Hello there! I most normally read other forums about gecko care to get all my information, but I am a little more concerned this time around and can't find a discussion that matches my situation.
I am a proud mama of two leopard geckos, one female and one male, who have grown up together for quite a few years now. They were adopted together at 8 months old in 2018 and have been together since. I had recently gotten them off an old friend who simply did not want them anymore and was looking to get rid of them. Their furniture and their tank has stayed the same from the day they had been purchased. They live in a 20 gallon tank with two hides, one cold and one warm. They are fed 10-15 large crickets a week. I do not gut load the crickets, I just purchase them from the store.
My issue is relatively new. The boy has gotten very territorial toward the female and bites her tail and legs. Whenever she wants to go into the warm hide, he bites her, does some rapid tail shakes, and eventually forces her out of the hide. She has been in the cold hide and I'm worried for her temperature. She hasn't gone into the warm hide as this has gone on for at least 2 weeks now.
The male has also gotten very afraid of me. He used to be very loving and would want to come out and walk around with me, but now when I walk into the room, he makes a break for it into his hide (the warm one). On the occasion, he'll venture into the cold hide, but bites the female out in the process.
This has never happened prior to this month. I have had them since mid September of 2020 and I'm really concerned I'm not doing a good job at husbandry. I do not have the funds to purchase another tank for either one of them and I just want them to get along again. There has been no bloodshed or screaming from them, but I'm still worried. I know that males tend to get bitey during mating season but I don't know the aggressiveness of it. Thank you all in advance!
I am a proud mama of two leopard geckos, one female and one male, who have grown up together for quite a few years now. They were adopted together at 8 months old in 2018 and have been together since. I had recently gotten them off an old friend who simply did not want them anymore and was looking to get rid of them. Their furniture and their tank has stayed the same from the day they had been purchased. They live in a 20 gallon tank with two hides, one cold and one warm. They are fed 10-15 large crickets a week. I do not gut load the crickets, I just purchase them from the store.
My issue is relatively new. The boy has gotten very territorial toward the female and bites her tail and legs. Whenever she wants to go into the warm hide, he bites her, does some rapid tail shakes, and eventually forces her out of the hide. She has been in the cold hide and I'm worried for her temperature. She hasn't gone into the warm hide as this has gone on for at least 2 weeks now.
The male has also gotten very afraid of me. He used to be very loving and would want to come out and walk around with me, but now when I walk into the room, he makes a break for it into his hide (the warm one). On the occasion, he'll venture into the cold hide, but bites the female out in the process.
This has never happened prior to this month. I have had them since mid September of 2020 and I'm really concerned I'm not doing a good job at husbandry. I do not have the funds to purchase another tank for either one of them and I just want them to get along again. There has been no bloodshed or screaming from them, but I'm still worried. I know that males tend to get bitey during mating season but I don't know the aggressiveness of it. Thank you all in advance!
. Thank you!