How often do you handle your Geckos?

[XoVictoryXo]

I am wondering if I handle mine too much, At one point I was handling them daily, sometimes for an half hour to an hour- now I am learning maybe its best if I limit myself so I don't disturb them from their comfort zone! this week I told myself, OK-only once a week I will hold you!
So hard to resist! But How often is ok to hold them without getting them stressed out?

 

[cricket4u]

I am wondering if I handle mine too much, At one point I was handling them daily, sometimes for an half hour to an hour- now I am learning maybe its best if I limit myself so I don't disturb them from their comfort zone! this week I told myself, OK-only once a week I will hold you!
So hard to resist! But How often is ok to hold them without getting them stressed out?

I only handle them when I clean their enclosures and once a week to examine them.

 

[Mardy]

I do whenever they look cute and want to come out. I put my hand in the tank whenever I change their water every other day. If they climb on then I'll take them out for a bit. If not I leave them alone.

 

[Tokayy]

I use to handle my male almost everyday as I was hanging out on the couch. Now I usually just bring them out onto the table to feed them worms and Grasshoppers. So maybe once or twice a week they get handled when im feeding them worms rather then putting crickets in their cage.

 

[cricket4u]

I use to handle my male almost everyday as I was hanging out on the couch. Now I usually just bring them out onto the table to feed them worms and Grasshoppers. So maybe once or twice a week they get handled when im feeding them worms rather then putting crickets in their cage.

Just in case you are not aware, leo's should be warm while eating and after. It has caused geckos to regurgitate at times when people have done that. Disregard if you keep your home very warm.

 

[EchotheGecko]

i handle my guy every other day at least. i let him crawl up and sit on my shoulder while i poop check/spot clean, change water, change substrate, spray moist hide, coz im using the pc next to his cage (helps with temps), cleaning his hides, changing his bulb... whenever im fiddling with his tank really. He quite happily sits on my shoulder and looks around/watches what im doing. unless my hands are particlarly warm... he hides in my clasped palms if thats the case....

 

[Drache]

I don't think I'll handle my g.vittatus any more than necessary, but I'd love to get the c.turneri comfortable with it.
Of the two cresties I had, one of them was very comfortable with being handled, the second one not as much.
It's a bit scary to start off. After all these are animals that can get lost so easily, and they do move a lot faster along a ceiling than a human on a ladder can hope to keep up with.
Leos are supposed to be much easier, but the one rescued leo I tried to nurse back to health was so skinny, she seemed too fragile to handle.

 

[XoVictoryXo]

Echo thats too cute!
Sometimes I wish I could take them for walks outside on a leash lol!!

 

[EchotheGecko]

Echo thats too cute!
Sometimes I wish I could take them for walks outside on a leash lol!!

i know. I read somewhere that when taming them to the touch, you can make a cave with your hands to encourage them to calm a bit as it will be dark(er) and warm. Echo seems to love it in there. If i dont need my hands to do other things i think hed stay there for hours!

 

[nickexotics]

Only when needed. people who know herps understand how they are wired. They are instinctual for the most part. owners being dellusional ain't doing them no favors. When you take them out they can't control body temps right. Just because they walk on to your hand does not mean they want out. That is your mind wanting to believe that. It's just plaain curiosity and that fact that they know you bring positive (food) If you keep them right, they can care less if your around or not. You are only the hand that feeds them which means they associate you with a positive thing, it doesn't mean they like you. No it's not what most people want to hear, but it's the truth. Pick up books from the libraries and you will learn. You are either a positive or negative experience to them. Their brains are real simple and don't have the ability to think like humans. Yea they feel pain and pleasure in a different manner. The are always going to feel some fear being out of their comfort zone whether you believe it or not. It is wired in them to be aware of predators. Most important keep and mind they use the environment to control body temp and when you leave them out their cages to long your messing with their PBT.

 

[Marauderhex]

I usually at least pet mine every day. They come out when they want (scratch at the opening of their enclosures).

 

[Kevans Geckos]

I handle them about every other day I also have a leash and I sometimes take them outside and they just run around. Dose anyone know if its OK to bring them outside?

 

[amsdadtodd]

I handle them about every other day I also have a leash and I sometimes take them outside and they just run around. Dose anyone know if its OK to bring them outside?

Probably not what you want to hear, but this really isn't okay. The leash is not a good thing for them, and, unless you live in their native part of the world, letting them on the ground is exposing them to organisms (bugs and germs) for which they have no natural defense. Also, any fertilizer, weed killer, insect poison, etc. which may remain from past applications is not likely to be good for them.

Todd

 

[Kevans Geckos]

Well there was no weed killer or poison sprayed or anything like that for about 20 years. But the rest you said is harmful so... Thanks for warning me anyway

 

[warhawk]

For me it depends on their age. My older ones I handle once or twice a week plus when I'm cleaning their tanks. The younger guys I try to only handle when I'm cleaning. I will put my hand in their tank so they can smell me and get used to me but I don't take them out of their tanks that often.

 

[dawnhl]

I was of the understanding that you were meant to handle them lots when they were young so that they would get comfortable with it? My kids love to hold the gecko and sometimes she is out a few times a day.

 

[HTC]

Once a day 30 mins should be enough

 

[Keeboard]

If you handle them during the late evening, you probably aren't disturbing them too much and could handle them daily. If they aren't too tame, keep handling period short. I handle mine daily, but for short periods because he isn't completely tame yet.

 

[amsdadtodd]

My four leo's are about a year old, and seek out handling when I walk in the room. One of them, Hopper, comes to the glass and puts her front legs on it, like a puppy to let me know she wants some time. When she does this, she readily climbs into my hand, and will then climb up my arm, and shoulders if I let her. Puff will get alert and look at me if he wants some time, again I put my hand in and he climbs right in.
I have always let them do it on their own time, rather than forcing the issue. As a result, they are all quite sociable towards me. One of my daughters has been more forceful about it, and they are more skittish towards her. I don't know if they truly recognize one person from another, or if they just follow cues in how we move when we're near them, but the end result is the same, a social leo vs a skittish one.

Todd

 

[Keeboard]

My gecko, toothless, will put one or two hands on me when I put my hand in. A couple times, when it was too warm in the tank (I turned off the heat mat, of coarse), he went entirely onto me and wouldn't sit still.