Acting very frightened for the first time

[Seanu13]

So tonight I went to go feed my leo and I normally take out this plant I have in there and one hide from the warm side (gives her room to see the food and makes less places for roaches/whatever to hide). Well, I took out the plant and when I lifted her hide, she FLIPPED OUT. I mean, sprinted across the other side of the cage. I went and tried to touch her and she flipped out again and sprinted away and was like half up on a hide (her lower half) with her top half (head and "arms") down on the paper towel, pressed against it, not moving at all (just being very still). So I gave her a minute and she started to lift her head and I went and put my hand, palm up, on the paper towel and slowly moved toward her cause she'll normally crawl up, and she flipped out again.

I've never seen her do this... I thought she was going to drop her tail she was acting so crazy. Do leos ever just act funny sometimes or is something possibly wrong? I did everything as normal and she normally doesnt care... She spent like 2 days straight in her humid hide also.

Thanks, any input is appreciated.

Edit: A couple weeks ago I started feeding her dubia roaches if that could possibly have an effect. She eats them without hesitation so I didn't see how she would care all that much.

 

[Bonney425]

is she shedding??? for some reason mine freak out when i try to bother them at all when they shed

 

[gothra]

I think you've scared her by lifting up her hide; usually if I scared my geckos and they freak out, I'll leave the room and let them fully calm down before I let them see me again. That probably takes 15-30 minutes.

 

[kathleen]

Could you hav had something on your hands lotion or soap perhaps a new
smell to her.

 

[nats]

I think you've scared her by lifting up her hide; usually if I scared my geckos and they freak out, I'll leave the room and let them fully calm down before I let them see me again. That probably takes 15-30 minutes.

This is the same thing I do. Sometimes they just get spooked. When that happens, just leave them alone.

Also, as Kathleen said, if you had any strange sent on your hands, had you been handling another animal, etc.

How old is your leo?

 

[Seanu13]

Dont think anything new was on my hands, usually I can have lotions on and she wont care. And lifting it up could have spooked her but I usually do it and she just looks up like "huh? what happened?".
I'll try to touch her in a minute since she's had all night and she's not laying in a hide. She usually seems to appreciate being rubbed on top of her head.

Edit: and she doesn't look like she's shedding but maybe she's getting there and I just cant tell yet

 

[Seanu13]

She let me pick her up so that's a good sign. Like I said, she usually appreciates being held and touched it seems (she'll try to climb onto my fiance's hand and she seems to like us gently rubbing the top of her head with a finger, etc. Nothing extensive).

So suddenly changing her diet, would that affect her health at all? mealworms to dubia

Edit: I keep forgetting to say everything. She's a year and a half old or so.

 

[rcobourn]

She is probably ovulating. My wife gets like that too.

 

[RepBex]

lol hope your wife does not see that lol

i dont think the diet would do it she might have been resting on the side of the hide when u lifted it so it made her jump more both my geckos have had a spaz before lol

and i agree with all the others

 

[skyline]

I've only had this happen to me once my pregnant female did this same thing i just left her alone for a couple of minuets and then slowly per her. She was fine afterwards. I'm guessing she ovulating.

 

[MelissaDiane]

Freaked out Gecko

She is probably ovulating. My wife gets like that too.

That is too funny....I love it & I am a woman. That just really made me laugh. Everyone is so serious & giving good advice & then all of a sudden this comes & the thing is I think you were serious:main_laugh:

Anyway, I have one too that freaks out every now & again but she is fairly new to our family (we only had her at most a month) so I figure this is just building trust & learning each other. Some days are okay & others she is too freaked out for me to even attempt holding her.

anyway, thanks for the laugh:main_thumbsup:

 

[GeckoGathering]

Good Dream

I think you've scared her by lifting up her hide; usually if I scared my geckos and they freak out, I'll leave the room and let them fully calm down before I let them see me again. That probably takes 15-30 minutes.

You ever been asleep, peaceful dream going your way..........and all of a sudden someone pulls the roof off your house?????
Think about it. LOL............take care. HJ

 

[Seanu13]

You ever been asleep, peaceful dream going your way..........and all of a sudden someone pulls the roof off your house?????
Think about it. LOL............take care. HJ

This made me really laugh lol.

I'll see if she acts like that again. If so I'll say something. Right now she's just not acting interested in food and its been probably 4 days.. idk. We'll see.

Thanks for the replies and laughs!