My Leopard Gecko used to be very sweet and didn't mind being handled, but recently she has begun to grow territorial. I feed her dead bugs by hand (and live in her dish) and thought maybe that was why she now goes after my hand, but I had just fed her the day before and was adding a climbing net for her when she snapped at my hand, every time I move the screen on top of her tank she comes out of her hide and watches my hand like a hawk. She used to just ignore me when I moved the screen because I clean her tank about once a week and handle her about 3 or 4 times a week to make sure she hasn't gotten hurt or has any sores or anything so I'm not understanding why she suddenly snapped at me and continues to. It has been colder so maybe she's just grumpy, but I have her tank set to 85-88F on the side with her hide from a lamp and a heat pad set to 78-80F on the opposite side and haven't noticed any glaring temperature fluctuations. I've also noticed she's lost a little weight, but it's hard to tell since I can't lift her and weigh her, going by sight her legs look slimmer and her tail isn't as plump. About a month ago she pushed her substrate around her hide and made a cave of sorts, I've had her for about a year and half now and I've never seen her do that before, but the next day she scattered the little wall she had built so I didn't think anything of it.
The cave she built
The best full body picture I could get of her, not sure why it turned the way it did, but that one is shortly after she snapped at me, hence the net not being completely stuck.
Is she ready to breed or something? I have no plans to breed her, she is strictly a companion pet, but I would like to know if anyone knows what's going on with her. I read Leos don't get aggressive unless mishandled and I've done nothing out of the ordinary that I can think of. Thanks for any help in advance
Also I know they don't bite hard, I'm not afraid of being bitten, but she jumps at my hand and I don't want her to get hurt.
The cave she built
The best full body picture I could get of her, not sure why it turned the way it did, but that one is shortly after she snapped at me, hence the net not being completely stuck.
Is she ready to breed or something? I have no plans to breed her, she is strictly a companion pet, but I would like to know if anyone knows what's going on with her. I read Leos don't get aggressive unless mishandled and I've done nothing out of the ordinary that I can think of. Thanks for any help in advance
Also I know they don't bite hard, I'm not afraid of being bitten, but she jumps at my hand and I don't want her to get hurt.