In hide 24/7

[t04jas]

I got my leopard gecko 3 weeks ago, and he hasn't come out of his hide on the warm side for any more than a minute (only to go to his bathroom spot) since I got him. When I feed him he'll come out if I drop a mealworm right in front of the opening to his hide, but if it moves more than a couple of inches away he goes back in. Is there anything I can do to encourage him to explore more? It seems like he's afraid to come out, what can I do to make him feel safer? The temps on the warm side are about 95, and about 80 on the cool side. I have a hide on the warm side, a hide on the cool side, and a moist hide in the middle. The substrate is reptile carpet, and I have a water dish and mealworm dish on the cool side in front of his hide. I appreciate any suggestions.

 

[breanna-banana13]

are you using a lamp or a uth? when i used lamps, i never saw mine. since switching to uth they are always out and about.

 

[Foreverandever]

It's not unusual for them to stay hidden for a while when you first get them. Just give him some time and he'll come out eventually

It took Presley about a month before he would come out of his warm hide

 

[Dan K.]

if you've had him 3 week's he's probaly getting used to his new surounding or might just be shy I have a BB that I've had for a couple month that's the same way, I'll fill his food dish and he'll watch them and wait till night and then he'll come out and eat then. but as soon as I walk in the room he get's scared and run's back into his hide

 

[Stitchex]

I'd say he's fine, as long as he's eating and pooping. Do you have any pics of him?

 

[t04jas]

Thanks for the replies. He's eating fine, and growing fairly quickly as well. He eats about 6-10 mealworms a night before he loses interest, but I've only seen him eat out of his mealworm dish once. I haven't got any pics of him because he's never come out long enough for me to get one. When I clean his tank, I move him to a plastic container with a hide in it, and I know it probably stresses him out so I don't want to make it worse by taking pictures. I do use an infrared heat lamp on a dimmer to keep the floor temp on the cool side in the 75-80 range, but I thought that didn't bother them?

 

[leegooman2323]

And he may be "more nocturnal" than usual: meaning that he is REALLY inactive during the day, rather than just kinda inactive. My gecko comes out during the day, but not to do much. Your gecko may just hate the day and not come out when you're awake. IMO.

 

[leyporgueco]

try feeding him only once a day at around the same time (maybe before you go to bed) that way he knows its feed time and not something fishie. Feed him crickets so he needs to hunt them. If you do the shake and bake method by their cage(put crickets in a plastic bag with nutrient supp and shake) they might become conditioned to the sound. Mine are. When ever they hear a bag being shaken (crickets, potoatoe chips, or other) they come running out of there caves to check what it is. But yeah they mostly sleep all day.

 

[t04jas]

I just cleaned his tank out and thought I'd post a picture to this thread. Do I have a healthy looking little leo?

 

[acpart]

He looks really good and has great color. He also looks pretty young and it's self preservation for him to stay hidden. Some geckos are "social" from the beginning (I have one like that that I held back because of her socialability), some relax as they get older, and some are permanently reclusive (I have a few of those too).

Aliza