# Angry gecko



## sallysch (May 8, 2010)

Hi all,

After much deliberation and research I got my first ever (approx 6 month old) leopard gecko last week (christened Jarjar). However I am feeling a bit crestfallen, as my hand appears to be very unpopular in our vivarium - I am getting hissed at, whipped and made to feel very unwelcome when I open the tank. The seller did say that this particular gecko 'was a bit vocal' but I didn't expect this! I have a 10 year old son who was really excited to watch the family gecko, however due to the hissing fits, he won't go near the vivarium now!

Obviously, I am a newbie, and have only limited experience holding reptiles (friends Bearded Dragons/Salamanders etc) but my confidence is a bit shaken. Can anyone advise? I have looked forward so long to owning my own gecko but now I have one it loathes me

Any advice?

Sally


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## EddieLizard (Aug 29, 2011)

How long have you had him? he may just be adjusting to his new surroundings.


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## sallysch (May 8, 2010)

The viv has been set up for 3 weeks, had him/her for a week.


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## awh (Aug 20, 2008)

give him time a week is not long it will take him a few weeks to settle down in his new home 
after a few weeks start by placing your hand on the floor of the viv allow him to get use to seeing your hand in the viv once he is happy with that move your hand around but keep it low to the floor of the viv as anythng coming from above them is seen as a threat 
the main thing is patience most will settle down and allow them to be handled (some wont but they are few and far between)
if you want you could ask the breeder to swap for a more docile one they may do so (but they might not)
whatever you decide good luck and have patience


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## sallysch (May 8, 2010)

I had thought of asking the store for some advice, but I don't want to give up on him/her yet, I am sure it is terrified of me! I may call them just to let them know.

Slightly OT, how long can you keep the tubs of live crickets. This element of reptile husbandry has proved more complex than I had anticipated. Should I get a cricket keeper with tubes, or just buy a tub of live food every week and get down and dirty with the tweezers every night??


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## awh (Aug 20, 2008)

for crickets what i would sugest is you get a rub about a foot long and high Drill hole in the top and sides high up then tip them in that put in fresh veg daily they should live for a few weeks if you have them that long

crcket keeper may be ok for you as with the tubes they climb up into them and you just pull out a tube and tap it crickets then fall out as you tap it


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## VickieMay (Aug 29, 2011)

WOW!, thanks AWH, was wondering about the cricket issue myself....:2thumb:


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## ex0tics (Jun 9, 2009)

from my own experience, if you've left the settle period and still having problems just get some courage together and have it out for a few minutes every day once or twice a day. Just wandering around on your lap or hands 

Could try feeding in a separate container.

Just an idea though.


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## sallysch (May 8, 2010)

Thanks - but how does one approach a 'tazmanian devil' of a gecko? Last thing I want to do is muck it up and stress him more (


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## sallysch (May 8, 2010)




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## starfox (Nov 21, 2010)

See if he settles down after a few weeks, and start doing what awh said.. Put your hand on the floor of the viv so he gets used to it. I do this with my younger geckos to get them started on handling. None 'hiss' like yours but they are terrified of my hands! If you keep at it, they eventually stop seeing your hands as a threat, and sometimes come over for an 'explore' crawling on your hand. Once you get to this stage, you might want to try lifting it slowly up so it gets used to the movement but not too high incase they dart off.. Then you can start bringing him out and rest him on your lap, sitting on the floor and let him explore. At this stage he should be comfortable with your hands and if you want to move him, put your hand infront of him, let him walk on and move him to a different spot.

All takes patience and being kind and gentle.  He'll come around sooner or later.


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## Smigsy (Jul 30, 2009)

Slow and steady hand movements, be gentle but confident because it won't help his stress levels if your jittery and unsure. But as said above getting him used to hands not being a threat is the first step.


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## starfox (Nov 21, 2010)

I'd also like to add.. don't grab him from the top when you pick him up, your hand will be back in the 'aaaaah!!' threat level. Always let them walk onto your hand 

Using this method, it's highly unlikely that you'll get bitten. Most leopard geckos (however terrified) won't bite anyway.. and even if they do it's not a painful one. So there's no reason to be afraid


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## sallysch (May 8, 2010)

Howabout if I were to kinda tuck my hand into my hoodie (not getting bitten) and just sit there with my 'me smelling' arm in the viv for 10 mins every evening. Anyone think that might be a possibility?


