[Ned]

One of my Leos is a fat git, it is always hungry and would easily eat 5 large locusts a day if I let her.

I've tried cutting down on food but she still seems to be getting fatter.

I dont think my gecko likes me

i out my hand in this mroning to change his water and he ran up and bit me. he keeps on doing it too!

[Ned]

Oooer.

Best to just lie your hand flat on the tank for 5 mins, don't move it or anything and let the Leo investigate. Do this before feeding each day and eventually it will get used to your smell and associate your hand with providing food.

Originally Posted by Tanith

He's probably a bit scared and just taking some time to adjust to new surroundings. He's eating and drinking so that is good, just keep a few crickets in the tank so if he gets hungry, I keep a small piece of cucumber or green beans so that the crickets can nibble on it instead of the gecko. Geckos tend to come out around dusk or when they are hungry.

Just keep putting your hand in the tank for a few mins for the next couple of weeks and this will let him get used to you, i cornered mine (so to speak) and he climbed onto my hand they don't like you closing your hand round them, so now i stick my hand in he climbs on.

Gut Loading - Simple put some veg (cucumber etc) into the tub that contains the crickets they eat it - so feeding the crickets is gut loading them.

I've only had my gecko for 3 months and this is what I've done

Personally i do not keep crix in viv, if not eaten then take out, even with veg in, there is a chance on them nibling your leo. instead i keep a bowl of meal worms in viv at all times for them to snack on.

Originally Posted by -Gecko-gal-

you lot proberly think im annoying, but i dont care i nioticed my gecko with one eye opened and one eye closed is this normal? he re-opened both his eyes again after though.

Originally Posted by jemblackmagic

My gecko tends to do that when he's half asleep. If he hears something move he'll just lazily open one eye and sit there for a bit with it open before falling asleep again.

chances are it is just tiredness as jemblackmagic says, mine do it too so i wouldnt worry to much, spec as he can open it ok afterwards

Originally Posted by -Gecko-gal-

maybe jinx is a bit lazy lol. i think ill build a humidity box just in case though it seems jinx is getting settled very quickly since he was sat waiting for his dinner at 3.30 when i got home from school today hehe i know this may seem stupid, but can you overfeed a gecko?

in a word, yes you can overfeed leos, and infact a lot of keeps do, there is this impression that their tails should be huge, but this is not the case, as a rule a healthy leo's tail is around the same width as thir necks.

the first way to tell if a leo is overweight is the fat pockes they aquire under their arms, kinda looks like blisters

Originally Posted by -Gecko-gal-

I dont think my gecko likes me

i out my hand in this mroning to change his water and he ran up and bit me. he keeps on doing it too!

hmm, have you tamed him down yet? how long you had him? could be he is scared, or if you have hand fed him ect he could think hand = food

Originally Posted by -Gecko-gal-

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Hey im new to owning a leopard gecko and any advice and tips would be very much apreciated

i got him today (wednesday 2nd january)

I have a 10 week old male called jinx im not sure what exactly you call the colour but i will get pics on ASAP!!!

He seems to like hiding alot and barely wants to come out, and he doesnt seem to move around alot. is that just because hes getting used to his new enviroment?

I think this is normal but hes only eaten 2 crickets today?

Also i put my hand in the faunarium to see if he would allow me to handle him but he went to bite me, is this normal or do you reckon he was just stressed being in his new home?

and can someone PLEASE tell me how to GUT LOAD my crickets!!!???

id apreciate your help

they can take up to two weeks to settle properly and
eat. he will of corse be very scared of you, dont worry after he's settled you can make a start on calming him, by putting you hand in viv, say the other end of where he is and just leaving it there, after a few days or so of this, he will then come to investigat, and lick you to see what you are, and eventually get onoth your hand of his own free will, then you should be able to let him walk from one hand to the other (he will lick you a lot still) until he calms down (try doing this over a tub so if he runs/jumps he will go into the tub and you wont have to chase him round the room) it does take a long time to calm them down, some never get compleatly calm, but willl still toloerate handling.

as for gut loading, you can buy crix food, altho best way is to sprinkle whatever vits ect you using on any fruit or veg (24hrs prior to feeding leos)

then using the 'shake and bake method' when feeding is good idea too. this involves putting the crix into a bag (ire food bag ect) and putting some dustin in too, then making sure there plenty of air in bag twist top and shake the bag, this not only completly covers crix but also 'stunns' them so especially good for young leos as then dont move much

well if you just got him he's prob tryin to get used to things, so wait a week til handling him, and when you do just let him walk on your hand, don't try pulling him out of his cage to fast, he might drop his tail. after he gets settled down and gets used to you, he''l enjoy you handling him and with some time will ride on your shoulder around the house. there usually pretty calm herps tho, hope this helps. and congrats on getting your leo!

My mum managed to pick him up today. he seems a bit... climbey shall we say? he seems to enjoy climbing.

IS there any more climbing tips to give???

Some Breeders recomend leaving a gecko alone for a week or so when first brought to a new home to let them settle before handeling the are easily scared because of new smells and there little size compared to your big size. As for over feeding they will only eat what they are hungry for I have been told by several breeders to feed them as much as they will eat in a hour and remove the left over crickets so they won't bite on your gecko.Also make sure you are dusting your crickets with a good multi vitamin and mineral dust at each feeding while they are young and always keep a small amount of calcium powder in a pop lid in the tank for them to lick if they need to.If you want to drop me a private message I will give you a site to get a very good vit dust and stuff to feed your crickets to gut load them that is all natural and devoleoped by one of the top breeders around.