I think Repto gave a great answer, though I wish to add a couple of things and backup some of what he stated.



Temps and UVB are the first things to confirm. And since you are very new to this lizard, are you stressing him out by crowding him with an audience at dinner time?



I have noticed that prey variety is very important with most captive reptiles I have dealt with, with the exception of snakes. HL's are no different though they may eat more ants than anything else, and I have found they will sometimes tire of too much of one item and no other variety.

I have had this happen a few times where the lizard seems disinterested in ants for a while, and gets excited about crickets, mealworms, or a moth. I have also had a situation like this just after hibernation where the lizard wouldn't eat. I was wondering whether he was sick, should I treat for parasites, was he dehydrated or will I have to force feed him? Then I offered him a few crickets and he ate right away.



It is important to keep track of your HL's defecation in relation to eating habits. If the lizard stops defecating on a regular schedule and then stops eating; impaction should be suspected. In this case I give extra water or saline, and have used a few tiny pinhead size drops of milk of magnesia with success.



Whether your HL is wild caught or captive bred ( but especially wild caught ), you should consider it to have parasites unless previously treated. Nematodes ( roundworms ) can sometimes go unnoticed in fecal exams. Sometimes it is not until treatment and you find dead worms in the scat that it is confirmed. Your HL should be treated orally with liquid Panacur ( fenbendazole aka Safe-Guard ) at 50-100mg per KG body weight. I do this at least twice a year. I usually keep a chart around but if I remember it works out to .005 to .01 ml per 10 grams of body weight. You will have to use a 1 cc/ml syringe that is marked down to at least .01 cc/ml. I get them for .10 each at the vet. Take the lizard to a vet if you are not confident. But take note that in my experience with exotic vets, they are very generalized...The one's I've talked to know less about HL's than most experienced keepers, as they do not see very many I imagine.
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"A man that should call everything by it's right name, would hardly pass the streets without being knocked down as a common enemy." The Complete Works of George Savile, First Marquess of Halifax 1912,246

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