Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Greetings,

I wrote about this a few days ago, and am still concerned about what seems like abnormal crested gecko behavior. For the past month and a half my male crested has been showing aggressive behavior. Upon seeing my hand in his cage, he becomes immediately aggravated. In fact, all you have to do is rustle some of the leaves in the cage for him to take notice and pursue.

Hear is the new dilemma, last night I was attempting to clean his cage. In doing so I usually take him out, and let him roam free in the apartment. Because of his recent biting issues I was using a cloth glove to try and get him (I never grab at him). I placed the gloved hand out in front of his face, trying to coax him on to it. He licked at the glove for a moment, and then attacked. He bit the glove and would not let go. He clamped on to that glove for literally five minutes, I was getting worried that his teeth were stuck or something, but then he started shaking the glove with a full body & neck motion that I can only compare to a dog when its playing tug-o-war. It was like he was trying to tear it away from my hand. This shaking was extremely violent, and continued four or five separate instances (lasting 10 seconds each). WOW, what a show. I have defiantly never seen that before. What stands out the most is the way that his eyes recessed deep into his skull. The harder he bit, the more he eyes disappeared. His eyes looked similar to how they do when he is sleeping (with the eye crests folded down and over), but it was much more exaggerated, the entire eyeball almost completely disappeared into the eye socket.

Anyway he bit down and shook that glove for about 5 minutes. and then finally let go.

I don't think its a hunger issue, he gets fed every night (crickets & CGD).

My take is that he is protecting his turf from what he views as a rival. I don't think that he is defending himself as he would against a predator.

I guess what I want is some assurance that I am not doing something wrong. I have a female crested gecko and she is so docile it surprises me sometimes.

What do you think it could be?

I think you nailed it. He may feel threatened and is defending his turf.

The only crested that I have had (and I have had many) that had any UNUSUAL behavior is my original female that I posted about a little bit back. She bites, but gives a massive open mouth display and generally behaves like an animal that is terrified. I have had her for 6 years and no change in behavior. My thoughts were perhaps wild caught given the time frame, but who knows, no replies to my inquiry. Not berating this list, just probably, nobody knows...

So, you have an anomoly on your hands, now, what to do. Since it attacks and has not dropped a tail, I would say that is good. It has a mind of its own, is agressive (good) and is not afraid (bad), you did not mention the open mouth thing (fear) so that is also a plus. I would just work slowly, in the cage, handling minimally, say a minute a day. It should come around in a while (months, not days).

You can use gloves, but a crested really has no backing behind the bite, tasting you as opposed to the glove, will be a plus in getting acclimated. Now R. Leachianus, R. Chaoua and Carpet Pythons have an attitude and a bite you will remember. I use gloves with these puppies when they get fiesty...
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Rhac 'n Roll Reptiles deadrats.net

I've had the same problem with my crested, though not as severe as you're describing. Unsexed juvie approximately 5 months old, biting at hands or other objects in or near the cage. Its not defensive biting, as he will approach an 'intruder' on the other side of the enclosure. I usually leave him alone when he seems to be in an angry mood, as I don't want to risk stress or a tail drop if the gecko 'loses' the fight.

I put my hand in with a glove once just to test him. He attacked it and I did see the 'doglike' behavior of biting and tugging, but he let go as soon as he realized he wasn't getting any reaction. Maybe 20-30 seconds of tugging, not 5 minutes.

I know that the gloves aren't really necessary with such a small guy, but his bite isn't entirely painless and he'll get less of a reaction from a glove than from my bare fingers.

He seemed to calm down a bit when I moved him from his 10 gallon 'juvie' enclosure to a full size 23" enclosure, but he still gets in that mood sometimes. I think that once I get some time I'll spend more time handling him without gloves (and accepting him chewing on bare skin), and hopefully that will calm him down when he learns that he's not going to win.

>>Greetings,
>>
>>I wrote about this a few days ago, and am still concerned about what seems like abnormal crested gecko behavior. For the past month and a half my male crested has been showing aggressive behavior. Upon seeing my hand in his cage, he becomes immediately aggravated. In fact, all you have to do is rustle some of the leaves in the cage for him to take notice and pursue.
>>
>>Hear is the new dilemma, last night I was attempting to clean his cage. In doing so I usually take him out, and let him roam free in the apartment. Because of his recent biting issues I was using a cloth glove to try and get him (I never grab at him). I placed the gloved hand out in front of his face, trying to coax him on to it. He licked at the glove for a moment, and then attacked. He bit the glove and would not let go. He clamped on to that glove for literally five minutes, I was getting worried that his teeth were stuck or something, but then he started shaking the glove with a full body & neck motion that I can only compare to a dog when its playing tug-o-war. It was like he was trying to tear it away from my hand. This shaking was extremely violent, and continued four or five separate instances (lasting 10 seconds each). WOW, what a show. I have defiantly never seen that before. What stands out the most is the way that his eyes recessed deep into his skull. The harder he bit, the more he eyes disappeared. His eyes looked similar to how they do when he is sleeping (with the eye crests folded down and over), but it was much more exaggerated, the entire eyeball almost completely disappeared into the eye socket.
>>
>>Anyway he bit down and shook that glove for about 5 minutes. and then finally let go.
>>
>>I don't think its a hunger issue, he gets fed every night (crickets & CGD).
>>
>>My take is that he is protecting his turf from what he views as a rival. I don't think that he is defending himself as he would against a predator.
>>
>>I guess what I want is some assurance that I am not doing something wrong. I have a female crested gecko and she is so docile it surprises me sometimes.
>>
>>What do you think it could be?
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Anthony Caponetto
www.ACreptiles.com