Does she like it?

[Pikaichoo]

I have a juvenile Leopard gecko, Itzo,who I'm trying to tame...I don't think I'm doing a very good job, considering how antsy she can be when I handle her at times. She can actually mellow out for about 10 minutes, then she'll crawl all over me.


So I handled her today, and I was reclined in a chair. I had her laying against me but I cupped my hand over her a bit to give her a little cave. Then I moved my thumb down and I very gently scratched her head (a little ways behind her eye/the corner of her head) and then she kinda tilted her head as I did it...kinda like a dog or a cat when you scratch them behind the ears. She didn't raise her tail, but when I moved the scratching closer to the back of her neck, she raised her tail up, so I stopped. But when she titled her head, does that mean that she enjoyed it?


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I also like to handle my cousin's gecko. She's an adult, and is much larger than Itzo. What I found interesting is that she's lost most of her toes from shedding, and uses her tail to hook around my fingers or arm to stabilize herself. I was gently stroking and scratching her on the head and back, then she would arch her back when I got to that area. She didn't seem to dislike it, since she didn't scurry away or screech or anything like that. Do you think she likes to be scratched or pet like that?

 

[jbs81890]

Arching their back and waving their tail in the air are signs of aggression or fear.

 

[Pikaichoo]

But's that not what either of them did.....and I technically wasn't really asking about that. I was asking about why she was tilting her head while I scratched it. Her tail was not up and shaking at all.

 

[LeopardShade]

One of mine does that too, tilts her head up when I rub it. Looks like a little puppy! I would like to think that they enjoy handling, but the problem is, they're reptiles. They don't have emotions powerful enough to feel enjoyment. All reptiles may tolerate handling to certain varying degrees, but I don't think they'll ever make it past that.

As for taming your gecko, you generally don't want to handle a young juvenile excessively as they have the instinctive propensity to be more skittish. Every day you could get her out for short handling session for about 5-10 min, but if she's stressing, put her back in and wait until tomorrow. Make sure your movements are
slow and gentle.

EDIT - The skin bumps on a leopard gecko's back are very sensitive, sort of like animal whiskers. That could be the reason for arching her back.

 

[Pikaichoo]

Oh wow, that's very interesting.....I never really thought of that.


I do try to handle her for about that long, and I put her back whenever she gets stressed.

I never knew that about the bumps...That explains a lot! Thank you!