baby Leo problem

Question
hello, 5 days ago my leopard gecko egg hatched, it took 2 months to hatch. the baby inside is odd looking, black and white patches(no bands going around him) but he is also very small(smaller then average) he walks with his front feet turned in...i have an adult leopard gecko that does the same thing. has not eaten anything! i have given him really tiny worms and crickets but he doesn't want iether...,most days he just sits in his hut where the heatmat is..if you move it he gets up and walks around and climbs....i am wondering if you think there is something really wrong with him and if there is anything i can do? thanks!

Answer
Hi Krissi,

The lack of feeding is not a cause for alarm yet. They continue to feed off the absorbed yolk for several days after hatching and often don't eat insects until after their first shed. That can take around a week or so. He is active and went through a normal length incubation period which are both good signs. Smaller eggs obviously produce smaller hatchlings but with proper diet and environment even small hatchlings can grow into normal sized, healthy leos. Genetics will also play a role. He may carry a gene for one of the many colour and pattern mutations available with leos which may explain his lack of banding. There are numerous mutations and I'm not really familiar with how the various hatchlings may look.
Lol, baby leos always look a little "pigeon- toed" to me! It will likely correct somewhat as his limbs harden and grow a bit more.
It sounds like he just needs a bit more time.