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## starfox (Nov 21, 2010)

That would work until you gain the confidence to have your bare hand out.. But in all reality, i can almost promise you, you won't get bitten.
Leos aren't aggressive critters, they will only ever bite (rarely) in defence. In the years i've been keeping leos i've only ever been bitten once. And that was syringe feeding a poorly enigma leopard gecko. Even then it didn't even hurt or come close to even making a scratch lol 
As long as you don't try and grab the little guy you're fine! haha


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## ex0tics (Jun 9, 2009)

sallysch said:


> image


Are you trying to upload a photo? not quite sure.

You can upload it to ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting and then paste the link between







< these image tags 

As for getting it out, :-| you could try gently edge it out with something or try make it crawl onto your hands(if you're really worried, maybe try gloves) at the same time as you don't want to stress it though, you don't want to have to be worried about it  Just try keeping your hand in there a few times so it's used to you and make sure you're coming in from the side and not above. May try putting a worn shirt in there so it can get used to your scent maybe? (just grasping at straws)

Not too sure, I've never had problems like these with anything really besides some fiesty snakes which I just pick up regardless. Hopefully some expert owners will come to help you soon! I've only really boarded a leopard gecko for a few weeks, I've never owned one permanently.


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## BigGirl93 (Aug 29, 2011)

Hello, 
I am also inboxing you, i also forgot to add, how big is you're viv? Because having a large viv can scare you're gecko. Hopefully with the right temp the right amount of livefood & the right size viv you should have a lovely happy gecko with brill health. You seem like you're doing everything okay, just abit off scale, but hopefully you should be okay now  Thanks Fiona


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## sallysch (May 8, 2010)

The viv is a pets at home starter set - 45 x 45 x 60 (cm) I have upped the temp to 30 degrees (from 25) and put a couple of crickets in. Perhaps he was grumpy and chilly (don't blame him, I know how that feels). I may get some meal worms tomorrow and see if I can tempt him out for a nice treat. I am going to have to man up and hope that Jarjar is all noise and less teeth!


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## x_Emmie_x (Feb 3, 2011)

Try a temp of around 32-33 degrees at the hot end, my leo finds less than that any cooler and he doesn't like it.


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## awh (Aug 20, 2008)

as i said before the main thing is be patient he will settle just place your hand in viv and dont move it for about ten minutes allow him to come and climb over your hand without you moving your hand he wont bite 
in all the years i have had leopard geckos i have only been bitten once and i was rubbing his eye area to get off some stuck shed at the time 
it will be scared of you dont you be afraid of it


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## vicsf (Feb 28, 2010)

*Angry Gecko*

Be calm and be brave, every piece of advice you have been offered is good. But at the end of the day you are the only one with a hand in that viv. I have had a couple of nips off my leo (occupational hazard as I do school visits with him) but I've had more painful hang nails, honestly. If you can be calm and face this "savage beast" I'm sure you will both reach an understanding. Vic


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## sallysch (May 8, 2010)

*Trying to upload an image of aforementioned angry gecko!!!*


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## AraCyanea (May 30, 2011)

sallysch said:


> Hi all,
> 
> After much deliberation and research I got my first ever (approx 6 month old) leopard gecko last week (christened Jarjar). However I am feeling a bit crestfallen, as my hand appears to be very unpopular in our vivarium - I am getting hissed at, whipped and made to feel very unwelcome when I open the tank. The seller did say that this particular gecko 'was a bit vocal' but I didn't expect this! I have a 10 year old son who was really excited to watch the family gecko, however due to the hissing fits, he won't go near the vivarium now!
> 
> ...


Personally, what i would do, even though some may not agree, is get some gloves, just in case he goes to bite at you, and try get him out using the gloves, and even though it may stress him out yes, after about 5 minutes of handling him, take a glove off and let him smell your scent. Do this several times a week and he should start to feel more comfortable with you being around and going to handle him.

