# Blinking gecko



## Bradleyk (Sep 25, 2011)

Hey people was just wondering if anyone had any idea why my gecko blinks alot with one eye and but when he's alert he is fine.

and also he goes off food a lot, how do I get him keen on eating regularly 

he's bout 4 months old now, and he's really not getting any bigger and neither is his tail and I've not seen him shed.

I've took him to the vets and they said he is healthy.


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## tozhan (Sep 14, 2011)

You should keep a record of his weight gain over the course of a week or two. Do you have mealworms in his viv at all times? He might just be sneaking food at night when you arn't around. Leos will tend to go through periods where they dont eat, sometimes associated with ambient temps etc. Also try him on a variety of foods to see if he just dislikes the one he is currently given.
As for the blinky eye, unless there is a chance he got some sand in there its probably normal. Just keep an eye on it and take him to a vet if there is any swelling.


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

Is it hot enough for him? Check your warm end temps, if they are not hot enough he won't be interested in food. He should have a good appetite at his age and be growing quickly.

As for the eye is it watery or anything like that?


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## Bradleyk (Sep 25, 2011)

his eye is perfectly clear he just blinks alot.

and for the temps he has his hot side at 35 degrees in the day and 30 at night. 

he spends most of his time in the wet box in the day and his skin goes dull then wrinkly as if to peel off. its baffled me a little.

i put on a red heat lamp for an hour each day also and he seems to come out then. 

he has meal worms in his viv and i feed him locusts,wax worms(only rarely), and sometimes crickets


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

> his skin goes dull then wrinkly as if to peel off


The skin goes dull/white when they are due to shed, you may not see any shed skin as they often eat it. After a shed the skin will look new and fresh.



> his hot side at 35 degrees in the day


That could be considered a little hot for a leo. Does he have a nice cool end to retreat to? If not this could be the reason why he spends so much time in his moist box to get away from the heat. Of course these temps can vary a lot depending on what you are using to read the temps. The stick on thermometers aren't that good.


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## Bradleyk (Sep 25, 2011)

i've just tried a new method as i've looked around the forum and found that with wooden vivariums its recommended that you put the heat mat inside so i've done that. 

he has a colder retreat side which is half of the vivarium. 
i have a digital thermometer which has two probes that show the temp of both the cold and hot side which are placed on the floor which is where they are supposed to get there heat from to digest. 

i'm monitoring the heat atm because of the heatmat inside the viv now. i've made sure that there is more kitchen towel layered above the heat mat to make sure it doesn't harm him or burn his belly.


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## cardinalgrom (Aug 23, 2010)

i hope you got a thermostat on the heatmat as even with kitchen roll ontop it will burn him. if not you can get a cheap matstat from blue lizard shop as advertised on here, about £17 i think.


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

> i hope you got a thermostat on the heatmat as even with kitchen roll ontop it will burn him


Agreed.


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