Leo Gecko training

Question
QUESTION: Hi,
I bought a Leo gecko about 4 months ago now and I think it is roughly 5-6
months old. It is well behaved and loves to be handled. How smart are Leo
geckos      as in teaching simple tricks and comands such as ( stay, come,
and I'm even thinking about basic touch the stick and maybe in the future
being able to tell the differance between two colors or sizes) would it be able
to do these.  I'm just wondering as a fun little exparament not to torture the
animal.  I would never harm or make it do something of is incapable of doing.

Thanks
Crystal

ANSWER: Hello Crystal,

LOL  Well, they are pretty intelligent.  We used to have one who would sit on top of his cave when we walked by his viv, to let us know that he wanted out.  That was how we knew that he wanted out.  
As far as teaching them simple tricks, that, I have never done.  You should try it out to see if you could train him.  That would be a cool experiment.  
I think though, it would take alot of patience.

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for your support.
I have made a constant routeen to begin training of simple stop and come.
What do you think:
10 min per night
Fist = stop
Flat hand palm up = come
Being forceful but not harmful make him stay 5 seconds infront of fist. Hold
out palm and make him walk on on it. Each time he does it(even if force is
needed to help him) he receves 30 seconds to be free. Than continued for
10 minutes. Do this once a day on a constant routeen.

Any sugestions will be great
Anyway to improve my plan?

Thanks alot
Crystal  

Answer
Hello Crystal,

This will most definitely be the most interesting study I have ever seen with leopard geckos!!  :-))
I think that sounds like a good plan. I think you have everything covered.  Are you going to try to potty train him?
Be sure that when you give him  his "free" time, that you have everything blocked off to where he can't run under anything so you don't lose him!  They can be quite fast on the floor!  
I think given time & persistence, he will eventually learn.  You have to be consistent just with any other animal to teach them.  
It is a start.  You absolutely have to let me know how this goes, very interesting.

Tracie