Then after a while, try feeding him and stuff with bare hands and eventually he will get use to things.

But he may just still be getting use to things and surroundings 

Hope things get better


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## olivine (Feb 5, 2009)

x-istealbears said:


> Personally, what i would do, even though some may not agree, is get some gloves, just in case he goes to bite at you, and try get him out using the gloves, and even though it may stress him out yes, after about 5 minutes of handling him, take a glove off and let him smell your scent. Do this several times a week and he should start to feel more comfortable with you being around and going to handle him.
> 
> Then after a while, try feeding him and stuff with bare hands and eventually he will get use to things.
> 
> ...


Firstly, using gloves with a leo is complete overkill: given the relatively minor damage that a leo bite will do, they're completely unnecessary and, furthermore, the lack of sensitivity when using them is likely to result in an injury to the leo. Secondly, stressing him out will only exacerbate the situation, make him feel more threatened and, therefore, defensive, reinforcing his instinct to bite.

OP: as you've already been advised, patience really is the key here. Bear in mind that you're gecko's world has just turned upside down: he's in scary, alien surroundings with a threatening new pink ape looming at him. Just let him get used to you and his new environment gradually, keep handling to an absolute minimum and make calm, slow, deliberate movements when feeding / spot cleaning. Allow him to get used to your scent and he should eventually realise that you don't pose a threat and calm down.


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## AraCyanea (May 30, 2011)

olivine said:


> Firstly, using gloves with a leo is complete overkill: given the relatively minor damage that a leo bite will do, they're completely unnecessary and, furthermore, the lack of sensitivity when using them is likely to result in an injury to the leo. Secondly, stressing him out will only exacerbate the situation, make him feel more threatened and, therefore, defensive, reinforcing his instinct to bite.
> 
> OP: as you've already been advised, patience really is the key here. Bear in mind that you're gecko's world has just turned upside down: he's in scary, alien surroundings with a threatening new pink ape looming at him. Just let him get used to you and his new environment gradually, keep handling to an absolute minimum and make calm, slow, deliberate movements when feeding / spot cleaning. Allow him to get used to your scent and he should eventually realise that you don't pose a threat and calm down.


I understand what you are saying about him getting more defensive and stuff, but sometimes animals need to have that stressed time to come down from it. Sometimes you need to do things in order to get a better result. Like a rabbit, at first, mine wouldn't come near me, so i went around walking after him, picking him up, and yes, it stresses them out. But, now i have made a nice relationship with them both from doing this. 

So it does work sometimes, but you've got to take the chance and try it.


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## olivine (Feb 5, 2009)

x-istealbears said:


> I understand what you are saying about him getting more defensive and stuff, but sometimes animals need to have that stressed time to come down from it. Sometimes you need to do things in order to get a better result. Like a rabbit, at first, mine wouldn't come near me, so i went around walking after him, picking him up, and yes, it stresses them out. But, now i have made a nice relationship with them both from doing this.
> 
> So it does work sometimes, but you've got to take the chance and try it.


From my experience with geckos (the behaviour of which bears scant resemblance to that of a rabbit), stressing the leo will only exacerbate the situation. Acting in the way that you've suggested runs the risk of terrifying the poor creature to the extent that it might never accept human interaction and will always display defensive behaviour.


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## sallysch (May 8, 2010)

*Angry gecko update*

Well...a few days later and things are very slightly improved (?)

Just once a day, in the evening, I have opened the viv, and had a check of him. He has not hissed at me for a few days, but does still go up on all fours like a witches cat, then paces about (whilst I sit with my hand in the tank holding my breath, waiting for teeth) and after a couple of minutes does a bunk for his favourite place under the viv carpet. He doesn't make any social calls, and is yet to make an involuntary appearance...

New concern is food. He hasn't eaten anything since probably Monday, with the possible exception of some dried gecko food that has been out. Couldn't even be tempted with a mealie, and the same two crickets have been hopping about the viv for days 

I feel like a worried mummy!


