Taming a Crestie

atryec

New Member
Messages
6
We have our first Crestie, female, approx 18 months.

The previos owners said she was tame (they also said it was a male but we're sure it's female)

She is very nervous around us. We haven't tried to handle her in the few days we had her, just wanting her to settle in.

Once lights go off, and she starts waking up, we put in her food. As soon as we approach the viv, and open the door, she bolts. Then it's another 3minute wait for her to come out again.

What can we do to make her less nervous? We are sitting in darkness, apart from the tv and a lamp as the ceiling light makes her hide away.
 

Daedric1

New Member
Messages
196
Location
Minnesota
Many geckos need time to adjust to their new home. There are new sights, sounds, and smells that it needs to get used to. This is a very scary time for a gecko. Give it a couple weeks without handling (if you can avoid it - i know it's hard sometimes) to allow it to settle in.

I would put the food in the cage before the gecko wakes up to avoid the extra stress for now. If you're feeding the Repashy Crested Gecko diet, you can leave it in there for a couple days. Many cresties prefer it a day-old anyway.

When I turn on the lights, there are a few that will go into hiding. Others stop moving until the light goes off again, and some don't care. It just depends on the temperment of the gecko and what it perceives to be a threat.

If you like to observe your gecko without disturbing it, you can use a low-wattage red or blue moonlight bulb that doesn't affect the temperature. Or if you don't want to buy those, use a flashlight indirectly (don't point directly at the gecko).
 

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