From Jil's definition of "force feeding"- no wonder no one recommends it!! I believe that I may have been using the term incorrectly.... I used to use the term "force feeding" because that's what I thought I was doing - forcing the gecko to open his mouth in order for me to feed him. However, when I feed my little rescue, Pablo, I don't actually push down into the stomach... (maybe someone can tell me the technical term for the following process?)



I hold him in a cupped hand (similar to forming the "M" in sign language) and I hold him such that his body doesn't move, but his head is sticking out. (At this point, both my husband and I are involved in the feeding - one to hold Pablo and one to brace the head).



If you GENTLY stroke the sides of the mouth, sometimes the gecko will open his mouth WIDE - mainly because by this point he's pissed. I then stick just the tip of the syringe into his mouth and he will clamp down. I fill his mouth up with the stuff from the syringe - and then I stop. Once he lets go of the syringe, I leave him alone and try again in a few minutes.



Hope this helps.

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