Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I got Tiny at the beginning of this year. She was about half grown when I got her I guess, and she has a strange attitude towards humans. I can't figure out whats going on with her. She likes when I come look at her and will come out of her hides to look at me back. She also is ver curious when I put my hand in and keep it still, coming up to it and licking it. But I can't seem to advance beyond that. She hisses when I touch her and freaks out when she has to be handled to clean out cages and such. Do you think she has a hard time trusting people since I got her when she was older and she probably had not been handled much or had not had good experiences with people (she came from petsmart)? I would like to be able to handle her like Geico because he's so laid back, but I don't know if she will ever warm up to me. Should I keep trying or just handle her as little as possible? I was thinking about breeding her to Geico so I can get some little females and raise them up to be more of a pet, but I don't know if that is a good idea. Help please? (thanks for reading too lol)
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Heather
1.1 leopard geckos: Geico and Tiny
0.1 husky/hound mix: Savannah
0.2 pet rats: Faith and Zelda

Keep working with the lizard. Handle gently, never force or squeeze, handle only for brief periods. Leopards are curious and occasionally display personalities (not always). Other than little ones -- they are usually spooked and frightened of being eaten -- the mature leopards become more calm. Your pet will calm down. They always do.

OK thanks for the help. I didn't want to give up on her yet, I feel like she wants to trust me but doesn't yet. Her curiousity and outgoing nature is what makes me think I may be able to get her used to me one day. Will handing her food from my hands help? I've been doing that so she comes out to see me now when I come up to the tank. She makes me kind of nervous sometimes because she looks at my hand like she does her dinner when I move it lol. Here's the little vixen now right after I fed her a few dusted mealies.

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Heather
1.1 leopard geckos: Geico and Tiny
0.1 husky/hound mix: Savannah
0.2 pet rats: Faith and Zelda

I agree with the other post, just keep trying. My male would spaz if he saw me, and I was sure there was no hope. Hes now a full grown adult and while doesnt like to be picked up very much, he calm once you get him out, and is getting better by the day. Good luck,
Mac

u are right, atleast partially..most of my geckos have calmed down..but i have a female juvie that will try to kill me and might succeed if it was 20X bigger...she seems to have some rival thing going on with me....she bites hisses wags her tail hisses some more...i usually get "tagged" twice or more when cleaning out the cage....my blizzards simply are calm but they are afraid...they used to hiss but have settled down..they kinda just evade and dart when my hand comes...but they are usually okay when they get on ur hand.....but if u want a really handleable reptile...i think u should try a beardie, blue tongue skink..or a crested...ive had a great experience with my first crested..he eats out of my hand...awesome feeling!
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"you won't know success if you haven't failed..."-eric chen
1.1.1 Hi-Yellow Leopard Geckoes-Gecko Party, Town and Country Pets
0.0.2 Blizzards-AAA Reptile Supply
0.1.0 Western (Plains) Hognose Snake-La Habra Pets
1.0.0 Dark-Fire Crested Gecko-Reptile Depot
0.1 Boxer Dog-Local Dog Shelter

But I still love Tiny even if I never can handle her. She's only tried to bite me twice and didn't succeed. I think she tries to scare me off, and often succeeds. She is jumpy which makes me jumpy. But I don't want any more reptiles unless its a couple more leos, just don't have the room. That's why I was considering breeding her with my male Geico. He is really dociles and will eat out of my hand and even climb up and sit on my shoulder. He's never once acted like he was going to bite anyone, so it would be nice to have some babies so I can raise them like I did with Geico. But thats not decided yet
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Heather
1.1 leopard geckos: Geico and Tiny
0.1 husky/hound mix: Savannah
0.2 pet rats: Faith and Zelda

When I was cleaning my leopard geckos tanks I put them all in a separate bin. Even though it wasn't very cold in my house it was still a little colder than they are used to. I put my hand in the tupperwear bin and about two minutes later all three were warming their bellies on my hand. I had never really handled them before, they are only 1-2 months old. I wouldn't reccomend making you geckos cold, in fact I plan on getting a heating pad for times that I have to clean their tank. But if you do the same as me when you clean, give it a try. Be patient, I would let your gecko come to you, rather than trying to pick it up.
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0.1 Hypo Leopard Gecko
0.1 Albino Leopard Gecko
0.1 Blizzard Leopard Gecko
1.0 Albino pacman Frog (Phatty)
1.0 Lovebird (Tony Montana)
1.0 Elkhound cross (Otto)
0.1 Malamute cross (Paris)
6.0 Bettas