Extremely aggressive leopard gecko

[Sb1200exla]

Aggressive leopard gecko

My leopard gecko is 6 months old. I’ve had her since she/he (I still don’t know the sex) was very tiny. I’ve had leopard geckos before and have successfully tamed them, been able to hold and interact with them. This leopard gecko, however, is such a challenge for me. I just need some insight! Every time I walk past the enclosure she/he lunges at the glass and bites. Every time I lean down to look into the enclosure the same thing happens. Every time I try to place my hand in the enclosure to desensitize my leopard gecko, she/he will bite at my hand or just stand there, chest up in the air, tail doing S motions, staring at my hand. The gecko eats great, great feeding response. Tank temperature is always normal, has a humid hide and 2 other hides. I don’t know what to do. I really want to be able to handle my Leo.

 

[acpart]

In my opinion, the best way you're going to get to handle your leopard gecko is to get a second gecko. I say this because in 13 years of breeding leopard geckos, I find that their personalities (so to speak) are set from the time they hatch. Some just hate being held no matter what you do. The only other possibility is that some geckos (not usually leopards, though) are cage defensive: they're aggressive to anything coming into their cage. You could try to gently wrap the gecko in a towel and remove it from the cage. Put it some place like a small bathroom if you have one, or on the couch and let it roam (the bathroom is a better idea as long as there's nothing like a radiator or heat vent that it can get into). Then you can see if it's any more likely to let you touch it. Obviously, be ready with the towel in case this doesn't work and you have to return him to his enclosure.

Aliza

 

[VampCramp]

She looks like a blizzard, right? I've heard recently some blizzard morphs can have issues with aggression. I had one years ago that was aggressive as well. I'd only had her a little under 6 months before I decided to give her to someone a bit more experienced.

 

[ZNature]

I don’t think it’s being aggressive but it’s being defensive. Or because of its good feeding response, he/she associates you with food. I had a extremely defensive leopard gecko and it took me 7 months to be able to have her out for longer than 5 minutes without her trying to bite my hand or run away. I started by placing my hand next to her and I would do this every day. Usually when they are being defensive they will bite you when your hand is coming at them. But since you said he/she bites your hand just when you place it down makes me think he/she probably thinks it’s food. I think you just have to let he/she figure out that it can’t eat your hand. When he/she bites your hand after a while he/she will probably realize it’s not food so just keep trying to get he/she used to your hand.