Really worried and disturbed

Shelilla

New Member
Messages
6
Location
Alberta
Last night I caught my one gecko, Honey doing something I have never seen before and I found very horrifying to my other gecko, Willow. The cave was in the way so I did not see the lower halves of them but I clearly saw Honey biting Willow's neck. I looked it up just a second ago to find out (I thought this was dominance mounting/bullying since- I thought- they are both females) but then read that they bite the neck while mating. I also saw prior to this Honey attacking and biting at Willow.

I am very concerned now.

Also, a bit of history on Honey and why this was so shocking to me after caring for them from babies for about two years now;

Honey is an albino, eclipse eyes, and I am positive now has most likely some sort of mental issue or defect. Her eyesight is terrible in the day, and often she has trouble actually biting food right in front of her, especially if it doesn't move. I think it also is possible that she could be deaf, because I don't recall her ever reacting to sound like Willow does.

In the past more than now, when I feed them, I have seen tail-biting take place, but not as a bullying thing but more just juvenile excitement and often Honey mistaking anything she saw move for food, and both of them would do it.

I have never had any problems with them not eating food or hogging it, and more often than not I was actually more worried about Honey as Willow would gobble up the food and Honey would have trouble just seeing it. I was even concerned if Willow was bullying Honey a few times when they were juveniles.

I have seen Honey frequently crawl on top of/over/sit on Willow, but I don't know if this was on purpose or if she's just half-blind and kind of dim.

This is the first time I have seen Honey act like this. I am now even more concerned because the reason I saw this was because I heard lots of rustling and when I saw Willow she was making chirps of discomfort (I have heard this before at night but I thought it was Honey because that's the sound she very vocally makes when I try to pick her up sometimes), so it is highly possible it has been going on for a while now.

When I stopped Honey at first I watched for a while to see if she would show any more aggressive behaviour. Strangely enough both of them went back to their cave as though nothing had happened and just lay down. Honey seemed to be pushing Willow to the edge of the cave and sticking just her head out but not sure if this was on purpose. During the day I never see anything close to this happen, even when feeding; more often it looks like Willow is the one who is dominant (and she's slightly larger and a bigger eater)

A little while after I took Willow out of the cage, Honey began showing even stranger behaviour. She began pacing at the side of the tank, and kept 'pawing' at the glass (this was definitely not because she was too hot either), and I almost think she was clawing at her own reflection.

Is it possible that Honey is a hermaphrodite, if such a thing exists with geckos? (I have heard of hermaphroditic dogs, although very different, having extremely unpredictable and aggressive behaviour before) Or is she suddenly showing the signs that she is really a male? Or is this just bullying? Is she maybe a Hot Female?

Here is a picture of Honey:
 

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acpart

Geck-cessories
Staff member
Messages
15,119
Location
Somerville, MA
Are you positive that they are both female? If not, google "sexing leopard geckos" and take a look (or post pictures of your geckos' bottoms on the forum).
Bullying is not uncommon, even for geckos that have been living together for awhile. I do recommend you consider keeping them separated for awhile. I wouldn't be surprised if Honey settled down after she gets used to the new situation.

Aliza
 

Shelilla

New Member
Messages
6
Location
Alberta
Thank you for the advice, I feel more reassured but her behaviour has always concerned me just with how she acts in general a lot. Sigh. I'm glad this isn't as big a cause for concern as I thought. I really didn't expect that since Willow seems way tougher, but who knows. I tried to separate them temporarily that night with a box lid but it wasn't half the tank since I was worried one might die without the heat pad for a night, but within like half an hour both were trying their hardest to get past it and Honey did and they snuggled up like nothing happened. I really don't get it... so far nothing else has happened so maybe it was just temporary...? (I wish). If I see it once again then I will separate them (or at least try to), but I'll see how it goes.

I thought they both are, I will have to check though. I don't think Honey could be male though, because both are at least a year and a half old, but then again who knows.
Thanks so much for the advice I feel more relieved now.
 

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