Suggestions?

[Adinar]

We had picked up a blazing blizzard on the 12th, and since then he has been in quarenteen. Now when he first came home, I know he was extremly stressed and wasn't too bad when it came to being picked up. He was ok when I transferred him from a deli cup into a critter keeper for the ride home, he was ok when I took him out of the critter keeper and put him in his tank. He was even ok when I took him out at my parents house to show him.

Now he's a little monster.

I have to use feeding tongs to even change his paper, lift up his moist hide, or do any kind of cage maintance. (It's very hard to block him in his log hide and try to take out his water dish. lol) Last time I took out his moist hide by hand, he bit the plastic and wouldn't let go.... knocked the lid off, then attacked the papertowel and started shaking his head back and forth like a dog would.... he was pretty brutal.

He eats like a champ every other day, I leave him alone save for when it's feeding time or when he's lunging at me thru the glass I just sit there and stare him down.

As a result he's been officially dubbed "Hannibal" because given the chance he'd probably eat your face.

Any suggestion on what to do to help his behavior improve if it dosen't over the next few weeks? I know HJ's method, but this boy is too big for that and will more than likely take my hand off if given the chance.

Blizzards ftl. :main_no:

 

[OhioGecko]

Val, are you using lights to heat the cage?

 

[Adinar]

Val, are you using lights to heat the cage?

Actually, yeah I am. I'm only using lights for the quarenteen tanks, all other have uth.

Could this be bothing his eyes to the point of being evil to no end?

Doing the same for the Bell, and he's been totally chill since he came home other than taking a crap on my shoulder last night. lol.

 

[OhioGecko]

I have had many customers call me saying that one of our geckos are mean or would not eat. 99% of the time they have lights for heating, including red lights. I had them remove the lights and use UTH and in a couple of days the gecko is acting normal again. Give it a try, it can't hurt

 

[Adinar]

Will do, I'll get him set up with heat tape.

 

[Samantha]

it sounds like a terrtoral issue i had with my bearded dragon. just be pashent calm and do normal stuff like change water feed him and stuff and wait and see if it changes. do not pull ur hand out of the cage in fear or hell thik if he acts like that itll make u go away so thats probly why he is doing it now. he likes his new cage and probly doesnt want to share. just be pashent take him out like normal and he should mello out good luck!

 

[Adinar]

it sounds like a terrtoral issue i had with my bearded dragon. just be pashent calm and do normal stuff like change water feed him and stuff and wait and see if it changes. do not pull ur hand out of the cage in fear or hell thik if he acts like that itll make u go away so thats probly why he is doing it now. he likes his new cage and probly doesnt want to share. just be pashent take him out like normal and he should mello out good luck!

Yeah, I haven't touched the bugger since I put him in there. He's pretty big (60 grams or more) and will really pack a punch if he bites.

If I even scoot my chair over to his tank just to watch him, he'll come flying out and nip at the air in my direction.

I normally don't have issues being a little uneasy of bitey geckos, but this one I do. He's way bigger than the others.

Worse comes to worse, I'm sure I can get a set of thick gardening gloves at work and go that route.

 

[GeckoGathering]

Honker Gecko Friends

Yeah, I haven't touched the bugger since I put him in there. He's pretty big (60 grams or more) and will really pack a punch if he bites.

He's way bigger than the others.

I'm sure I can get a set of thick gardening gloves at work and go that route.

V & B,
The gardener pruner gloves (cloth) are the
answer to making friends with adult geckos.
Handle and rub them on your skin to try
to pick up your scent.....When you get to
picking him up....bring it to your body and
cuddle your gloved hands over it.
Wet and slide the fist the same
way as the younger ones and if it hooks it
teeth on the cloth....
allow it to free itself.
It will come out of the "non trust" issue
toward you just as the babies do.
60 grams of strong jaws when it shakes it bite,
will definitely give a bad cut.
Take care. HJ

 

[Adinar]

V & B,
The gardener pruner gloves (cloth) are the
answer to making friends with adult geckos.
Handle and rub them on your skin to try
to pick up your scent.....When you get to
picking him up....bring it to your body and
cuddle your gloved hands over it.
Wet and slide the fist the same
way as the younger ones and if it hooks it
teeth on the cloth....
allow it to free itself.
It will come out of the "non trust" issue
toward you just as the babies do.
60 grams of strong jaws when it shakes it bite,
will definitely give a bad cut.
Take care. HJ

Thanks HJ!

I opted to just take his moist hide out last night (with him in it obviously) and just sat on the floor with him. Surprisingly he did pretty well. He was stressed, but luckily didn't bite. Gonna have to work with this guy.

 

[Tommy13b]

I have had many customers call me saying that one of our geckos are mean or would not eat. 99% of the time they have lights for heating, including red lights. I had them remove the lights and use UTH and in a couple of days the gecko is acting normal again. Give it a try, it can't hurt

Yep, do what thad said and you should be good.

 

[GeckoNub]

I saw a Blizzard in my local reptile store once and got the guy to take it out for me to look at, and it tried to take his finger off :main_laugh:. I also read Blizzards can be of the cranky nature.

My male hypo can be really grumpy and if u think a 60g male is intimidating you should try out Yoshi Last time i weighed him he was atleast 100g, hes atleast 10" and gives the most evil scowl when hes mad :main_angry:

I guess im lucky in that for the most part hes a big chicken Hes only bitten me once and it was more like a graze than a bite.

Either way slow movements are good, calm voice, gloves are also a great idea. Also expect to be bitten. If you're prepared then you're less likely to freak out and jerk your hand when it does happen

I wish you luck with your little monster