Force feeding?

Well I posted a while back because my strauchii was "spinning." I treated his water with metronidazole while I was out of town for five days. He survived with no change in behavior positive or negative. He wouldn't eat and was still spinning when I got back so I took him to a vet. The vet couldn't see anything on the outside of my newt but he gave him a dewormer and sent me home with an antibiotic which I am putting on his back everyday. He is still alive but hasn't eaten now for at least three weeks and maybe longer. I read that if a newt hasn't eaten for a really long time that they may never eat again? Would that be true in this case? I try to feed him every day and have tried a variety of different foods. Should I try to force feed him or just give him more time? He is in a "hospital" small tank on wet paper towels.
Thanks

Force feeding is a last resort. You should give him a little more time.

Audrey,
Newts are such small and dainty animals when compared to lizards, snakes, and other animals that can be force fed. Because of the semipermeable skin and other reasons it is never a good idea to handle a newt anyway and I think that there is a real potential danger of physical harm if you attempt to force food. Perhaps others with more experience can offer more advice though. I applaude you taking your animal to a vet. I would follow his/her advice and hope for the best.
Chip

I agree with Foster, there are real risks associated with force feeding. Obviously, getting a sick animal to feed can be a benefit, but on the other hand, if the animal is injured in the process, there's no benefit in that. And in many cases, it turns out that the animal dies anyway, regardless of being fed.

If you seriously want to do this, I can give you instructions, but first consider whether you're really willing to risk it. Also, it generally takes 2 people, one to gently restrain the animal, another to get the food into the mouth.

"starved animals sometimes pass a certain point where they cannot resume eating" I took this quote from Jennifer Macke's post in "Skinny orientalis C. juvieniles"
I thought since it has been nearly a month since my newt has accepted food that maybe he was getting too weak and needed a little push towards eating. I definately realize that is in not an easy or first response kind of action. I have had to give a prescription treatment to another newt by forcing it in his mouth. It was not easy, but the doctor showed me how to do it and the newt is now a happy, healthy guy. I thought I would try the same kind of thing but giving my newt a little piece of worm or something.
I really don't know what is up with my little strauchii. I actually can't believe that he has lived as long as he has. It gives me a little hope that he will make it, but if he doesn't eat then there is not a chance. I guess I just wondered if this was the time when things were desperate enough that I should try feeding him a little something.

Well, if an animal doesn't eat in a long time and is then fed a large meal, they can be a victim of refeeding syndrome. Ed Kowalski described it very well in a separate post found here.
This is the relevant bit:

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

Hi All,
Here is a short explanation.
Refeeding syndrome occurs when the animal has been starved to the point that in order to maintain sufficient ion concentrations in the blood the ions are maintained at the expense of the cells (by being exported from inside the cells). If fed a fair to large sized meal the influx of calories and other nutrients are suddenly transported into the cells using the ions in the blood volume. This causes the animal to crash and die very rapidly. If you aquire a thin animal often the worse thing you can initially do for it would be to feed it a large meal. Ideally you should feed about 10% of the estimated caloric intake to the animal for at least several days and probably for a couple of weeks. After that point the amount of food should be slowly increased until it is being fed a "normal" amount.
This is typically seen with newly imported animals after their first large meal.

Ed<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

I don't know how long it takes for that kind of starvation to set in, but it is something to keep in mind.

If you understand the risks and your animal isn't feeding on anything no matter the method, than this may be the next step. I would specifically listen to Jennifer's instructions due to her great experience.

Well, I just don't know what to do. Should I try to feed him or just see what happens? I have been offering him food everyday but he just turns his head away. I have tried black worms, very small crickets, cut up night crawler and even fruit flies. I have not left live food in his cage for longer than an hour or so, so that is won't pick on him.