Leo's Eating Habit

My Leo's estimated to be 5 months and I have had it for 3 weeks. In those three weeks I have learned that it doesn't really care for crickets and it keeps fluctuating on how many mealworms it eats. One day it will eat 8-12, the next it will only eat like 5, but then the next it will eat like 15-20. Is this normal, especially for a leo who is getting used to a new home? It is still a bit skittish, still tending to hide and run from hide to hide whenever I come around or go in its tank to clean or feed. It is starting to calm but still wont let me hold it or near it.

Its best to not offer food to gecko every day. Especially meal worms which are very high in fat. Think of using them as a treat and using crickets as a staple. Try offering food every 3 days, and keep track of how many it eats. As for the skittishness the more you handle your gecko the less it will bother it. Just takes time. I have geckos that will actually crawl into my hand on their own! I'm a big fan of the leos and have been breeding them for years.

Well the problem with the suggestion you made is that my gecko doesn't seem to like crickets. When I started him on crickets, he ignored them and just let them crawled around the tank. He didn't eat for several days and the guy I got him from said he was eating mealworms every day. That's why I went  to feeding him mealworms.

As far as handling him goes, he rarely comes out of his hides long enough for me to pick him up without him trying to make a run for it as soon as I open the door and make the attempt. I don't want to lift his hides and try to pick him up like that. I am making progress with him; he eats meal worms from my hand and he will lick my hand/fingers at times, but the progress is extremely slow.

Ya give a kid a box of candy bars and a bag of apples. Which one you think is gonna go first?

it wouldn't hurt if he was a little hungry next time you offer crickets. You could also try roaches. Wait like 4 days and offer crickets. No meal worms during the 4 days

Ok. Any suggestions on the handling?

when trying to pick it up, go in from the sides and not above like a predator would. Try once a day so you don't stress it too much. They seem to mellow out when they are closer to adult size. Just be persistent and it will work out.