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## olivine (Feb 5, 2009)

Unfortunately leos do have a tendency to go off their food as a result of stress and, as his current defensive behaviour indicates that he's getting stressed by your presence then, personally, I'd take a step back. I'd keep him as quiet as possible with minimal interaction and just allow him the time to settle in to his new home, only going to the viv for feeding and spot cleaning. Once he feels secure in his new surroundings and comfortable that the perceived threat isn't there any more, he should start eating again (this may take some time though, so be prepared to wait for a few days / weeks even). Once it's clear that he's established a regular eating regime, then I'd start the process of getting him used to your presence once again. 

I know that this may sound like a protracted process, but I'm afraid that there aren't really any short cuts in gaining his confidence and continuing attempts to try to get him used to you are likely to exacerbate his refusal to eat.


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## sallysch (May 8, 2010)

olivine said:


> I know that this may sound like a protracted process, but I'm afraid that there aren't really any short cuts in gaining his confidence and continuing attempts to try to get him used to you are likely to exacerbate his refusal to eat.[/COLOR]


No that makes sense...I will back off for a week maybe. Not a lot of need for a lot of interference in the viv, as spot cleaning only consists of removing old apple chunks for the crickets - there doesn't seem to be any other 'mess' to speak of. 

I am just so eager to have a healthy happy gecko, and had no concept of how different a reptile is to settle, in contrast to the dog/cat/gerbil/fish menagerie we have here already! Guess I will have to settle at looking at pics of other peoples geckos on this forum to satisfy my gecko lurve!


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## BigGirl93 (Aug 29, 2011)

sallysch said:


> Well...a few days later and things are very slightly improved (?)
> 
> Just once a day, in the evening, I have opened the viv, and had a check of him. He has not hissed at me for a few days, but does still go up on all fours like a witches cat, then paces about (whilst I sit with my hand in the tank holding my breath, waiting for teeth) and after a couple of minutes does a bunk for his favourite place under the viv carpet. He doesn't make any social calls, and is yet to make an involuntary appearance...
> 
> ...


Hello again, 
Have you up'ed his temp? & you say it has improved? Okay., that good. Now his feeding, I would just take all the food out (leave water in(it is not food) ) & tomorrow night around 9-10pm put 5 crickets in. I say 5 because you can count them to see if he is eating. Waiting for tomorrow because he might be eating but only a little. This way you can see if he is eating. Make sure the size of livefood(meal worms,locusts,crickets) are the right size for the right size gecko. I say this because  My partner likes his lizard stuff to be in one place & not moved. I moved 6boxes & didn't mean to but swopped the Blizzard livefood to the Aptor's food  Worse thing i ever did. Now because the livefood is to big for our new gecko(youngest) Our gecko has been bit by the livefood & is scared of them now, but he will okay, but get the right size because the feeling is horrible & you never stop worring  
Have you got the calcium for you're gecko?


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## sallysch (May 8, 2010)

BigGirl93 said:


> Hello again,
> Have you up'ed his temp? & you say it has improved? Okay., that good. Now his feeding, I would just take all the food out (leave water in(it is not food) ) & tomorrow night around 9-10pm put 5 crickets in. I say 5 because you can count them to see if he is eating. Waiting for tomorrow because he might be eating but only a little. This way you can see if he is eating. Make sure the size of livefood(meal worms,locusts,crickets) are the right size for the right size gecko. I say this because  My partner likes his lizard stuff to be in one place & not moved. I moved 6boxes & didn't mean to but swopped the Blizzard livefood to the Aptor's food  Worse thing i ever did. Now because the livefood is to big for our new gecko(youngest) Our gecko has been bit by the livefood & is scared of them now, but he will okay, but get the right size because the feeling is horrible & you never stop worring
> Have you got the calcium for you're gecko?


Hi again - yes I have upped the temp, I can't see the two crickets that were in the viv last night, however I don't want to root about and stress him (catch 22) to find them! He has size 3 silent crickets (i know the rule of food no bigger than the space between eyes) and he was not interested in mini mealworms, however I left one in the dried food bowl last night, and it is gone...but may be in hiding with the two crickets!!! There is a little bowl of calcium in the viv, not sure that has been touched.

This is turning into a Miss Marple! Perhaps I'll refrain from any more food additions until late tomorrow night, then add some crickets, as you said.


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