Trust?

[zetus11]

Okay so I just got my first baby leo, he/she is pretty chill but a little shy.
I was woundering if anyone has any tips about getting your leo to be happy being handled and touched, thanks

 

[Jusselin]

You need to handle him/her for a few minutes every day....watch him/her if he/she freaks out then let him/her be, maybe crawl on you or around you. If he/she starts to get stressed then put him/her back up. Stress can lead to death. Just be careful with him/her handlewith care and things should get easier. Keep us updated.

 

[zetus11]

Alright thanks ^^
I'll try to keep updated

 

[Jusselin]

How old is the gecko? where did you get it from?

 

[DrCarrotTail]

Jusselin's advice sounds good to me - Once she figures out that you're not gonna eat her she should relax a bit. I think getting a bit higher up the food chain makes them relax a tad and most leo's tend to mellow out as they get bigger...haha

Congrats on your new friend! Can we see a picture?!

 

[mango+cola]

You aren't supposed to handle them for a few weeks after first getting them to allow them to settle in to their new home. Handling her straight away is just going to cause unnecessary stress. Give it a week or two and then do what the above posters said.

 

[zetus11]

he/she is still pretty young about 4in, i hate to say it but i did get him/her from petsmart

 

[Thorgecko707]

You aren't supposed to handle them for a few weeks after first getting them to allow them to settle in to their new home. Handling her straight away is just going to cause unnecessary stress. Give it a week or two and then do what the above posters said.

+1

 

[GeckoGurrl]

Put your hand in the tank and lay it flat and wait for the gecko to come to you. The gecko will eventually learn to trust your hand and feel safe with you.

 

[That_DL_Kid]

You aren't supposed to handle them for a few weeks after first getting them to allow them to settle in to their new home. Handling her straight away is just going to cause unnecessary stress. Give it a week or two and then do what the above posters said.

+2

 

[Jusselin]

You aren't supposed to handle them for a few weeks after first getting them to allow them to settle in to their new home. Handling her straight away is just going to cause unnecessary stress. Give it a week or two and then do what the above posters said.

Forgot to mention this... sorry and touche' =]

some geckos are different, mine was very adaptive and settled in quick.

 

[DrCarrotTail]

Agreed - giving them time to settle in is important!

 

[Jordycakes]

Yeah +whatever on the time settling, also the hand on the tank floor is a good thing and i also talk to them softly, kinda like you do to a cat when you want it to come over, thats what i do

 

[mudskipper]

Some are easier to tame than others. Mine are pretty tame now and I have only had them between one to two months.

I think the most important thing is that they need to feel safe and secure in their new homes. So do not keep moving their decors around. Mine always get so confused when I rearrange their stuff. Do not try to handle them the first couple of weeks. Just put your hand in the tank and let them lick you. Eventually, you'll be able to touch them without them running away.

Provide hides they can actually hide in. So they can get away from the light or you if they need to. I have several hides in each tank. They prefer the ones that are pitch black inside. The temperatures need to be correct and so on.

When you pick them up, be gentle. Mine are still small so I don't grab them at all. I use one hand to guide them into the other hand to pick them up.

Associate yourself with food. I have been handling them when I feed them. They have mealworm dishes, but I hand feed silkworms, dubias, and crickets with rubber tipped tongs. I tab their tanks with the tongs. The ones that are hungry would come out to the front of the tank.

I let mine walk on my hands one at a time for like 10 minutes a few times a week. It seems like handling them actually have made them more comfortable with me in general. They usually poke their heads out when I'm near by during the day.

I also rub their heads and their backs when they are in the tank. They just sit there now instead of running away like when I first got them.