Am I really doing bad while my Leo acclimates?

[Some87]

I'm really sorry for asking this question but I have look through a few care sheets and they really don't cover babies. My Leo is only about 4 grams and 3.5 inches and I have had him for about 5 days now. Every time I look at him in the cage he is always in the moist hide. I know he leaves to poop in the cool hide but it just worries me because he is just always in the moist hide. The temp in the moist hide is about 86 to 88 and the ground temp is 90 to 92. I go in there every day so I can wet the moist hide but I always have to trick him out by feeding him first or open up the hide and make him get out. I really think I'm doing bad by makeing him leave his moist hide because he might not feel so secure. I just switched over to time today from reptile carpet so he didn't even want to really eat. He also hasn't learned to eat mealworms from a bowl or even drink from his bowl. I'm just really stressed out about how he seems to want nothing to do with me

 

[Ozy]

Don't worry, my leo is in her humid hide alot. When I first got her she was a teeny little baby and spent most of her time in the moist hide. As long as your temps are good and he's eating and pooping I wouldn't worry. Babies like to be left alone, because they are easily scared. If you need to mist the humid hide though, it won't hurt him to make him get out.

 

[DrCarrotTail]

If he's pooping he's eating something. I would buy a cheap gram scale and weigh him once or twice a week to make sure he's not losing any weight and count 10 mealworms out and leave them in a bowl in his cage so he can eat when he wants and you'll know if any disappear. Other than that I wouldn't worry at all where he spends his time. He knows what he needs best

 

[Some87]

Thank you so much for the input. Maybe now I can calm down a little. As for leaving worms in a dish I tried last night but he didn't eat it. Just over time he might learn.

 

[DrCarrotTail]

They don't need to eat every single day so they might hold out if they are stressed or worried about a new object in their cage but babies under 25g should be hungry at least every 2-3 days. Mine are constantly acting like their starving...lol I would just leave the bowl in there and change the worms every day or two so they crawl around and stimulate his feeding response.

 

[Some87]

I hand feed him 3 small crickets and 3 mealworms every day and he attacks them. I did just change out everything in his cage last night tho because I didn't have any decorations in there before and I put tile in too.

 

[Jstoker1238]

I hand feed him 3 small crickets and 3 mealworms every day and he attacks them. I did just change out everything in his cage last night tho because I didn't have any decorations in there before and I put tile in too.

You shouldn't really worry, if he's pooping on the cool side then he knows how to leave the humid hide and go where he wants to go. This is normal. I have a hatchling that barely weighs one gram, is about 2 1/2 inches in length, and he spends most of his time in his humid hide also. It's a good sign that your little one is eating well. Having switched things out in his cage could also be the reason, he may feel the most secure in his humid hide as it's stayed the same while his environment has been changing. .so don't worry too much. Just give him time to get used to his new tile and stuff and he should be okay.

 

[Some87]

Well seems like he is warming up to the cage now. He now goes into the dry hide in the warm side and a few days ago I saw one of the plants knocked over. I put him on the scale 2 days ago and he is now 5 grams and about 4 inches.