Hello.
I was worried about my leopard gecko. He seems to have shedding stuck inside his mouth. i have sprayed him and managed to get some of it out, but i worry that its not all out, and he wont let me open him mouth. He does have a problem shedding, and this time he also got some shedding in his eye that was pulling down his bottom eyelid. i once again sprayed him and got it all off, but now his bottom eyelid is pulled down , and the top eyelid, when his eye is closed, looks indented. His tank temperature is good, and he has water at all times, and a heating pad. Also, he is very slow, and doesn't catch crickets at all. He eats super worms and meal worms, but some nights he doesn't eat at all. I adopted him from a humane society, and they didn't have much information on his past homes. Should i take him to a vet regarding these concerns? Where would i get cricket calcium dust, and which brand do you recommend?
Thanks.

ANSWER: Hello Cara,

What are the temperatures in the tank?  Do you use a thermometer to measure the temperatures?  
Are you using a basking light along with the under tank heater?
Do you have a moist humid hide/cave on the warm end of the tank, to help with shedding issues?  If not, that is important because if it is not humid enough he will have shedding problems.
Also, another factor that affects shedding is nutritional issues.  Do you give calcium supplementation?  If not, that is recommended for him several times per week.  
You can use repcal calcium powder to use to dust his crickets.  Or you can use the powder to simply put in a small dish in his tank, so he can lick the powder when he needs it.  
Sometimes you can find it in pet stores.  If not, you can purchase it online at reptilesupply.com  
I also offer powdered calcium too, on my online store.  My store is:
www.bug-de-lite.com


Let me know how he is doing.
Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The temperatures are usually about 80-85 in the daytime,and yes I do use a thermometer, basking light and an tank heater, but its on the side. I just bought a reptile shedding moss, and i am going to use the next time he sheds, and i bought calcium supplement as well. He still won't eat, and won't sit still enough for me to open his mouth to try and feed him. I'll try the supplement in the dish as well. He seems to be doing a little better, like he is more active when i see him. I am concerned about a bump at the corner of his mouth. it is pink at the top, and i checked the symptoms of mouthrot online, and I know its not that, but do you have any ideas on what it might be?
Thanks again.

ANSWER: Hello Cara,


Ok, well, on the warm side with the basking light & the undertank heater there needs to be a small area that reaches 88-90 or so.  As long as you have a cooler side of around 80 or so he will be able to thermoregulate.
Good, the shedding moss should help quite a bit.  Make sure to keep it moistened for him, daily.  
Has he had retained shed around his mouth?
Do you leave crickets in his tank overnight?  
Keep trying to get him to eat, if he gets a few licks of baby food, he might sit still if he likes it.
Let me know how he is doing.

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: What type of baby food should i give him? I've heard that turkey or chicken baby food works quite well. Yes, he does have shedding around his mouth. I do leave crickets for him, but only for a night, but i haven't recently. He seems to have a light brown substance covering one eye, and it looks like a cataract. I'm not sure if it's in his other eye though. What should i try now?

Answer
Hello Cara,

You can try turkey, chicken or beef baby food, that will be fine.
The shedding around his mouth may be causing some issues with his skin.  
I wouldn't leave any crickets in the tank overnight with him, because they can bite him.  If he doesn't eat them within a few hours you should take them out.  You could try getting some mealworms or phoenix worms for him, & those you can leave in for him overnight, in a feeding dish.
What type of thermometer are you using?

How long has his eye looked cloudy?  It could be a shedding issue, since there was not enough humidity before.  Is the shedding moss in a cave/hide on top of the under tank heater?
When they don't shed correctly, & they retain skin, bacteria & fluids can build up around that area, causing infection.
How is he doing?
You can get some sterile saline solution to wash his eye out daily to see if that will help out some.

Let me know how he is doing.
Tracie