Leopard gecko slowly blinking or closing eyes when talking nice to them

[GirlLizard]

Hi, I'm new to leopard geckos. I adopted a friends 5 year old leopard geckos about 4 months ago. There have been a couple issues with them, but I took one to the vet and it is improving, so I'll post about that later.

Anyway, I don't know if I am trying to make the geckos into more domesticated pets or if I am actually seeing domesticated behaviors. But I pick up one of the geckos twice a day. She has become pretty relaxed when I hold her. I sometimes just let her sit in my hands and sometimes I talk nice to her and say how she is pretty, etc. That's kind of embarrassing to write..lol. I see her look up at me as I am talking. Lately when I check on her in her aquarium, I look at her face peaking out of her hide, and I say " I love you girl lizard" a couple times in a nice tone. I see her slowly blink or close her eyes in response. She doesn't move otherwise. It's seems a lot like cats behavior when they have that still blinking response. So I wonder if they are become more domesticated through breeding.

 

[PoppyDear]

Hi, I'm new to leopard geckos. I adopted a friends 5 year old leopard geckos about 4 months ago. There have been a couple issues with them, but I took one to the vet and it is improving, so I'll post about that later.

Anyway, I don't know if I am trying to make the geckos into more domesticated pets or if I am actually seeing domesticated behaviors. But I pick up one of the geckos twice a day. She has become pretty relaxed when I hold her. I sometimes just let her sit in my hands and sometimes I talk nice to her and say how she is pretty, etc. That's kind of embarrassing to write..lol. I see her look up at me as I am talking. Lately when I check on her in her aquarium, I look at her face peaking out of her hide, and I say " I love you girl lizard" a couple times in a nice tone. I see her slowly blink or close her eyes in response. She doesn't move otherwise. It's seems a lot like cats behavior when they have that still blinking response. So I wonder if they are become more domesticated through breeding.

I wouldn't say that they become "domesticated through breeding" yet. A wild hatchling could probably become tame with proper handling. However, they become more friendly as you handle them and talk to them. They associate you with other good things, food, leaving their cage, etc. I always talk to my geckos too! :blushing:

Also, you mention geckos, are two in the tank? Good luck with them!

 

[GirlLizard]

I wouldn't say that they become "domesticated through breeding" yet. A wild hatchling could probably become tame with proper handling. However, they become more friendly as you handle them and talk to them. They associate you with other good things, food, leaving their cage, etc. I always talk to my geckos too! :blushing:

Also, you mention geckos, are two in the tank? Good luck with them!

Thanks for the reply...There are 2 geckos, a male and female, who used to share a tank for years. But the male had become too aggressive and stressed the female, so the have been separated by a divider in the same tank. It's about 4 ft x 2 ft, so I think that's enough for both of them to have half.