Your Friendliest Leopard Gecko: Male or Female?

[mudskipper]

In your collection, what is the sex of your friendliest leopard gecko?

Leopard geckos are generally pretty tame anyway so I'm referring to those that are happy to see you. Those that crawl up on your hand when you reach into the tank. And those that just wanna sit on your lap watching TV kinda friendly. Not the average friendly that does the hand walking thing until it's tired. Ok, maybe that's a bit much. How about one that won't run away and would just sit on your lap?

I'm just curious because almost every time I read or see a video about a super friendly leopard gecko, the owners call them "he". I don't know if it's because that's what people do when they don't know the sex of their pets or it's because they are actually male.

 

[Crewdog00]

Female but I only got one.

 

[Dragoon Gecko]

As a breeder I have seen a good amount of very friendly and tame geckos on both sides.
IMO it depends more on the individual character and/or bloodline than being male or female. In my TUG-Raptoglow line, I have never had any gecko that was not tame and extremely gentle. Same goes for my Hyglos.

I have other bloodlines where tameness was originally more linked to one sex when I got them, but where I managed to breed this more shy behaviour out via selection of fitting breeding partners & careful outcrossing . Today, I see almost no differnece anymore compared to my other lines, which shows clearly how powerful genetic management can be, and how strong agression (or the oposite) passes to the next generation :main_thumbsup:..

/Rebecca

 

[mudskipper]

Aggression and tameness have been proven to be genetic in experimental fox breeding, too. It's been going on for 50 years now in Russia. The foxes from the tame group are friendly like dogs now. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesticated_silver_fox

 

[Enigmatic_Reptiles]

All of the most docile geckos I have had were 90+g. Anything under that weight I wouldn't say gender matters. Once you have older and bigger geckos they all tend to mellow out.

Also I don't think you can relate behavior from a fox to a gecko. The simple differences in pack behavior, reptilian/mammalian, oviparous/viviparous, etc. would have a major influence on developmental behavior. Either way that is an interesting article about the fox.

 

[katie_]

I don't handle my geckos unless necessary.

Reptiles never enjoy being handled, only tolerate it. I do not believe they can be truly tame.

 

[justindh1]

What I find most interesting about the silver fox breeding program for domestication is the change in colors and patterns that developed. They started to look less like foxes and more like dogs. Here is a video about the breeding program for the silver fox. I believe there was a program about the foxes shown on PBS/NOVA several years ago but cannot find it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbcwDXhugjw&feature=related

 

[Indigo]

My friendliest leo is a male, but I think it's just individual temperament since Daenerys (a female) is next friendliest, and my least friendliest (not mean, just shy) is a male as well.

 

[werinetx]

I haven’t experience with gecko pets but I guess male geckos friendly than female.

 

[T2theG]

I would have to vote male leo as the friendliest of geckos, they seems to be more excited to see you than a female leo. I'm sure there are some friendly female leos too.

 

[PFGeckos]

I have two juvenile leos, a hypo tangerine male and a blizzard female. When I walk into the room, the female usually comes out and looks at me to see what I'm doing. She'll climb right on to my hand. The males sees me and goes into his hide. He does not want to be handled. I got them both at the same time, and she tamed pretty quickly.

 

[contracteryin]

I have two females. So I guess I'm a little rigged on that one. My friends leo is also a girl.
However, I think either gender can be plenty friendly with time and patience (in the event they are a rare, unfriendly leopard gecko).

 

[Astrael]

I know there's a lot of debate over whether or not reptiles like/want human contact. I tend to lean towards some like it. I think with leopard geckos it feels good to some (like scratching an itch). My one female rubs on stuff often, and really leans into any petting. Even when out of the tank, she doesn't go far from me. The other one likes to explore more and doesn't like petting as much, but near shedding she seems to seek it a bit. Plus, any animal would prefer feeling secure, well-fed, and comfortable all the time to a life in the wild. When they don't feel preyed upon constantly, different behaviors are expected. They learn showing something bothers them gets it fixed. It becomes symbiotic. It's comforting to us and the animals in different ways.

I also think that they do require more stimulation then the little bit from feeding. Not enough to stress them, but being able to walk around a bigger area seems to appeal greatly to my girls. They both pace along the glass till I put my hand in for them to climb out several times a week. And they crawl around the bed, crawling into little "hides" like my lap or under blanket. When I don't bring them out as often, they eat less then when I take them out often.

And don't get me started on beardies. I don't think there's anything that could convince me they don't like attention. They seem to LOVE having their every whim catered to. They also clearly have some very basic communication skills (and problem solving skills), since they realize certain actions get their needs addressed, and only when humans are nearby. (One even knows to push a dish into the glass to make noise when I'm not looking his way.)

 

[cherishedtiger]

My big male Mongo turned out to be the most friendly of them all!! Actually all my males are friendly, one female hates me, one is just scared all the time (unless food is out) and then my other females are all pretty friendly. But Mongo loves interaction.

 

[GexPex]

I have 6 currently....1 unsexed and still untame.
The other 5? Well I have one who's EXTREMELY friendly. She'll come right up to the front of the cage every night and will walk out onto my hand, up my arm, to my shoulder, etc. My male will do the same, but he doesn't do it every night. My other three females are pick-up-able but not ones to come to the front of the cage.

 

[Adinar]

Out of all of ours we have 2 males and 2 females who are very laid back and tame. Pandora is always at the front of her bin looking for attention when anyone walks into the room and is usually scratching to come out. She is also the only one who notoriously will crawl down my arm and sit on the hand that moves the mouse while I'm on the computer like it's a ride. haha! She's also the first one we go to if someone is over and wants to see anyone because she is so calm. Squee finally settled down and comes over to have her head scratched whenever I open her bin (which is right next to the computer desk) and just leans in and closes her eyes. lol. I swear she'd fall asleep if I keep doing it. As for the males, Blaze and Thor are our best. Both like to come out and have some chill time, but tend to wander unlike the girls. All depends on the personality.

 

[stager]

All of the most docile geckos I have had were 90+g. Anything under that weight I wouldn't say gender matters. Once you have older and bigger geckos they all tend to mellow out.

Also I don't think you can relate behavior from a fox to a gecko. The simple differences in pack behavior, reptilian/mammalian, oviparous/viviparous, etc. would have a major influence on developmental behavior. Either way that is an interesting article about the fox.

My giant is by far the friendliest

 

[ImNotYogi]

I only have a male so far. He'll sit in my hand but I don't take him out of the tank a lot. My girlfriend is more comfortable taking him out and about the house.

 

[geckoguy01]

my female eclipse is a SWEETHEART

 

[Snowbug]

My two adult females are very docile, my unsexed juvie Little Stripe who looks male to me is very calm, nothing seems to phase him. My little Wraith is still a little skittish, I've been calling him he, but he's as yet unsexed. My older adult male is a real grumpy guy, he's happy to come to the front of his tank so I can talk to him and give him stuff, but he has a no touchy rule which I respect. We have a deal - I no touch and he no bites. It works for us.