Handling my new gecko

[darkridder]

So me and my girlfriend went to a reptile show this last saturday in taylor michigan. We took my nephew with us this time, was his first time going to one, boy did he love it. Anway

My g/f picked up a tokay for someone and was going to meet him at the show to exchange for money, well the guy never showed. Not wanting a gecko that can maul her beatiful fingers I decided I would see if I could trade it off.

After going to about three booths I found a very nice guy who was taking care of "joshsfrogs" names Jim. He let me trade the Tokay for a very nice looking baby gecko, probably a girl.

Currently with 4 adult leopard geckos I've never started out with a baby.... So I'm curious about how I should handle it to get used to me... any previous experciences would be nice.

Thanks.

 

[Pepper]

Well, I just got my first baby and first leopard gecko a few weeks ago..

Don't hold him for a while, let him settle in.

Youngsters are fast and can be skittish. Be very careful about scaring him because they will easily drop their tail.

Start by putting your hand in the tank just so he can smell you when he walks out.

It's all about trust, he doesn't know if you are going to eat him or not.

Start by handling him for a few minutes at a time, close to the ground because they can jump.

He will be skittish and it can be very hard to get them out of their tank, once they are out they generally calm down a little.

After a while of 5 minute handling sessions 3 or 4 times a week they calm down A LOT!

My baby has calmed down a lot he's still a tad skittish, but calms down after a few seconds.

I think he got used to me faster because when I would empty everything out of his tank for feeding time I would pick him up say hello, put him down, feed him, then handle him for a few minutes so he associated me with food time

 

[Bodon]

I never handled mine until it was ready, i wasnt really sure when that was but when it stopped being afraid of me and appeared to want out of the tank, i put my hand in and it climbed right now and was fine ever since that day. I got it as a hatchling and first handled it 6 months later.

 

[Lady_Kiya]

I agree with pepper :main_yes: He needs to know he can trust you before he gets too comfortable walking on you and letting you hold him.

 

[nats]

Yeah I agree, they can be very hyper.
Just leave him/her alone in the terrarium and dont try to handle it
for a few days. When he gets to the point where he will come out of his hide
while your standing there and not get freaked, you can start putting your
hand in there for him to inspect and perhaps take a lick or two.
When you have earned his trust, he will be on his way to being a tame
pet.