Weird Tail Drop

[bwarden17]

I recently got a beautiful pinstripe male and held him for a few minutes when i got him and he was very calm. When I put him in my tank for him he seemed extra stressed so I left him be. 5 days later i went to the tank and sat in front of it watching him. He seemed to have trouble climbing the glass and was very skittish. He freaked out climbed up the glass fell on his but area and dropped his tail. I feel absolutely awful for him. Was it my fault? I Know i should now put paper towels in as substrate but im too scared he will freak out even more. Is there something wrong with the gecko or me? What should i do. i cant even get a hold of him before he bolts off.

 

[bwarden17]

And yes I know geckos don't understand love and why we hold them. But he freaks out like Ive never seen any gecko do.

 

[Aimless]

he's a new gecko. he has to adjust to an entirely new place, and also to your behavior, which will be unanticipated, and possibly even seem predatory.

I would leave him alone as much as possible for a few weeks, except feeding and misting.

is he in a place in your house that is quiet, and away from windows and other pets? if not, the location could be stressing him out too. think about what he can see and hear, and about what might be new and/or scary to him?

 

[bwarden17]

He's away from pets and windows. He is I'm the corner of my room on a little stand no more than a foot off the ground. I have a female and a juvy. Neither one was as jumpy or flighty when i first got them. He came from a good breeder. That's why I'm so confused.

 

[Aimless]

cresties aren't bred for temperament, and a breeder (even an excellent one) is less likely to put the time into hand-taming all of their geckos. I bet he just needs to be socialized.

wait a minute - is he too close to the ground? if you moved him to a higher shelf he might feel "higher up in the tree" and therefore safer?

 

[bwarden17]

True!!!! IM moving him right when I get home. Good idea. He just shed buy didn't eat it. Pretty sure not all cresties eat their shed though.

 

[Aimless]

mine all do, but then I only have a trio and a handful that I bred in '11. maybe he didn't eat it because he's nervous, too? you'll have to update us on this guy and let us know if he calms down!

 

[bwarden17]

Will do thank you for all your help!!!

 

[bwarden17]

So i came home today to my gecko sitting on top of the biggest plant in the tank. the only problem was it fell off the suction cup and when i put my hand in to fix it he freaked out. Also when i tried to pick up the tank he freaked out. Looks like he ill be staying there with a fallen plant for a while.....

 

[LSeelt]

I got some cresties from a breeder that was getting out of breeding and all of those geckos were super nervous. Even after months at my place a couple of them are still sketchy and won't even let me or my husband touch them. A couple came around a little. They way I figure it is that some of them are just like that. Just like people have different personalities, so do geckos.

I'm sure that if you give him a couple of weeks to settle, and then handle him regularly that he'll come around.

Also, one of my cresties dropped his tail because there was a thunderstorm. They are very in tune with the weather, even when they are isolated from it.

Hope he settles in for you!

 

[bwarden17]

I've left him alone for a while. Still going to wait longer though. He was very nice when I first held him so I'm going he will come around.