aggressive behavior?

[shadowdragon619]

I have a leopard gecko who recently seems to have gotten kinda aggressive. i'm about 75% sure he's a he. I bought him ******** back in january, so i'm guessing he's about 6-7 months old.

temps are about 90 F on the hot side, and about 75 on the cool. He gets fed crickets every other day...and i swear he eats at least twenty every feeding, and still wants more.

I have never had a problem hand feeding him, he would never nip or bite my hand when i fed him mealworms....now the past few weeks, if i try to hand feed him mealworms....he wont attack the worm, he attacks my hand! Little bugger broke skin the first time, luckily i didnt bleed or he's have to sit the corner for a time out! lol

But i'm just wondering if this could just be a male dominance behavior or something like that?

sorry its long, thanks for reading and any opinions you might have :main_thumbsup:

 

[Northstar Herp]

Try putting the mealies in a container to feed him. It doesn't sound like an aggressive behavior, just a good eater. Maybe he thinks you're a big mealie?

 

[shadowdragon619]

haha...i do put the mealies in a container...but he hasnt quite grasped the concept that he cant attack a mealworm through the glass container. lol

 

[Blacksupra94]

I don't understand how that's aggression , it's not like he's biting you when your trying to hold him or something. Mine mistakes my finger and the tongs for worms all the time, I just try to move as soon as I see her eyeing it

 

[Northstar Herp]

haha...i do put the mealies in a container...but he hasnt quite grasped the concept that he cant attack a mealworm through the glass container. lol

try something thats not glass, very low, that he can see over but not through the side. If he has trouble, slide the dish right up to him under his chin. I've done that with some of mine before, and they finally got it.

 

[Srt14292]

Are you touching any other males before hand? This could be an issue, However The aforementioned is probably more likely.

 

[shadowdragon619]

the only other leo i have is female.

then i have a garg and a crestie that are too young to sex.

and to me, its not like he's missing...he's seriously attacking my hand....he latched onto my thumb this morning....i jerked my hand out of the cage, and he was still attatched! i was like wtf! let go!

and when he doesnt get the glass bowl full of mealies....i just pick him up and set him in the dish, lol, and then he's all like, OMG FOOD!

 

[bman123]

I would call aggressive tail shaking, puffing up, and making noises at you, sounds like a good eater that's all. My raptor nailed my finger numerous times but as soon as he did he'd let go.,

 

[mascutt]

I have a similar situation and yours does not sound like aggression at all to me.... more like bad aim. My Lola always ate out of my hand, and she only ever nipped me once. But now she, like yours, not only won't eat out of my hand, but she has stopped eating at all. Mine are like that too, I keep the mealies in the tank with them, but neither of mine would eat them until I specifically feed them.

But Lola has started shaking her tail at me.... and she hides from me, jumps out of my hand over and over... it's like she wants nothing to do with me anymore. That's why I say what you describe does not sound like agressiveness. I think yours might just be too overeager to eat, and perhaps is not paying close attention to which part of (what he thinks is the meailie) that he attacks. If that makes sense! LOL

 

[mascutt]

the only other leo i have is female.

then i have a garg and a crestie that are too young to sex.

and to me, its not like he's missing...he's seriously attacking my hand....he latched onto my thumb this morning....i jerked my hand out of the cage, and he was still attatched! i was like wtf! let go!

and when he doesnt get the glass bowl full of mealies....i just pick him up and set him in the dish, lol, and then he's all like, OMG FOOD!

I think you just nailed it right there! OMG food! He may be attacking on purpose, but its the food, not you. For some reason your gecko may not realize where the mealie ends and your skin begins. It's all associated as "MEALTIME" for him???