Help with handling my runaway leo

[amanda]

Hi, I'm a relatively new leopard gecko owner of a lovely little chap named Morris. I've had him for a month now and he seems very settled, eats well, poops well, etc. The only thing I'm having trouble with is the taming. We've got to a stage where he'll happily climb onto my hand and out of the vivarium but he then likes to escape. I've tried boxing off an area around his viv but he manages to climb out and almost run away, making me panic and grab him to put him back where he belongs. Will he ever become any calmer? I've seen people suggesting putting them on a bed and letting them roam, but he's a quick little thing and I don't want him to fall off the bed/hurt himself in any way. Help?!

 

[LepardGeckosRock]

Just continue to handle him, if you have a empty(ish) room you can go in there and block of the door and any other escape routes so you dont have to worry bout him runnin off and hiding.

 

[tov_13]

so he gets nervous and scared when you take him out of the tank. he's comfortable with you, or he wouldn't walk onto your hand. so I suggest keeping him in the tank and holding him in there and like pet his head to calm him down. you could start taking him farther and farther from the tank everyday until he get used to his surroundings. and if he ever runs away, don't be too quick to grab him and be careful where you grab. they drop their tails VERY easily, so don't grab it if he runs away and don't startle him to much when you do grab him.

 

[DrCarrotTail]

They get calmer as they grow. If he's under 25g I wouldn't recommend handling him much at all as their natural instinct is to run away fast without any regard to where they're going or how far they'll fall. Once they hit about 30-40g they'll naturally calm down and be much tamer.

 

[amanda]

Thanks for your help guys. I'll keep at it