Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was workin on dusting some mealworms today and i looked up and one of my geckos, Stamps, was lookin out of a hide at the edge of the tank at me, against the glass. he stayed there for like 10 minutes, just staring at me. He hasn't been eating today or yesterday, so i've been a little worried. Anyways, I thought it was cool that he was watching me. I was thinking to myself how awesome it was that my leos had gotten so used to me over the past few months that, even if my hand comes a centimeter from their face, they usually don't move. they're really chilled out around me and don't mind me doing stuff around them, i.e. moving hides, messing with food, filling the water bowl etc, and it's cool that they don't run away, hiss or scurry in fear. But I was really astounded when I reached in tonight to do something (i don't know maybe grab the water bowl or something), and I saw Stamps walk up to my hand. He kind of stretched his head/upper body upwards and looked up at me and started to reach up with his hands, so i lowered my hand and he climbed on. It was just really cool that he actually wanted to climb onto my hand like that. And for the rest of tonight, each time I put my hand in the cage he keeps trying to climb back on, not sure why tonight was the first night. It's really ironic though, because I got really upset tonight because my dog I've had for some 11 years was killed by a car a few days ago, and my girlfriend said something about how dogs are different than other pets because you share more of a bond with them, but I really feel that this shows that leos can be great friends as well as pets.
That's all, sorry if i sounded like an idiot, I've been locked at home studying for 3 days straight for finals. Bedtime.
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1.2.0 Leopard Geckos
0.1.0 Miniature long-haired dachsund

Mines the same way, always comes to my hand when I place it in the tank. Kinda cool I think. Mine also watches my every move when I am preparing her food, she also knows when it is feeding time.

I recently (3 days ago) starting feeding every other day. On friday, when she wasn't being fed. She sat for a few hours where I ussually place her food bowl. I felt so bad for her, but she'll get over it and learn the new pattern I assume.

Joe Conklin
jsc230@psu.edu

That is sad.. When you dont give up on something like a leo they sher do pull out for you that is what i love about these animals.. I favor my male because he is so out going. My female is a Meany and i will never give up on her! I love them both alot but i love the male alot more. He is more of a cudler... there is some of what i had to add lol ttyl guys i am going to bed after a 8 hour day of work

TLC- To anyone i had P1SSED off this weekened i am sorry!

I have to agree with fadetolemons. Leos can and will "bond" to their keeper though there will always be a few that retain that wildness just like any other wild animal. My male Caine... he's a perfect example of how extremely cuddly they can be. I reach into his tank to clean and he'll climb up the back of my hand and up my arm and settle on my shoulder under my hair and just stay there as long as I don't move too quickly on him. His son couldn't be more different and I've spent more than a year trying to tame him with no success. Goliath is quite simply a pain in the A**!! He bites hisses, twists and squirms when picked up and will even bite at your hand when it comes near. And this guy I've handled since he hatched. He's retained his wild nature. Caine didn't. Tiki, my Tang Albino, tolerates being handled but doesn't seek it out but then.. she had a very rough month or two over Christmas when I bought her. She was a decent weight when I bought her at the pet shop.. but... unknown by me she was gravid...and started dropping weight rapidly because she was so small to be gravid. So I ended up having to hand feed her and assist feed her on a slurry of baby food... Centrum vitamins and Jumpstart for a couple weeks until she passed the two eggs she was carrying. In the next 2 weeks she gained 24 grams... One more week and she gained another 15 grams. By the time her second clutch came she was up to breeding weight and had grown amazingly. So I decided at that time to put her in with my blizzard male.. and this time she held her weight through her gravidity. But now she dislikes being handled for any length of time really due to the syringe feeding. I'll keep working with her but... she may never really enjoy handling. I'd rather have her alive and healthy though than sick and handleable.
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Lucien

1.1 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)(Sutekh and Isis)
2.1.1 Leopard geckos (2 Blizzards (Caine and Goliath), 1 Tangerine Albino (Tequila Sunrise ...Tiki for short) and 1 dbl. het blizzard x tang albino (Malice))
0.1 Savannah Monitor (Kiros)
13 rats
1 Gerbil
2 Dogs (Loki and Storm)
2 cats (Sahara and Hercules)