Taking your leo out.

[nats]

I know lots of folks like to take their leos out to play,
exercise, whatever, but I have always been afraid something
bad will happen, jumping and falling, not being able to catch them,
etc.
When I see one tring to climb the walls (like they want out) it just
kills me to watch them do that. I feel so bad, like I'm keeping them
in a prison.
When I see them do that, I just want to reach in there, pick them
up, and let them run free somewhere safe. I'm just afraid too :main_rolleyes:
It doesn't help when I read of bad things happening to others who do
that either :main_no:
I know my fears are largely unjustified, can anyone give me any pointers,
encouragement, or help me get rid of my over protective paranoia!?

 

[LizMarie]

I'm with you nats. While I do touch my gekco and hold her in her tank I'm just to scared to take her out unless I have something else to put her in. My fears are the same as your put are intensified by they fact that I have a cat and a dog that go after anything they see or move. Those two will chase the strings on the mop as i mop the apartment. I just can't take the chance of having my poor Leo disappear or escape on me because I doubt she will last very long. Plus I have 3birds that occasionally sneak out by untieing wire ties.

So I guess I'll sit in the same boat with you until someone gives us some advice.

 

[nats]

I'm with you nats. While I do touch my gekco and hold her in her tank I'm just to scared to take her out unless I have something else to put her in. My fears are the same as your put are intensified by they fact that I have a cat and a dog that go after anything they see or move. Those two will chase the strings on the mop as i mop the apartment. I just can't take the chance of having my poor Leo disappear or escape on me because I doubt she will last very long. Plus I have 3birds that occasionally sneak out by untieing wire ties.

So I guess I'll sit in the same boat with you until someone gives us some advice.

Oh yeah, if I had a dog or a cat (esp a cat!) I would really be paranoid

My leos only leave their homes at cleaning time (which is today come to think of it). Even then, I dont pick them up, I let them climb into a toothpaste
box, put my hand over the opening, and transfer to another tank.

A few years ago, I did let one climb up my arm. He got up to my sholder
and took a flying leap!! I was in a crouching position, and he landed on my
bed harmlessly, but it scared the crap out of me. I also know how fast
they can run, and if they tried to run away, I would have to chase them
down and I just think the whole thing would cause to much stress
for them.
I am thinking of making a little play pen. Something really simple like just
putting up cardboard walls on the floor and maybe some stuff in it for
them to climb on and explore.

 

[acpart]

I do take some of my leos out occasionally. I only have 2 that I will put on my shoulder because I know they won't leap off. Otherwise, here are some ideas:

--if you have a couch with pillows, you can pull the pillows out about 6 inches and put the leo in the channel between the pillows and the back of the couch. I have some leos that really love this. They'll go back and forth in the channel and when they get around to climbing the couch back, I'm ready for them.

--get a large cardboard box and put climbing stuff in there, so you can take them from the care directly into the box.

--the bathroom can be a good place because it's a small room (at least mine is) without too many places to get stuck

--if you have carpet stairs (and no cats or dogs), put the gecko on the stairs. It's really interesting to see which ones figure out how to climb up the stairs, which ones peer over the edge of the step and decide not to try and which ones cower in the corner.

Aliza

 

[happy gecko]

I would do the playpen idea. Just set it up, get your gecko into the toothpaste container, get into the playpen, then release your gecko. This way your sitting down and can hold him, and if he runs for it he won't get far. Only way he could take a leap is if he climbs up you, so just watch him, and could put a thick layer of towels or pillows around you.

 

[catvettech]

:main_rolleyes:I may be the bravest of the brave. I do take my geckos out and let them climb about my shoulders and on the computer. shhhh....I do have cats - 4.:main_yes:

The more you handle them, the calmer they become. When I first got these two geckos 3 and 1 month ago, they were very, very jumpy. They have calmed down quite a bit.

 

[Pepper]

Yeah, I've been taking my baby leo out a few times a week, and I have a dog who loves to kill small animals, I just close my door and keep her out of the room.

I let the little guy explore my bed and use pillows as barriers, or just pick him up and move him if he looks like he's going somewhere.

He's calmed down A LOT and won't sprint to get away from me, so it's gotten a lot easier to corral him around haha.

 

[Spooki]

i let mine run around on the floor but i never let him out of my sight. he almost always tries to go under the couch where it's dark.

