Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I pretty much know all i need to know about handling. But i'm really scared to bring my geckos out for 5 minute sessions of handling and exploring right now. I've had my patternless a week now and he's ready for 10-15 minute sessions out per night. And i've got a replacement albino coming tomorrow morning. I need to tame these geckos, But i'm paranoid about my geckos shedding their tails. Its happened twice, the second time the gecko died. Both times i wasnt even at my house when it happened. The only other person there was my mom. Was this just bad luck? I know everything about handling but i just need a little reassurance.
Do they shed when they feel threatened or if something grabs them by the tail? Should my gecko be ok if i just set it on my bed and let it explore?

Shedding tails is a defensive movement to distract an enemy temporarily while they escape, it isn't random... It is detrimental because large amounts of fat are stored in the tail..

And if your gecko is shedding randomly, he must be extremely frightened.

Yes, i already know all that. That is why i'm paranoid about this. Which is also why i'm asking. BTW, my gecko isnt randomly dropping. One dropped it a while ago. She was extemely skittish. She never comes out to this day and never did. I handled her maybe 5 times altogethor. I believe she lost her tail because of her skittishness when another gecko would not have. The second time the gecko was bleeding internally and died the day after shedding its tail. Thats why i'm making sure this was just bad luck and a coincidence. I'm not gonna have another gecko lose its tail.

Also, i left this out. The reason the gecko was bleeding internally was because she was banged around during shipping. She died two days after she arrived, i got a replacement coming free of charge. This is just to clarify so there is no more confusion. I'll also restate what i'm asking. I just need to be reassured that geckos dont automatically shed their tail when i put my hand in the tank. If this had happened to you you would be a little paranoid also.

No they should not, they should only shed if they are in a dangerous situation. Like being handled roughly or thrown around, literally, like if you dropped them.

Most geckos get used to their providers, most people don't handle them much either way. They aren't pet pets, if you get my drift but yours just sound scared.

Just be extremely careful, amphibians and reptiles are smarter than most people give them credit for.

Heck I read a story on the frog forum of a pacman who is so spoiled, he opens his mouth when his provider comes around waiting for food lol

Geckos do not have to be grabbed by the tail for shedding to occur. Some drop their tail during the shipping process. A scary "bounce" to the box must trigger this natural defense. Be slow and deliberate, but avoid the tail if you can. I would not offer free reign until your gecko is accustomed to being picked up. While the freedom is enjoyed on the bed you still have to "grab" in order to place him back in the cage. The grabbing is the most traumatic and threatening part of the process.
J. Marchon Reptiles

Well, i never grab my geckos. I wait for them to crawl on my hand. My patternless is already doing this. So if i lift him up and set him on my bed, he shouldnt shed his tail....right?? I dont know why i've had such a problem with this, most people on here say they've never had a gecko shed its tail. And i've followed all of the advice ever given to me on here. But i'm just a little paranoid is all i guess. Thanks for the responses.

Hi

One thing to take into consideration, do you have a dog or cat that could be getting near the tank to scare them when you aren't home?.

TLB

No, i dont. I'm pretty sure that my first tail loss was due to just a coincidence. The gecko was from a petshop so there is no telling if the loss had something to do with that. She could've been abused at the petshop for all i know. This gecko is part of the 1 percent of geckos that are just extremely skittish and dont come around for at least a year or so. The second time was because of shipping, this would explain the death after two days also. I'm convinced this was just bad luck.

When you get your new gecko, I'd recommend giving it at least a couple of weeks to settle down before you even try handling it. Typically, when I receive a gecko in the mail they are extremely skittish for the first week or so until they get over the trauma of being shipped and feel more secure in their new surroundings.

Have you tried hand feeding or feeding with forceps (a bit safer)? I find forcep feeding leos while they are in their tank makes them much more calm when handled. They get used to associating your hands with good things like food. This seems to over ride their instinct to interpret your picking them up as some predator trying to grab them.

Also try to avoid grasping / firmly restraining the gecko. This tends to panic them. Just let it walk unrestrained over your hands (it's best to do this over a bed etc. in case they decide to jump).

Hope this helps,
Alice

Yeah, i never grasp my geckos. I mentioned this in a post above and about ten other times, i let them step up on my hand. I also let them have a week or two to settle in. I have recieved all of this advise before, from this entire post. And i do it all. I've came to this forum everyday for six months and have seen all this advice 20 times. Maybe i just wasnt clear enough on my questioning. I should've clarified better, i'm not really asking a handling question. I should've labled the subject better. My mistake. I keep feeling like i'm having to defend myself, as rediculous as it sounds. But i really appreciate your responses. I appreciate everyone trying to help me out. Paranoia (or however its spelled) was just setting in because i'm getting my replacement tomorrow, and i was just looking for a way to encourage myself and build up some patience. I was not needing advise on handling. Like I said, i appreciate your responses anyway, and am thankful that you guys are willing to try and help me out. Please dont take this offensive, i dont mean it that way.

Then, maybe it's your gecko. I've got some geckos that are pretty high strung. They readily accept food from forceps etc. but if I take them out they seize their first opportunity to take a swan dive off my hand...

As far as tameness goes, I've found that males tend to be calmer than females. As far as morphs go, my patternless leos are on the whole the calmest.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I thought that you had already started trying to handle your new albino before she died. That's why I wrote that bit about letting them settle in. No hard feelings

-Alice

Hey, its no problem. I have a problem thinking when i type, and when i look back at my posts on this thread, i'm not very clear at all in my wording. Yeah, the albino died after two days. I had never even touched it. Pete at Petes Geckos told me it was probably shipping, thats what i thought also. I had mentioned this in an earlier post a few days ago. I was just assuming everyone had read it. Stupid assumption and a mistake on my part. And you must be right about the patternless geckos, because i had just got mine a week ago, and he is already stepping up on my hand. He has been active from the first day. After 3 days i offered my hand by him, he stepped onto my hand right away, so thats the only reason that this whole thing got brought up. I figured he's tame enough to be brought out to explore. Judgement call on my part but i'm just making sure he shouldnt shed his tail like my other one mysteriously did. Sorry for such a long post.