well this new semi adult leo I got last saterday I finally got to eat. what I did was smash some mealies (not compleatly) just enough to get some jucies out. i put it on the tip of my finger and slowly put it in front of his nose. he then started to sniff it and then lick it. when he thought wow this taste good he then took a bite. scared the **** out of me and I backed off fast and he didnt even get a bite of the dead mealies. so then I got a fork and used the backside of it and put 3 squishy dead mealies on the opposite end of the fork (the side you hold in your hand) and he smelled, licked and whamo got all 3 in one shot. then I got him to do 2 more like that and that was it for the night. I believe its possibly he could of only been fed by feeding twezzers maybe? i am going to bye some tomorrow and try that again. He also doesnt move when my hand goes into the tank however he does shake his tail like a rattlesnake if I touch him anywere. I am shure this boy will take some time to tame.

some animals prefer to be fed off tongs. Its worth a shot.

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

Toby ate the first night I got him and then when I bought Charlotte she was really shy about eating in front of me. It was very frustrating because I never knew if she was eating or how much. The only clue I had that she was was that the crickets were disappearing and I would find poo every morning. So I understand your frustration.

I think you should try the tweezer idea. I didn't even think about that. Hope everything turns out okay with him and he starts to get adjusted quickly here. Let us know if the tweezers help! Btw, he's a cutie!

I would actually avoid the tweezers and try to get the leo use to eating on his own. If you develop the habit of feeding with tweezers, he may never eat on his own. lol

Getting him to taste the mealies in the method you described is great. Once he is feeding, I would toss in a shallow dish of live mealies in front of him and let him continue feeding from the dish.

If he is hungry and sees the mealies in the dish, after taking one or 2 from the tweezers, he should start gobbling them up. Once he does, just keep putting the mealies in the dish each day and see if he is eating them. It may take a few feedings of offering one by hand and then the dish, but he should be able to adjust to eating on his own.

I have never had an issue getting a leo to eat from a shallow dish even when the previous owner has fed by hand. The natural instinct is to hunt and eat. He just needs to realize where he can find the little buggers.

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that was exactly my plan Rich. When I got in from work today I tryed the long twezzers and he didnt want it. then I smushed it a bit and then tryed again and he smelled it and then licked it and then ate it. the next one I didnt smush and put it in front of him and he took it. I then slid his little shallow plate in and he saw them and ate 2 more. so I am shure if I keep this goin all will be cool. thanks for all the help and I am happy as a camper that he is eating. now I got to give him a name. Suggestions are allways welcome

I just got done watching the labryinth and I saw a bunch of good names. One is Ludo and the other is Huggle. That movie is where I got the name Toby for my first gecko!

Labyrinth is one of my all time favorite movies! fun names there!

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yes i am a she ^_^

~My Babies~

1 Rosy Boa (male) Chaos
1 Snow Corn (male) Blizzard
1 Anertherystic Corn (male) Bullet
1 Senegal Parrot (male) Shadow
2 dogs (male) Spot (RIP) and Bear

i agree great movie. I got the males name "Tango" i need a girls name.