Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

I have seen many photos now of crested geckos resting placidly on peoples ands, shoulders, siting in the grass in the back yard, etc.

My crested gecko that i have had for a little over a month now seems to be extremely skiddish, and can only be held occaisionally, -I ussually only hold the lizard in order to weigh him, -about once a week. It also seems that he is rarely out and about in his tank.

Last week he jumped out of the tank, on to my shoulder, then divebombed on to a piece of furniture, proceeded to run under the recliner, and then squeezed out and under the front door. Needless to say, I just about had a heart attack.Luckily the he was stopped by the screen door.

So how do you folks do it?

-K

Remember that they think of us as predators and instinct tells them to save themselves. I handle mine regularly and stroke them and speak softly to them. In time they realize that I don't intend to eat them. They seem to get tame with handling. Just don't overdo it because it can stress them. Just a few minutes a couple of times per week. If you can, choose a room where they can't go too far. I close the drains, cover the heat vent and use the bathroom when I have hatchlings or a new one who's pretty wild.
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Terri
8:14:13 crested geckos: Bear, Goldfish, Kermit, Brimstone, WildSpatter-Spots-to-Spare, White Lips, Pouncer, Studley, Big Red, Olive, Smudge, Belle, Brilliant, Tina, Brick, Toni, Beauty, Shine, Randi, Harley, Lady, LemonDrop, Stunner, Squeak, Bling, Squeaker, Stripe, Redhead, Speckles, Harrys, Penny, BonusBebe, and 3 unnamed hatchlings.

Is this handling done during the daytime or at night? I haven't tried to handle my geckos, but I've seen them exhibit "escape behavior" if they're touched during the day when they're asleep. I was wondering if the person who had the skittish gecko was trying to handle it during the daytime.

I handle mine generally speaking in the early evening before they are completely awake. When they're a little drowsy they usually don't go as far if they take off. They can be real pistols once they're wide awake! Mine might relax a little since I'm contantly talking to them and I think they might get to know my voice. Hard to know just how much they comprehend, though.
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Terri
8:14:13 crested geckos: Bear, Goldfish, Kermit, Brimstone, WildSpatter-Spots-to-Spare, White Lips, Pouncer, Studley, Big Red, Olive, Smudge, Belle, Brilliant, Tina, Brick, Toni, Beauty, Shine, Randi, Harley, Lady, LemonDrop, Stunner, Squeak, Bling, Squeaker, Stripe, Redhead, Speckles, Harrys, Penny, BonusBebe, and 3 unnamed hatchlings.

I had handled him during the day while he was sleeping. And as I previously described he shot like a cannonball out of the tank and to all points beyond.

I haven't handled him at all since that episode. Maybe I will try again soon after his day-light goes out. Although he still freezes whenever he sees me at night, and if i get too close he will run and hide. Holding a lizard isn't my main reason for keeping them, but it is nice to be able to observe them, which i haven't been able to do much at all with this rhacodactylus.

I don't want to cause a fuss, but so far this seems to be somewhat of a dissapointing species. -Not that i'm giving up.

Also was wondering if more people tend to house these guys in sterile enclosures, or more naturalistic enclosures. I keep mine in a fairly dense enclosure with plenty of live plants,wood, moss, and corkbark.

Thanks

-Kevin

I guess my enclosures might be called "sterile" only in that I don't use real plants or a natural substrate. I do use lots of plastic vines, branches, cork tubes and plastic "furniture" from PetSmart. For substrate I use paper towel for juvies and hatchlings, and repticarpet for adults. That way, when I occasionally feed crickets, I don't have to worry about them ingesting substrate. Normally they get CGD.
http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/index.php?user=62757&cat=500&subcat=835

or go to photo gallery/lizards/geckos/Terri's/enclosures
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Terri
9:13:13 crested geckos: Bear, Goldfish, Kermit, Brimstone, WildSpatter-Spots-to-Spare, White Lips, Pouncer, Studley, Randy, Big Red, Olive, Smudge, Belle, Brilliant, Tina, Brick, Toni, Beauty, Shine, Harley, Lady, LemonDrop, Stunner, Squeak, Bling, Squeaker, Stripe, Redhead, Speckles, Harrys, Penny, BonusBebe, and 3 unnamed hatchlings.