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Many people choose the leopard gecko because it is so hardy that a bit of handling will not cause it serious stress. I know that’s why I chose it. Leos are best handled for short periods to start with. You can start getting them use to in around 4 months of age. Younger ones just have too many natural instincts, and stress out. 5 minutes should be the max to start with, and you can work it up to 20 or 30 minutes over a month, but maybe longer for young ones. A gecko that hisses, or postures in a defensive way is trying to say, “back off”. You should do just that. Give the gecko another month to mature, or be more careful next time.

The trick about handling them is to remember they ‘d rather walk on you as though you were a rock, than have you snatch and hold them like you were a bird ready to eat them. To pick them up, put you hand flat on the ground in front of them, and they will walk on thinking nothing off it. Another way to get them in you hands is to put your hands on opposite sides of him, flat on the ground, and slowly move them together. I started by getting my gecko to walk into a Tupperware container. Then I slid her out into my hand.

As you probably know, never pick a gecko up by its tail. It will break off. When a tail breaks off, it puts the gecko at a serious risk. They just lost their food storage. It then becomes essential to feed them often, and make sure they drink often. Twice a day is best. It will grow back, but it will lack the beauty of the previous tail.

Remember that leopard geckos are not use to heights, so they will literally walk right off the edge of a table, or your hand. If you sit on the floor when handling, they have little distance to fall.

As you get use to your gecko, you may find that they will lock on to an object in the room, for example a dark hiding spot, and walk to it no mater which way you turn your gecko. Letting them walk hand over hand works well.

My geckos’ favorite toy is a large old bath towel. It can be crinkled up into zillions of terrains jam packed with nice hiding spots. I often just take one of mine out, and let him romp in my room while I watch TV. But that has resulted in 1 of 4 different cases of lost geckos, but more on how to find an at large gecko in the next article.

By: Tom Richner