Fourgeckos

New Member
Messages
2
Hi, I currently have two crested geckos, and I am in love with them! I got them both at the same time from a previous owner about 6 months ago. One of them, Merlin, is 3 I think. The other, Phoenix is around 1 and a half or 2 now. They came with the vivariums and decor, and I haven't changed anything for either of time. I left them both alone for about a month before starting to handle them, and they were both fine, just took some getting used to! Merlin was already very tame and still is, he is such a chilled out gecko. Phoenix was very skittish to begin with, but warmed up to me quickly with time and became extremely friendly. He would come and wait by the glass for me to take him out every evening, he would sit on my knee or shoulder and watch my laptop. He seemed to enjoy being gently stroked on the head and he would almost lean into it.
He just seemed to be happy and chilled out with everything, until one day he was sitting on me knee and i went to offer my hand to put him back in the enclosure, and he nipped my finger. I thought maybe I moved to quickly so I went to do it again slower, and he nipped again. I got him back in the closure and I was very concerned. I left him for a few days as I was worried I was over handling him.
The next time I got him out he seemed normal for a few minutes and then started to be weird. He began making love bites, gently pinching and calling out. I let him do it for a bit before gently putting him on my knee again, which was clothed so he didn't continue.
I left him for another week until his hormones seemed to have calmed down and handled again, fairly briefly and it was fine.
About another week later I made a huge mistake, I handled Merlin first. I washed my hands with soap but I don't think that was good enough. I took phoenix out he jumped onto my knee, as usual. I was wearing shorts and there was skin exposed. He started breathing really fast and suddenly grabbed onto the skin, pinching it very hard for a little gecko. He didn't let go, only seemed to pinch harder and it was hurting a fair amount. If he was losing his grip he would only clamp down harder and began twisting his head, pulling at the skin. He was also occasionally shaking his head like a dog would. I was trying to get him off of me as it was quite painful but he wouldn't let go for ages. He had somehow with all the twisting and pinching managed to actually take out a small chunk of my skin, leaving me with a hole on my leg that was bleeding a fair amount and the bruises lasted for two weeks. I didn't know they were capable of this! I had brushed him onto my bed which I was sitting on and he was clearly very threatened/ stressed. Every time I made to slowly put my arm near him to put him away he leaped at it. Eventually I put my sleeves over my hands and let him bite me as i took him to his viv.
It has been about a month since then, and I miss the sweet side of him, but I am also a little afraid of him, which I know sounds silly. He seems to be alright in his enclosure. He's fine with my changing his bowls, but I tend to do them when he is on the other side of the tank. Today I wondered about taking things back to square one and taming him from scratch again, putting my arm in the viv. He was on the front glass, in the place he usually was when he wanted to come out. He immediately focused on my hand and started breathing heavily and deeply, so I slowly removed my arm, not wanting to stress him out and a bit scared of being bitten.
Does he just not want to be handled? Can he smell the other crested gecko too much and its making him angry? Where should I go from here?
 

acpart

Geck-cessories
Staff member
Messages
15,119
Location
Somerville, MA
I have had geckos like this. Below is the link to an article I wrote about my crested gecko Bart, who was a real Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde (he has passed away since, unfortunately). I think the only thing you can really do is take it moment by moment and handle him when it seems as if he's going to tolerate it (gloves aren't a bad idea either!)

Aliza
 

Fourgeckos

New Member
Messages
2
I have had geckos like this. Below is the link to an article I wrote about my crested gecko Bart, who was a real Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde (he has passed away since, unfortunately). I think the only thing you can really do is take it moment by moment and handle him when it seems as if he's going to tolerate it (gloves aren't a bad idea either!)

Aliza
Thank you!
 

Visit our friends

Top