how to encourage feeding (new leo wont eat)

[@marko@]

i adopted a 9 year old male leo a week ago. he was in poor shape, skinny, chronic shedding problems, and blind in one eye. i have removed almost all of his old skin (except from 2 toes where it is hanging on tightly, and probably wont come off until the next time he sheds). and given him a good basking spot. however he refuses to eat anything, even waxworms (which i was told was his fav food).
any ideas? id hate to have to forcefeed him.

 

[Allee Toler]

Give him a little more time to settle in. You turned his whole world upside down by adopting him, pulling on his toes, checking him out, he's just not used to you or being touched like that (obviously since there's so much stuck shed).

I give new arrivals a couple weeks to settle in before I start to worry about them. If he's got some good weight on him and isn't losing it by not eating, his poo looks decent, then let him be.

If you're tong feeding him, he might just be nervous about eating in front of you. Put a few waxworms (since they're his 'favorite') in a dish next to the entrance of a hide. See if he'll eat it then. Checking on him all the time will only stress him out.

 

[@marko@]

he is actually underweight, not severely, but definitely could be heavier.
that being said, you are probably right, he might just need a bit more time. he will probably be fine, since he actually did eat one waxworm during the night. its by no means a meal, but it means he is at least trying to feed himself.