Leopard gecko thinks my hand is food.

Discussion in 'Leopard Geckos' started by Kayloni Williams, Feb 24, 2013.

  1. Kayloni Williams

    Kayloni Williams Embryo

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    Hi everyone, Im new to this forum.
    A week ago I purchased a 3 month old Leopard gecko, Unsure of the sex. I wanted to tame it, but I also wanted he/she to get used to the tank. I started setting my hand inside the tank. But he/she thinks my hand is food. ( I'll just say he ) He starts stalking & running to my hand wanting to bite it. Im un-sure what to do. Also, Ive never seen him go into his cool hide, we'll the humid hide. He always stays in his warm hide. My Previous gecko, who passed away, would always switch back and forth with his warm hide & humid hide, even in the daytime.
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. StikyPaws312

    StikyPaws312 Moderator

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    Hm, does he have 3 hides to choose from? The hot hide (obviously) should be on top of the UTH (or right next to it), the cool hide should be on the coldest side of the tank, and the humid hide should generally be on the warm side but not on top of the the UTH. The moist combined with the cold side of the tank might be too cold for your little guy so I would suggest moving the location of the hide. Also, what are your hot and cold side temps and how are they being measured?

    As far as your little guy stalking your hand.... I'm not quite sure how to break him of that habit other than do NOT feed him with your hand, try to feed him with tweezers or in a bowl, try not to associate your fingers with food coming in to his tank.... good luck!
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. Kayloni Williams

    Kayloni Williams Embryo

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    Yes he has 3 Hides.
    The hot side is generally in the 90's & the cool side ranges from 78-85 ish. I have a thermometer on the hot side & the cool side.
    I feed him by the tweezers. But thanks for the advice!
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  7. Silje

    Silje New Member

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    I have another advice from my own gecko...
    One of them also mistook my hand as food at the beginning, and I decided just to let her bite and it worked. It doesn't hurt at all, and you need to be sure you are able to keep cool and don't move your hand when the gecko bites. You could hurt the gecko if you pull your arm back or anything like that.
    But it worked on my gecko. Make sure the food is in full sight and she will understand soon enough. They are very smart :)
    And it's very important that when you are holding your hand in the terra to let the gecko know you, you have to keep it very still. Dont move the hand at all. Pretend to be a statue. And your hand need to be just under the head of the gecko.
    When I was taming my geckos, I could stand there like a statue for an hour or two, every day for a couple of weeks.
    Now my gecko is as tame as I think a gecko is able to be. She waits every night to come out and climps on the hand and up our feet. :)

    Best of luck to you :)
     
    StikyPaws312 likes this.
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  9. Kayloni Williams

    Kayloni Williams Embryo

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    That's what I was thinking.
    Oh boyyy, What does the bite feel like? I understand that they dont have teeth, but I think the main thing thats going to scare me is the way hes going to come at my hand and startle me.
    Im going to try it lol. Thank you so much for the awsome advice! :)
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  11. Silje

    Silje New Member

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    It doesn't hurt at all, hehe. But yeah, they attack very fast so the first 20 times you're going to get startled! ;)
    But thats the important thing, dont move your hand when the gecko bites!!! :)

    No problem! Hehe :p
     
  12. try Harder

    try Harder Embryo

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    I have had a leopard gecko and a golden gecko for 6 years. I tamed the leopard gecko right off but the golden gecko who always bit me I tamed yesterday by slowly petting her back she ran about 10 times but then when I picked her up she was fine. Right this second shes on the back of my neck lol.
     

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