Gecko is afraid of me

[GeckoLuke]

one of my 2 leopard geckos is scared of me. She is only a few weeks old, and i got her 2 days ago. The calm one is very nice and loves being held, the other one not so much. She runs away everytime i slowly put my hand in the tank. i hold her everyday and when shes i my hands she seems fine, but she seems afraid of me and runs into her hide.

any tips or tricks i can use to help my gecko understad im not a predator and shes safe where she is?

thanks, Luke.

 

[ReptarNDukeNukem]

Try hand feeding them but remember they are small so they think you are a predator.

 

[little98dime]

first off, if you got her 2 days ago, it is too soon to start trying to hold them. they need at least 3 weeks to a month to settle in and get use to you being there and milling around in their tank (water dish, food dish, cleaning). after that, you can start slowly putting your hand in on the opposite side of the tank from the leo and lay it flat on the tank floor. let the leo come to you. do not reach for it and dont move your hand too much. they are curious little creatures and will eventually come explore your hand. dont lift your hand for the first few times (i give it about a week or so). after that start lifting them up a little for 5 minutes or so. dont move away from the tank much if at all. each time spend a little more time with them, watching for signs of stress (quick breathing, trying to get away, hiding, or jumpy). if they show any of these signs, put them back and let them rest. doing this right before feeding will help them associate you with food and thus, they will more readily accept your contact.

 

[GeckoLuke]

thanks for those tips.. But my sister wont listen.. she says "they're fine and they like being handled. she holds them everyday and i told her they need time to do their own thing. eh... how can i make her listen.. shes 18 and she thinks she knows everything when i researched it all and paid for everything...

 

[little98dime]

if you paid for them, then she has no say in the matter. they are yours and she should respect that. you could do some researching and print off various things like what I said and present them to her. if push comes to shove, you could find a way to put a lock on the cage(s).

 

[Palor]

Locking cages would really help with this. Reptiles need time to settle in when they come to a new home. Usually 2-4 weeks.

 

[GeckoLuke]

Ok will do.

thanks,

Luke.