Defensive behavior?

[madisondouglas]

So I bought my very first leopard gecko on Sunday. I have a Zilla Terrarium Liner as "substrate" and I got it dirty already, I spilled vitamin powder all through it when I was putting in the crickets. I haven't handled the gecko very much at all, so maybe this is why... but when I went to get him out of the enclosure, to clean the liner, he kind of hit me with his tail and followed my fingers as I moved them around him. He did it again when I put him back when I was finished. Is this normal; is he just being defensive because he doesn't know who I am yet??? I don't want him to drop his tail because he thinks I'm a threat...

As a new gecko owner & as someone who has never owned a reptile in her entire life, I got kind of nervous. I know they can be defensive with prey & other geckos... I didn't know they could do that with people, though.

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

 

[indyana]

Yep, they will defend themselves if they get frightened. Just move slowly and try to scoop or open hand vs grabbing, and hopefully yours will learn you aren't a threat.

 

[acpart]

They will also not usually drop their tails at the drop of a hat (to mix metaphors a bit). The little ones tend to raise themselves up and scream but it takes quite a bit for them to drop their tails, so try not to worry too much about it.

Aliza