Help - Gecko Stress
Hi guys, I bought my first leopard gecko in December (2013), she's a female hypo, around 5 months old now. When I first got her she was absolutely fine, really friendly and sweet and didn't have any trouble with her food or environment as far as I was aware, she was a little cautious, but no more than you'd expect from a gecko who's just moved in. About 2 weeks ago I had her out on my bed and we watched a film but at one point she suddenly ran (she was sitting completely still, then just bolted) and she ended up falling off the bed before I had a chance to grab her. She ran under my bed and I spent a good half an hour using various pieces of cardboard and things to get her out (I couldn't reach her myself) anyway eventually I got her out and put her back in her tank. Since then she's been completely terrified of any movement or sound, rather than stopping and staring at a possible threat, she runs for cover under her log.
She's eating loads (her diet is mostly mealworms, supplemented with calcium and vitimin powder) and putting on a lot of weight, the temperature and humidity are both fine, she has water and if I come into the room she's usually out and content, she's just become really scared and won't go near my hand when I put it in her vivarium to get her used to the smell etc. She used to be really curious if I opened the door, she'd walk over and poke her head out then climb on my hand, now she freaks out and curls up in her humid hide or in the warm area
Is there anyway I can de-stress her? Calm her down and remind her I'm not a threat? I really don't want her to be terrified every time someone makes a noise!
Hi guys, I bought my first leopard gecko in December (2013), she's a female hypo, around 5 months old now. When I first got her she was absolutely fine, really friendly and sweet and didn't have any trouble with her food or environment as far as I was aware, she was a little cautious, but no more than you'd expect from a gecko who's just moved in. About 2 weeks ago I had her out on my bed and we watched a film but at one point she suddenly ran (she was sitting completely still, then just bolted) and she ended up falling off the bed before I had a chance to grab her. She ran under my bed and I spent a good half an hour using various pieces of cardboard and things to get her out (I couldn't reach her myself) anyway eventually I got her out and put her back in her tank. Since then she's been completely terrified of any movement or sound, rather than stopping and staring at a possible threat, she runs for cover under her log.
She's eating loads (her diet is mostly mealworms, supplemented with calcium and vitimin powder) and putting on a lot of weight, the temperature and humidity are both fine, she has water and if I come into the room she's usually out and content, she's just become really scared and won't go near my hand when I put it in her vivarium to get her used to the smell etc. She used to be really curious if I opened the door, she'd walk over and poke her head out then climb on my hand, now she freaks out and curls up in her humid hide or in the warm area
Is there anyway I can de-stress her? Calm her down and remind her I'm not a threat? I really don't want her to be terrified every time someone makes a noise!
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