Handling.

[taylor_ba_nator_xD]

Im scared to touch my leopard gecko.

I want to hold her and everything but... ahhh.




like I think she can sense your fear or something.. =\

I can pet her back.. but she like stands up on all fours and just gets higher and higher...

does that mean she likes it? :main_huh:

but if I stick my hand in there and let it sit... she just ignores it.

 

[nats]

You just go in baby steps.
Have a little contact every day, touch her, try to pet her head.
She will get used to it w/o freaking out and running away.

If she squirms or runs away when to pet her, dont persue it till next time.
You dont want to antagonize her.

Dont be affraid of her bitting you. They very rarely bite in a self defense
manner, they may nip a little, it does not hurt, if that happens, try not to
jerk away because it will scare your leo.

Some tame right away, others take forever

I dont actually know if they like being pet, or just tolerate it.

 

[Brawler]

just take it slow, i believe they do grow to like being handled after a while, think mostly they like your body heat, but if you have one that wasn't handled alot by the breeder they can be a real hassle to get to be handleable, the first one i ever had was a 5 year old female that the only time she was ever handled in her life was to put her in her cage when the previous owner bought her, took me the better part of 8 months of trying almost everyday to get her to be handleable. just keep trying and dont persist to the point of angering your gecko.

 

[Mel&Keith]

We don't have many geckos that really tolerate being "petted" but we gently scoop up hatchlings once they're a couple weeks old and just hold them gently for a few minutes before putting them back. That way that get used to being picked up. You don't want to handle a gecko for hours and hours every day but it is good to pick them up for at least a few minutes. If yours is very small, try cupping it in your hands and if it's bigger you can let it walk from hand to hand. Just make sure you're sitting on the floor to avoid an accidental fall.

 

[Geck-O]

Check out this thread.

http://www.geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=28454

 

[Geck-O]

Check out this thread.

http://www.geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=28454

The second post worked very well for me.

 

[skyline]

Just go slowly try and pet her the first day and slowly every day do it al little more each day, untill she is ready to be held. Dont be afraid of her biting you the hardly ever do and if they do it realy dosent hurt its just suprising. and when you pet her back and she "stands up on all fours and just gets higher and higher" its just something leo's do it they usualy stop that pretty quickly, they all do it when its there first time being held.

PS: is your gecko full grown or a baby?

 

[NB1230]

When their backs puff up like a cat's, that means they don't like it very much. Lol... I accidentally misted my leo once and he did that.

 

[Haligren]

When their backs puff up like a cat's, that means they don't like it very much. Lol... I accidentally misted my leo once and he did that.

It's too bad that do that as a sign of discomfort. They look so CUTE when they do it.

I had sprayed my gecko twice thinking that he was doing it because he liked the water. >.<

 

[NB1230]

Yeah, I accidentally sprayed my gecko with water too and I was fascinated so I did it again. Lol... Then he just started puffing up and looked really PO'd, so I stopped and said sorry. Lol...

 

[nats]

When their backs puff up like a cat's, that means they don't like it very much. Lol... I accidentally misted my leo once and he did that.

Do you know this for a fact, or just a good guess?

I have wondered.
Some folks think, when they arch their backs while being pet, it means they like it. I'm not so sure about that.
At first when I pet their heads, they shrink away and run into their hiding cave, but after a while, they stand still and close their eyes like they like it. Who really knows. Maybe they just get used to it, and tolerate it!?

I know, we all love our animals, and want to believe they enjoy our affections. The only indications we get is by observing their behavior.

 

[NB1230]

Do you know this for a fact, or just a good guess?

I have wondered.
Some folks think, when they arch their backs while being pet, it means they like it. I'm not so sure about that.
At first when I pet their heads, they shrink away and run into their hiding cave, but after a while, they stand still and close their eyes like they like it. Who really knows. Maybe they just get used to it, and tolerate it!?

I know, we all love our animals, and want to believe they enjoy our affections. The only indications we get is by observing their behavior.

Well, I'm not 100%, but he started waving his tail after I did it so I assumed he was angry, or at least startled. I think he may have done it just because he was startled. But I don't touch him very often, so he was probably very unsettled by the entire experience. Lol...