Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Got my baby girl, "Citrus" (all I can say is that she better grow up to be orange/yellow like her parents!) Moroccan Uro from Dr. Dix a little over 2 weeks ago. She hatched about a month before I received her, so she's now about 7 weeks old.

She's happy and healthy. She walks around her tank and basks and eats fine during the day, and sleeps fine at night (she sleeps like a log, actually).

I'm just wondering when she's going to stop being so darned scared of me. I have no plans on taking her our of her tank to hold her and parade her around. I just want her to not take off and hide in fear every time I move (an adoring look from her every now and then wouldn't hurt). Really, my main concern is for her--I don't want her to think she has to live in fear of something. I live alone, so it's not like there is a ton of activity here that could be startling her. No screaming maniacal kids. I have 2 lazy, laid back cats that probably don't even know she's there. Her tank is in my loft, which is where I work. I pretty much sit at my desk all day and get up once and a while. The tank is about 12 feet away from my desk. Even when I stand up from my desk, if she happens to be looking my way, she'll start to retreat from where she is, and if I then actually move away from my desk, she'll run full speed into her hide.

I've tried to let her see me put her food into her tank each day, but that's out of the question as she hides when I approach.

Obviously, she appears healthy and happy, so I wouldn't even classify this as a problem, really. Just wondering if this is fairly common for a baby and if it's something she'll likely do for a long time.

As a proud father, I've posted her picture.

Some are more skittish than others. Just keep offering her food and doing what you're doing. She will come around eventually.

Out of the 5 babies I have, 4 of them still scatter when they hear the cage top open when I go to place the food in. Only one hangs around and practically jumps onto the descending food bowl to eat first. He was also the first to come right up to my hand and give it a lick.

I wouldn't worry, she'll come around at some point.
-----
1.1.5 Mali Uromastyx (Ra, Isis) Sobek, Atum, Tut, Nefertum, Braveheart
0.1 Super Hypo Tangerine Leopard Gecko (Lucy)
0.1 Sunglow Leopard Gecko (Nyu)
1.1 Satanic Leaf-tail Gecko (R.I.P. Diablo and Samael)
2.0 Tabby cats (Cloud, Magus)

The way I got my babies to not be so skittish was to sit next to the tank for a while each night, not moving, just sitting there and reading. They started coming out more and more and now come right to the glass when I walk up. It take over 6 months of doing this though.

Good luck.

That sounds like great advice. I'll try that. I love to read, so that will be easy for me.

Thanks!

He will come around eventually. It may take some time for him to settle in to his new home, and get used to the surroundings. Took my Mali's a while before they would even let me add food to their bowl without running away. Now they come running for the food.