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Recently my young male ciliatus has been acting with agression tword me (more specifically my hand). He has just reached what I believe to be sexual maturity (he is about a year and a half old), and every time i reach in his enclosure, he attempts a bite. I first noticed that his behavior changed a month ago. Prior to that he had always retreated from my hand when I reached for him. Then I noticed that he stopped running from me, and reacted with what I can only describe as casual curiosity. Now he has begun nipping at me. I havn't been bitten yet, but he has tried for my hand several times, and he attacked a glove that I placed in front of his head.

My thoughts leads me to believe that this is a territorial re-action, and that this gecko's instincts are telling it to protect its turf. I have moved my hand around outside the cage, and observed the gecko move tword my hand as if it were attracted in some way. It is possible that it is mistaking my hand for food?

It might also have something to do with the young female that I keep in a separate emclosure next to the boy. She is probably about a year now, and I know that the little boy watches her, and even tries to escape and get to her. He wants her bad.

Has anyone had issues with an overly agressive crested gecko?

He wasn't always like this...

It kind of reminds me of old yeller....Don't worry i'm not going to put him down.

anyway,
thanks....

I am reminded of when my Iguana reached his ''teen''years . My formerly sweet little guy became a lunging tail whipping , wild eyed lunitic. I would imagine having the girl next door only adds to the irratability . So all and all its certanly possible he sees you as a threat to his territory .

On the flip side the theory that he sees you as food is a good one as well.A Reptile institute I know of does all its feeding with tongs so thier reptiles dont associate the human hand with food and become nippy.

The only time Ive had a reaction like this is when theres a long time between giving crickets ..Ive had the females (whom I keep 3 in a cage )rush me to be first inline for crickets and actually nip my hand.(doesnt hurt at all)

I have had quite a few ciliatus and only one had any sort of attitude. He would bite for no particular reason. I once handed him to a lady at a show to "test drive", he walked half way up her arm and then bit her for all he was worth, since they do no damage it was a hoot to see. So I would consider it unusual behavior and not a general change in attitude with age that would be anticipated.

I have noticed that chahouas and leachies get an attitude as they mature and become quite agressive when their cage space is intruded upon. I only go in there with gloves on. The leach snorts, hisses, rears back and bites, quite a display. The chahoua is just a bit nippy. Once removed from the cage, they are docile as can be and the gloves are no longer necessary.

Never seen any agression with aurics either. Saras and trachs, no experience with them...

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