Hi. I have a rescued new blizzard leo. Before I rescued him, he was kept in a little box only a little longer than himself, and no water. Fed by tongs 3 crix a day which he ate readily. I believe that he ate because he is bright, active and fat, and he is not impacted as he pooped the first night he was here. I am worried as I do not see him eat anything since he got here at all. I saw him strike at a cricket (I think that was it, I put the crix in and stood there wating, looking away, and I heard BAP the same sound that the others make when striking the paper towels) but he missed and then didn't try again.

I do know that all the care sheets say they don't eat at first when switched to a new home. I am not new to Leopard Geckos though, and all my other 3 Leopard Geckos that I currently have now as well as all other geckos (not Leopard Geckos) that I have ever had ate immediately within 5 mins of being put into their new home here. So I don't know if that is true. It's been the third day. I haven't handled him much, just a little bit when I was changing water and paper towels and taking uneaten crix away that were hiding in and behind the hides etc.

The blizzard is in its own enclosure, that is identical in every way to the others I have for the other Leopard Geckos. Tank is about 3 to 4 times the length of the lizard, about 1.5 times the width, hot end is 88 to 91. Cool end is room temp. Calcium dish, water dish, humid hide, hide on warm as well as hot side. Paper towels. Low traffic area (not NO traffic but the lowest I can get in my house, which IS low). Minimal decorations.

I tried tong feeding and he just closed his eyes and turned his head in disgust. I dropped the crix in there and he didn't seem to give a ****.

I have another normal male who was feeding from tongs before I got him and he won't take anything from tongs from me. He would stare at the crix and wait till I drop them, and when I drop them he would strike immediately. So I tried the same thing with the blizzard with no luck. One idea I was given was to put the leo into a small tank and with a few crix but whenever I tried that with other Leopard Geckos they all just start exploring and don't eat so I didn't even try this time.

No vet. I've been to every single exotics vet in the city here in HK and NEVER have they done ANYTHING except tell me to keep an eye on it and take my money. NONE has EVER even RECOGNIZED the SPECIES of my animal of whatever I brought in over the years, except for one leopard tortoise. So I will not go to the vet. Besides he was eating when he was in that little tiny box with no water and it is annoying me that now he has everything he isn't eating. The entire enclosure was given to me (promptly thrown away) and there was nothing in there that could have caused impaction. No substrate, no water bowl even.

I don't know if I should just leave him in there for a few days or something. I know that's what they say, that they don't eat for a few days to a week when things change, but like I said, all my other Leopard Geckos got home and immediately started eating like 5 to 7 crickets within 5 mins.

Oh yes, and if there is any way for me to get my other male to eat from tongs again, that would be great. He was fed EXCLUSIVELY on tongs before I got him and now he just wants to hunt, but isn't that good at it. Tongs would make it more manageable.

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1.0.0 Green Iguana - Tyler
0.0.1 Sulcata Tortoise - Mantow
0.0.1 Ball Python - Se se
0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Ratsnake - un-named (Suggestions welcome)
1.0.0 Blizzard Cornsnake het Anery A - Xiao Xiao
1.1.0 Normal Corn snake het Anery A het Amel 66% poss. het stripe - un-named
1.0.0 Red Chain Snake - un-named
0.0.1 Twin spotted rat snake - un-named
1.0.0 Grey Chinchilla - Gee Gee

See I have a problem feeding with tongs. Most of mine wont take them until I drop even my worms. So I let them hunt. I think its allows them to have more of a wild instinct. As far as him not eating I would just give him a few days I too myself haven't had a problem until a few weeks ago. I brought in some over weight geckos and after about a week they are about 75 grams and 85 and they were 85 and 96 when I got them home. But now they are eating and fattening up again!

Mine isn't overweight though. It's got a nice thick tail but the body is just normal.