 

[Haligren]

I'm lucky. Tiamat is very calm usually. Sometimes, if I try to pick her up from above especially, she'll start away from me. If I scoop her up from the side, she's much more receptive. Other than that she seems to feel safe with me. Not safe enough to sleep on, but she'll climb all over me, even if I'm sitting in a chair or on the floor, and she'll just stay on me. She likes trying to climb up my sleeves (if they're big enough) or on top of my head.

I've thought of getting a big, clear critter keeper and putting some stuff in there for her to climb on, changing it every so often just to make things interesting. It'd probably work for the more adventurous leos.

 

[Lady_Kiya]

I actually have a dog. Though his temperment may be different... so it's hard to say. At first when I brought Kiya home he would not stop crying cause he wanted to see her. Now I take her out, have her in my lap or on my bed and he just sits there watching. Almost like he is looking out for her. It's too cute.

 

[kyahbean]

I'm paranoid about taking Puzzle out, too. And he's an AFT who by nature they are much much calmer than Leos. I usually make sure the cats are locked away somewhere they can't pounce, and just hold him in my hands on the bed where if he runs he won't break anything if he falls lol.

 

[Snowy & Petra de Gecko]

Taking them out

So far ... I have not taken them out.

Well other than to clean the tanks or to weigh them.

I have not as yet handle them but, I have hand fed them.

They are just happy in their Tanks.

 

[gothra]

I once had a leo jumped from my shoulder too; I felt so guilty and worried for him! So now, I don't let them sit on my shoulder "by themselves". If anyone wants to climb up my shoulder (say, right shoulder), I'll put my left palm on the shoulder; so when they get there, they are actually sitting on my hand. I can feel their movement and take control if they start to move. Most of my geckos will sit pretty still thinking they've conquered my shoulder!

 

[Lady_Kiya]

I undersand how you feel. More so because I am a chicken of him biting than anything else though. LOL! At least you keep your dignity.

 

[Lady_Kiya]

I hold kiya on my bed most of the time, at least that way if she decided to jump for it (which she did do, in the petstore just before bringing her home) at least she will have a soft enough landing. So far I have been lucky she seems to be relaxed just sitting on me though.

 

[Riyo]

I handle mine all the time. I make an effort to handle all three for at least ten or fifteen minutes everyday and now they are all very used to my touch and very calm. When Solis, my female (and avatar) was a juvi she was extremely flighty but with gentle, consistent handling she is now very mellow and content to just sit in your lap or on your shoulder.

If I find that one of them is stressed out and not wanting to be handled, I don't force it and just put them back in their tank.

Handling them and getting them used to your touch is extremely rewarding in my opinion! I love having them out to hang out with me (one at a time, of course).

 

[Pepper]

I agree with you Riyo, with my baby Leo now, I kept it short 5 minute sessions, and then worked up to just letting him explore for 10 minutes and he's calming down extraordinarily quickly!

It's cool to see him getting used to me.

 

[metaldad904]

I take mine out every few days to not only examine them & make sure all is well but also to help them get used to human contact. When I do I tend to either sit on the bed or get down on the floor to eliminate any large falls if they do try to jump or something I have a big dog (i know there's a threat with pics somewhere around here of her), she's a 70 lb pit bull & she stays in my room with me & the geckos. At first I was very worried that she might try to eat them or something but I've noticed she's more curious than anything about them, not sure if she knows what to think of them at all. Lately she insists upong getting as close as possible when i'm holding them, even sticking her nose up to their faces to get a sniff. It was kinda funny, my dog knows what "kisses" are so I told her to give one kisses & w/out hesitation she licked one of my big females lol. Gecko didn't seem to mind lol. I don't let it go too far or anything, under VERY close supervision & if i feel like my dog is being a little too intrusive I'll get her outta there.

 

[nats]

I think I'll make a "rink" on the floor.
Maybe cut some long pieces of cardboard for the walls, like a baby
play pen. Than put some toys and stuff in there.
That will give them something to do while I clean their tanks.
When I'm ready to put them back, I will just escort them to the
toothpaste box!

Do you guys think that would work okay?

 

[Bling_my_leo]

Hey nats. I myself have no fears or problem with takeing my leos out of their cages. I only let them roam on my bed when I'm near them. I sometimes put a fence-type (playpen made for small rodents) around the edges of the bed. That keeps them safe without me haveing to worry. I would suggest buying a small animal playpen like I have done. You can find them at walmart in the small pet isle. It's around $10. Oh, and the pen is multi colored.! Hope I helped.