Different gecko personalities while handling?

[muffin_song]

I'm always amazed when I hear accounts of leos who will just chill on their owner's shoulders. I was wondering if the below behavior is typical? I've always just assumed that different geckos have different personalities, but I don't want to cause my leo undue stress.

I handle Scooter about twice a week. When I do, I stick my hand in and see if she's interested. If she's giving me the stink-eye, I leave her alone. When she's "feeling adventurous" she'll sniff my hand or climb on it. Once she's on my hand, I lift her out of the cage.

Scooter is almost always on the move whenever she's out of the cage. I usually let her either climb on me or let her run around the bed/some other area where I can keep an eye on her. If she's in danger of falling or crawling somewhere she shouldn't, I put my hand in front of her so that she either won't go that way or will just climb on my hand instead.

When she gets really squirmy (constantly climbing over my hands to the point of me having to scramble to keep her from falling) and is breathing rapidly, I take that as a signal she's had enough and put her back in her cage. She tends to prowl around the cage for a few minutes after returning, and then retreat into a secure hide.

From what I've heard geckos at least tolerate handling well, even if it's not their favorite activity. Does an active gecko outside the cage mean their stressed, or just that they're curious?

 

[Yoshi'smom]

I'd say as long as he's walking about and taste testing things at a pretty even pace then he's curious. If he's running or making noises and breathing heavily, he's stressed and is ready to be in a familiar environment.

 

[JessJohnson87]

I can usually tell when mine has had enough. He will start making a mad dash for the edge of the couch or bed and looks down, trying to figure out a way to get off. One time he successfully did this and I had to have my son stand at one end of the couch while I climbed behind it trying to get him out without scaring him.

 

[kholtme]

Sounds normal to me. My gecko, Gaz, seems to have different personalities in and out of his cage. Usually when hes in his cage he isnt scared of me, but if try to grab him he freaks out a little. Ive tried the whole hand in the tank and wait for them to climb on. That only happened a few times over a year. So I started doing tough love, when i want to get him out, I get him out. When ever he is out he is fine, he will chill on my shoulder, or in the corner of my keyboard while my hands are typing only an inch away. After a while i can tell when he is ready to be put back. He doesnt like to come out, but when he is out he doesnt seem to care.

 

[acpart]

Having produced several hundred hatchlings over the last 11 years, I can see that geckos seem to have a temperament just about right out of the egg. I've had geckos that never particularly wanted to be handled or come out of the cage, and geckos that walk to the front of the cage whenever they see me. What you're describing sounds within the normal range to me and you seem to be cueing in to what your gecko needs each time, so keep it up.

Aliza

 

[LittleBird]

LOL at "the stink eye"
That is exactly how I tell if mine is interested in coming out to play too :lol:

 

[muffin_song]

Thanks all, it's really interesting to hear what everyone's leos are like while being handled. For such "simple" creatures, I find it fascinating how they have such distinct personalities.

I'd say as long as he's walking about and taste testing things at a pretty even pace then he's curious. If he's running or making noises and breathing heavily, he's stressed and is ready to be in a familiar environment.

That's actually a really good way of putting it. Most of the time Scooter just taste tests things, but when she starts looking really frantic I put her back.

I can usually tell when mine has had enough. He will start making a mad dash for the edge of the couch or bed and looks down, trying to figure out a way to get off. One time he successfully did this and I had to have my son stand at one end of the couch while I climbed behind it trying to get him out without scaring him.

Heh, I've had that experience. I usually try to let Scooter do what she likes when she's on the bed, but a few times I've had to stop her from running under it!

Having produced several hundred hatchlings over the last 11 years, I can see that geckos seem to have a temperament just about right out of the egg. I've had geckos that never particularly wanted to be handled or come out of the cage, and geckos that walk to the front of the cage whenever they see me. What you're describing sounds within the normal range to me and you seem to be cueing in to what your gecko needs each time, so keep it up.

I would suspect you've seen just about everything, Aliza! Before Scooter came to live with me, she was in my mother's care. Even during that time she was always on the go while being handled. Not necessarily squirmy (unless she was done being out), but always climbing up my arm and the like.

Sounds normal to me. My gecko, Gaz, seems to have different personalities in and out of his cage. Usually when hes in his cage he isnt scared of me, but if try to grab him he freaks out a little. Ive tried the whole hand in the tank and wait for them to climb on. That only happened a few times over a year. So I started doing tough love, when i want to get him out, I get him out. When ever he is out he is fine, he will chill on my shoulder, or in the corner of my keyboard while my hands are typing only an inch away. After a while i can tell when he is ready to be put back. He doesnt like to come out, but when he is out he doesnt seem to care.

Heh, interesting. I wonder if it's the motion of getting picked up that he doesn't care for? Scooter will most of the time just walk onto my hand, so I usually don't have to resort to this.

LOL at "the stink eye"
That is exactly how I tell if mine is interested in coming out to play too :lol:

Yeah...she'll look at me quizzically, and then usually will close the eye closest to me in a clear "Go away, Mom" gesture

 

[JessJohnson87]

I was told, years ago, by someone that said "Reptiles can't have personalities, they're just lizards/snakes." I called BS when I told them how quirky all of mine were and how they all knew their names and would get excited when I walked into the room.