Leopard gecko always wanting out, need help!

[h.zieglb]

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Hi there! I’m a new owner of my leopard gecko, Freddie, and I love him to bits. He’s 6 months old and he’s been acting normal up until a couple weeks ago. He started frequently wanting out and pawing at the door to his enclosure, climbing up trying to get out, or digging holes in his substrate near the entrance. Whenever he asked I would set up a large gecko-proof area for him and let him roam around. When I did this recently he wouldn’t explore, but go to the edges of the area and frantically try to climb them as well. After a couple times of doing this he’s taken to pooping on me (four times now) whenever I do take him out. It’s gotten so bad that in the middle of me feeding him he will stop to eat but I keep having to redirect him to his mealworms or crickets because he continues trying to get out.
As far as I can tell everything is normal with his temp (89F under the tank heat mat), humidity, and he’s been eating normally. He also has 4 hides in his 20 gallon but usually he stays in his moist one. Could it be his enclosure is too crowded?
If anyone has experienced this or could offer any advice I would be really appreciative. I really want him to be happy and comfortable.

[acpart]

You could give him the best enclosure in the world (and the largest) and he may still go up to the edge and start trying to climb. I find that leopard geckos seem to get into behavior ruts and it takes awhile for them to get out of them. It doesn't seem to be the cage since he does it in other places too. If you have the room, you could consider getting him one of those hammocks and either a ramp to walk up to it or let him climb on his humid hide to get up there. I'm not saying that's the solution, just one thing to try if you like the idea. You may just need to wait him out and let him get over his obsession.

Aliza

[h.zieglb]

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Thank you for your advice! I really hope that’s all it is and that I’m not missing something he’s trying to tell me. I’ve tried a few things like moving where I keep his crickets and buying him a new ramp but he’s still acting the same. Hopefully he’ll get out of this rut soon because he seems so dead set on doing it until he tires himself out.