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1.0.0 Green Iguana - Tyler
0.0.1 Sulcata Tortoise - Mantow
0.0.1 Ball Python - Se se
0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Ratsnake - un-named (Suggestions welcome)
1.0.0 Blizzard Cornsnake het Anery A - Xiao Xiao
1.1.0 Normal Corn snake het Anery A het Amel 66% poss. het stripe - un-named
1.0.0 Red Chain Snake - un-named
0.0.1 Twin spotted rat snake - un-named
1.0.0 Grey Chinchilla - Gee Gee

i would give him some time. It sounds like he may be used to a much smaller environment and the new bigger space is probably a big shock.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

I second that. His world has just turned from living in a tiny cramped space into a better larger area. He still doesn't have the "Lay of the land" yet. Give him a bit of time to settle in.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I hope he'll eat soon.
So how will I convert the other one to eating from tongs again? It really does help me manage his diet. I don't need him to eat only from tongs, but willing to eat from tongs because then I can manage his supplements better. Right now I can shake and bake the crix but they crawl around and all the calcium and vitamins are rubbed off, and I don't know which ones he'll eat etc.

__________________
1.0.0 Green Iguana - Tyler
0.0.1 Sulcata Tortoise - Mantow
0.0.1 Ball Python - Se se
0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Ratsnake - un-named (Suggestions welcome)
1.0.0 Blizzard Cornsnake het Anery A - Xiao Xiao
1.1.0 Normal Corn snake het Anery A het Amel 66% poss. het stripe - un-named
1.0.0 Red Chain Snake - un-named
0.0.1 Twin spotted rat snake - un-named
1.0.0 Grey Chinchilla - Gee Gee

Have you tried a different looking pair of tongs? Perhaps something has spooked him about the ones you have.
And it may be that the lizard has just decided he doesn't care for your hand hovering over him while he eats. Maybe a longer pair?
If all else fails you could try feeding the supplemented crickets first by putting lizard and crix in a smaller container.
Sometimes the darn things just refuse to cooperate and behave in the manner we wish them to and we have to deal with them on their terms.
Ungrateful little critters!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I have already tried putting them in a smaller container to feed. None will eat outside their normal cage, even the two that are readily tong fed. They just explore explore explore.

The tongs are already very long (12 inches) and I put them from the side (side sliding door enclosure) not above. As far as different looking ones, I don't see any available other than wooden ones? And also ones that have a ring that goes around my fingers, but they can't see that far anyway. Any suggestion on what tongs to use please let me know.

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1.0.0 Green Iguana - Tyler
0.0.1 Sulcata Tortoise - Mantow
0.0.1 Ball Python - Se se
0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Ratsnake - un-named (Suggestions welcome)
1.0.0 Blizzard Cornsnake het Anery A - Xiao Xiao
1.1.0 Normal Corn snake het Anery A het Amel 66% poss. het stripe - un-named
1.0.0 Red Chain Snake - un-named
0.0.1 Twin spotted rat snake - un-named
1.0.0 Grey Chinchilla - Gee Gee

HE ATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HE ATE! HE ATE! HE ATE HE ATE HE ATE!!!!!!!!

HE ATE!! HE ATE!! HE ATE HE ATE HE ATE!!!!!!!!

He only ate 3 crickets and my others which are about half to 1/3 his size eats like 7, but its a start.

He is willing to eat now! He has the worst aim EVER though. He misses even the crickes I hold on tongs..... Takes him several times to hit. He got to the point after 3 that he still wants to eat but don't want it from tongs anymore, just hunt, but he can't hunt very well. Oh well, but at least he ate!

HE ATE! HE ATE! HE ATE HE ATE HE ATE!!!!!
HE ATE! HE ATE! HE ATE HE ATE HE ATE!!!!!!

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1.0.0 Green Iguana - Tyler
0.0.1 Sulcata Tortoise - Mantow
0.0.1 Ball Python - Se se
0.1.0 Leucistic Texas Ratsnake - un-named (Suggestions welcome)
1.0.0 Blizzard Cornsnake het Anery A - Xiao Xiao
1.1.0 Normal Corn snake het Anery A het Amel 66% poss. het stripe - un-named
1.0.0 Red Chain Snake - un-named
0.0.1 Twin spotted rat snake - un-named
1.0.0 Grey Chinchilla - Gee Gee

Good to hear Anthony!!

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MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!