Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got my baby leo (~3 inches) two weeks ago and he seems kinda scared of me. Whenever I open the cage and put food in his food dish, he would just run away. And he wouldn't let me handle him. Is this normal for baby geckos? He's very sensitive to sound and movements, whenever I walk past/near the cage, he would run for his life back to underneath the hies. Also, is it normal for him to be sluggish and not eat much for the several days shedding? One more problem is he doesn't seem to like the moist hide box much, is this gotta create complications shedding? Do geckos really have personality? If so, is it just happened that I got a skittish one? Is there any ways to make him get more used to me and not act like a chicken whenever I am present? I can totally understand he's kinda nervous/stressed now since he's moved to a new environment tho.
Thank you very much.

Hey
I too have a young leo, i got her the end of November, was about the same size as yours. Yes they are skittish, mine would run away when she say me or i opened the cage. I wouldnt reccommend trying to handle her for awhile because they are stressed enough in their new home, and they get stressed if they are handled too much, when young. For changing the Papertowels and stuff in the cage, i managed to get aries into a little hide with a bottom, soi could cover the opening wiht my hand, and transfer her to a large tupperware container, while i cleaned, then just tilted the container in her cage & she would walk out (i made sure to put the screen cover from the cage over the container, so she wouldnt get out in the interm!
My method was basically placing my hand near her (slowly) palm down, for a few minutes every couple days, and eventually she would come and sniff it and lick it, and eventually put her foot on it. But wouldnt stay on if i moved my hand. But lately she has been crawling on and up my arm and sniffin and looking comfy so dont worry, just give her time.
I notice mine doesnt eat as readily in the few days during shed... and just make sure the humid hide's moist, they usually go in when its necesary.

Thank you very much for sharing your experiences with me =)

Baby geckos are tremendously skittish, so it's not recommended to attempt to hold them unless you have to. As it gets older it should calm down, but since you just got it and its very young, it would be best to avoid handling. Mine is a juvie now and I take her out every couple of days for about fifteen minutes. Sometimes she can be hard to coax into my hand, but she doesn't run away in terror like she used to.

Geckos definitely have a personality, and yours may always be somewhat skittish...or it may not. As far as the humid hide, I would give it a little time to get used to its new home...it should become more brave pretty soon. Mine acually only uses her humid hide when she's about to shed. She also doesn't eat as much beforehand...I guess that's because they eat their shed skin. Anyway, those are the answers that I have...I'm sure other people will have more to add that I've forgotten.

Thank you very much for sharing your experience =)