If you have just become a new owner of a Crested Gecko, chances are that you can’t wait until you can handle your pet and begin building that bond between you and your pet. Though Geckos are the most docile reptiles, do not expect them to play nice with you or other reptiles you house with them. But, how long should you really wait before you handle your Crested Gecko?
2-to 4 weeks: To handle a new crested gecko, you need to wait for at least 2 to 4 weeks before you start handling your Gecko. This is because you need to ensure that the crested gecko is comfortable and has adapted to its new environment. You need to make sure that your crested gecko is eating properly before you start the handling.
It is also advisable that you should only handle your gecko when it weighs 10 grams or more. This is because a gecko that is below 10 grams is too fragile and small. Therefore, can easily be hurt during handling.
There are some crested geckos that will adapt very quickly and these can be handled earlier than those geckos that have not yet acclimated.
If your gecko is not comfortable with handling, make sure that you do not force it as this can lead to the crested gecko dropping its tail which usually happens when it’s not comfortable or feels too frightened.
It is important that when the crested gecko first comes in your home, you should first start with short handling sessions after it is ready for handling. You can then increase the handling sessions gradually when the crested gecko becomes comfortable with the handling.
A crested gecko can be handled for even up to 15 minutes. For instance, in the first days, you can just go to the tank to watch your gecko so that it is familiar with your presence.
You can then start handling the gecko for 2 minutes, the next day you can increase the handling session to 5 minutes and so on. When handled for a long time, the crested gecko can easily become stressed or get too cold.
Crested Gecko Handling Tips
There are some things that you need to keep in mind when it comes to the handling of your geckos and ensuring that they are safe and well. Crested geckos are usually not aggressive and handling them in an easy thing. However, you need to consider the following:
When handling your crested gecko make sure that you keep him close to the ground. This ensures that your gecko does not hurt himself when he jumps from a very high distance. A crested gecko can be handled for up to twenty minutes in a single day.
When there is a new crested gecko in your home. Remember to give it time to adjust to the new environment properly before you handle it. After the crested gecko has properly adapted, do not handle him for very long sessions.
Instead, you should start by only handling for a short period of time when you are cleaning the terrarium. Crested gecko babies should not be held. This is because they are very active and they will easily jump around which may cause them to get hurt.
Instead wait for the gecko to get a little older so that it is safe for you to handle them. When handling the crested geckos, make sure that you do not stress them or injure them.
A crested gecko should be handled during the day. This is because they are less active during the day. Do not handle them at dawn or dusk because at this time your crested gecko will be very active.
If the gecko does not want to be handled it is better to leave it instead of forcing it. Forcing it will cause the gecko to become stressed and this will not be very good for the gecko.
Crested geckos are very sensitive to temperature. Therefore, when holding the crested gecko make sure that your hands are not too cold or too hot. You should also monitor the temperature of the surrounding. When they get too hot or too cold you should be able to put them back in the terrarium.
Always keep the room quiet when you are handling the crested gecko. A quiet room ensures that your crested gecko stays calm when you are handling him. Since they can get really jumpy, it is important to make sure that the area that you are handling your crested gecko is enclosed so that he does not run away.
How long should you handle the crested gecko?
How long you handle a crested gecko will depend on the stage of handling that you are with you gecko. For instance, if you are handling the crested gecko for the first time, then the time should be short like 2 minutes.
You can then increase the time of handling your crested gecko depending on how comfortable he is with the handling. You can even go as far as handling the crested gecko for 15 minutes if he likes the handling and is very comfortable with you handling him.
When you notice that the crested gecko is not comfortable, then you should put him back in the terrarium. Also make sure that the handling sessions of your gecko are consistent. The crested gecko can also be handled every day depending on how comfortable it is with you when it comes to handling it.
Sometimes the crested gecko will not be comfortable with being handled. If this case makes sure that you always practice patience when handling the gecko. You can try placing mashed fruit on your hand in order to attract the crested gecko to you.
The first few weeks that you bring the crested gecko in your home, you should go to the tank to watch the gecko and make yourself known. The crested gecko needs to be comfortable with you so that you can handle it for longer periods of time.
When handling the crested gecko, you also need to keep in mind that the gecko may bite you when it is stressed. This is a way of telling you that the gecko is not comfortable with being handled hence you should put the gecko back into the terrarium.
Steps to handle the crested gecko
1) Remove the gecko from the cage: once your crested gecko has adjusted to its new home. You can now handle it
2) Take the cage to an enclosed room: Make sure that all windows as well as doors are closed when you want to handle the crested gecko. Create a calm environment for the crested gecko by turning off the Tv or any music. The enclosed environment also ensures that the gecko does not escape.
3) Open the terrarium: make sure that you open the terrarium very slowly. Do not make any noises because these can cause the crested gecko to become frightened. Frightening them can cause the gecko to drop their tail, fly around or even bite you.
4) Then lower your hand in front of the gecko in the cage and allow the gecko to climb on to your hand. Make sure that you do not do this roughly, instead be calm and gentle so that your crested gecko is not frightened. After that you can now lift the crested gecko and handle him. Make sure that he is very comfortable.
5) Once you are done you can now put the crested gecko back in the cage. This should also be done slowly.
Things to be on the lookout for when handling the crested gecko
Although handling a crested gecko is a really fun and amazing thing do. You need to keep some things in mind when you are handling your crested gecko:
1) Weight and health
The time that you are handling the crested gecko is also the best time that you can look at how healthy your crested gecko is as well as monitor its weight.
2) Falling to the ground
As we mentioned earlier, crested geckos are jumpers and are very active pets. You need to make sure that they do not hurt themselves when they jump from your hands. Make sure to protect them from the hard surface and floor that can easily cause them harm.
3) Loss of Tail
When your Crestie is stressed, there is a high chance that it may lose it tail. Therefore, you need to be on the lookout for signs of stress such as heavy breathing as well as tail wiggling so that you do not suffer the loss of tail for your crested gecko. You should also avoid grabbing the crested gecko by its tail.
4) Pooping
when you are handling your gecko, there is also a very high chance that it will poop on you. You should not put the Crestie back in the terrarium as soon as it does this because it may do it on purpose to avoid being handled.
Conclusion
If you are handling your crested gecko for the first time. You need to wait for 2 to 4 weeks before handling the crested gecko. This is to give the gecko time to adjust to its new home. When the crested gecko is still young, you also need to wait until it is older before you handle it because small crested geckos tend to be very jumpy and active therefore can easily hurt themselves.
