Juvenile Cynops not eating/hiding

I recently purchased a newt from the pet store. It's either a japanese or chinese firebelly, im not sure yet as it is quite small. I'm guessing it has just passed into it's juvenile stage. However, it hasn't eaten at all and it acts very discrete. Not moving much. I noticed its right rear leg/foot is somewhat swollen and it doesn't use it much. So my questions are:
Could the leg be broken and is that why its hiding?
Is that also why it won't eat?

I've tried giving it bloodworms, reptile sticks/bites and pieces of waxworm. No luck. Should I leave it to hiding? All help appreciated!

Upon further inspection of his foot I did notice a cut around the bottom toes. A small area of flesh can be seen.

Sadly, all of these problems, including the toe injury, are very common among newly-purchased firebellied newts. Start here:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/faq/faq.shtml
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/sores.shtml

Come back with whatever isn't answered there. If you want advice on letting him hide or not, please describe his setup and behavior in more detail.

I read the sores article and dabbed some hydrogen peroxide on his cut. He didn't like that much lol. I then put him in a one gallon kritter keeper with fake plants, inch of water and rocks for quarantine.

Anyways, his actual setup is a medium size kritter keeper (around 3 or so gallons) containing a one inch layer of gravel, small to medium pond rocks breaking the water and some decorative fake plants throughout. It's filled with two inches of water. About 40% dry land and 60% water. He often hides in the back of the cage behind a rock with only his head poking out. He has never entered the water. I use room light currently and changed 50% of the water daily. When I first put him in the cage he stayed on the same rock for two days. Just changing directions. ;| I then moved him to a rock near the corner of the cage and that's when his hiding started. When I have him in my hand he moves around a bit but once I place him in his cage he just sits, not moving.

(Message edited by nubs4breakfast on February 11, 2005)

(Message edited by nubs4breakfast on February 11, 2005)

Sounds like a newt that is terrified of its new surroundings. Avoid handling it and just give it as much peace and quiet as you can. Let it hide, as long as you can still check on it. You have to get it eating, which may mean getting some live earthworms or frozen bloodworms and using a toothpick or tweezers to feed it.

Thanks Jennifer, you've been a big help and I'm going to get some frozen bloodworms later tonight but I have one last question. Should I also purchase Melafix and put that in the water? Or would it not help? Thanks. ;]

Melafix is "controversial". Some people swear by it, others say it's toxic and/or useless. I have no experience there.