Short version: I am wondering if there are other techniques/tips anyone has in regards to getting your leo to become friendly? Or are some leos simply always going to be skittish? (I'm a new leo owner)
Long version: I bought my leo from a pet store (at around 6 months old), so I don't doubt he was mistreated by the staff. When I brought him home I allowed him time to become used to his new environment. He is extremely skittish and wary of humans, so I began to place my hand in his enclosure, so he could walk on it and just get used to my presence. Twice he wanted to come outside of his enclosure, and I handled him briefly (still very jumpy and skittish). If I try to scoop him up, he always becomes defensive and takes an agressive stance. I am worried that if I progress too slowly and leave him alone too often (because I don't want to scare him or stress him out) that he will never be acclimatized to people. He did bite me once; although, he was not being agressive (he was cocking his head side to side like he does when he is about to nom a mealworm), he thought my finger was food (I had been told that feeding your leos from your hand will get them used to you, and I think he made the connection of hand and food a little too close!). It didn't hurt though, just surprised me more than anything (I've been told that leos don't bite). But because this has happened, I'm worried that he will never be friendly with me. My sister has a gargoyle gecko, who we tried to get familiar with people, but he remained very flighty and aggressive despite our efforts (and he did bite me in agression when I tried to feed him repashi, and drew blood at that!). I'm thinking that maybe he does not want to be handled because he is always hungry; I feed him a lot, 20 gut-loaded meal worms and 2 wax worms in a day, and he still was pawing at the glass, looking at the mealworm container (I'm worried about parasites, but he is very active and alert and excretes normally, so maybe he just needs a heck of a lot of food?). As it is, he eats more than my sister's full-grown leo. Either way, some days he seems used to my presence, other days he hides, and other days he becomes very defensive (with the curved-tail stance and everything). All in all I am wondering if the methods I am using are wrong, if there are better ways to get your leo to become friendly, or if it is due to his age/hunger/whatever else?
Sorry about the long post, I am long-winded (unfortunatly!) but I like to be thorough!
Long version: I bought my leo from a pet store (at around 6 months old), so I don't doubt he was mistreated by the staff. When I brought him home I allowed him time to become used to his new environment. He is extremely skittish and wary of humans, so I began to place my hand in his enclosure, so he could walk on it and just get used to my presence. Twice he wanted to come outside of his enclosure, and I handled him briefly (still very jumpy and skittish). If I try to scoop him up, he always becomes defensive and takes an agressive stance. I am worried that if I progress too slowly and leave him alone too often (because I don't want to scare him or stress him out) that he will never be acclimatized to people. He did bite me once; although, he was not being agressive (he was cocking his head side to side like he does when he is about to nom a mealworm), he thought my finger was food (I had been told that feeding your leos from your hand will get them used to you, and I think he made the connection of hand and food a little too close!). It didn't hurt though, just surprised me more than anything (I've been told that leos don't bite). But because this has happened, I'm worried that he will never be friendly with me. My sister has a gargoyle gecko, who we tried to get familiar with people, but he remained very flighty and aggressive despite our efforts (and he did bite me in agression when I tried to feed him repashi, and drew blood at that!). I'm thinking that maybe he does not want to be handled because he is always hungry; I feed him a lot, 20 gut-loaded meal worms and 2 wax worms in a day, and he still was pawing at the glass, looking at the mealworm container (I'm worried about parasites, but he is very active and alert and excretes normally, so maybe he just needs a heck of a lot of food?). As it is, he eats more than my sister's full-grown leo. Either way, some days he seems used to my presence, other days he hides, and other days he becomes very defensive (with the curved-tail stance and everything). All in all I am wondering if the methods I am using are wrong, if there are better ways to get your leo to become friendly, or if it is due to his age/hunger/whatever else?
Sorry about the long post, I am long-winded (unfortunatly!) but I like to be thorough!
