how to tame and handle a leopard gecko

Question
QUESTION: i got a leopard gecko like a month or so ago and it is still young and i want to tame it.it is very healthy and i want it to get used to me it already hissed and bit me already and i understand why butt yeah soo give me some tips and advise please
and another how easily does the tail come off because this is wat i am afraid if i like pressure it and keep trying to handle will the tail come off or how easily does the taill come off
 please answer this qusetion
THANKZ
PCE!!

ANSWER: Hi James, congrats on the new Leopard Gecko. I am sure because he is still young he is still very afraid of you. It took two months for my baby geckos (now almost adults) to get used to me and stop hissing and trying to bite me. It is normal.

Some tips, don't go over head or behind them. They can sense when something is above them (like a bird in the wild) it does scare them. So try to put your hand down in front of him/her maybe 6 inches away flat on the bottom of the tank palm up. Stay still and calm. Make sure stereos, TVs, washers, dryers, heaters, air conditioning, and anything else that makes noise or vibrations are off. Thats the first step just letting him/her get used to your hand in the enclosure. Don't show any fear or nervousness as they can sense it and it scares them. If your nervous they feed off of it. Be calm and collected. After a week or so of that and he is fine with you in the enclosure work on getting closer to him. Be sure he is OK with it, he will still be scared but if he hisses or tries to attack just let him be. It is stressful on him. Remember all noise and vibrations are still off. When picking him up slowly move you palm upward hand toward him while being at his level. You can talk calmly to him if you want. Wait for  him to make the next move. Right at his front feet is where your hands should be. Let him walk all over your hand and do not pick him up yet. Just let him know its safe.

Then when going to pick him up when he is on your hand do not wrap your hand around him, he may jump if he gets scared so keep your other hand somewhere that if he decides to jump you can keep him from getting hurt. Keep him in the tank, in his home but lifting him up maybe 4-5 inches off the bottom. So he knows that he is still safe in his home. Work on this for a couple weeks or until he feels safe and secure in your hand and doesn't try to freak out and go crazy. Eventually this way he will warm up to you. Do not take him out of his home until you know he is ready.

Now with the tail, I have had one of my geckos loose their tail. But that was caused by being housed with a sibling gecko who was a bully. I never found the tail so I am assuming one of them ate it.

This was about 2 weeks after getting them.

But as far as holding, only if you grab at or pull at their tail, which you shouldn't wrap your hands around and constrict them anyway, they get scared. When they feel safe with you and they are not high off the ground it is possible to do so but if they dont like it then you need to stop. But as long as you are not "grabbing" him and just let him stand walk and sit on you the tail will be fine. You can put him on your hand and gently have your thumb above him or gently resting on his back but it might spook him. WHen they feel constricted or not able to move is when they can drop their tail.

I hope I covered everything, any clarification or more questions just let me know.

Best of luck,
Yexalen

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

QUESTION: ok well i did do the first part when u said to put ur hand in there and wait butt how long does my hand got to be in there like 1 - 2 mins or like how long you and when i put my hand in there for the first day it bit me (it didnt hurt it though) butt after it bit me i just left my hand there without moving then it licked me butt then afterwards it just kept ingnoring my hand sooo yea

well thanks anyway u answered my question more then i needed!
PCE!!!!

ANSWER: Hi again, just a few minutes a day until he gets used to it. Its normal for him to ignore it. And licking is definately normal. Its their way of "smelling" and sensing their surroundings. Something new they will lick it to know what it is. That way they can identify it if they come across it at a later time.

So just set it apart from him he will avoid it completely, try to attack, or be curious and slowly come to see what it is. Just a few minutes a day, or every other day. Just so he knows he can be around the hand without it trying to hurt him. He doesnt know that your not a predator yet.

Just long enough for him to investigate and then ignore it. Just to get him used to the idea that hand is friend not something that is going to eat him.

Hope that clears it up a bit.

Good luck,
Yexalen

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

QUESTION: sry i keeep asking these questions is just that i really like my lg and i want it to be tame buttt sooo again i put my hand in there it kept staring at until it cam up to me then put its front hand on my hand and was about to go on top but then it cam back down then sniffed my hand liked it then bit me butt i still stayed calm but then it kept biting me then while it was bitting me it started to swollow really fast while my finger was in its mouth then is shaked reallly fast and backed reallly fast like how it hissed at me last time now wat do i do?


but reallly thank u soooo much

Answer
Hi, don't worry about asking too many questions. This is why I am here.

- You must have gotten a wild gecko, usually the captive ones are a little more calm. But even one of my captive geckos was really agressive (like I said he made my other gecko loose his tail and gave him a nasty scar on his head) Just to let you know when they bite and dont let go it can hurt them if you try to take your finger out of their mouth or try to get them to stop. Easiest is a small CLEAN never before chemical used water spray bottle. just spray him lightly and he should release. if you dont have a spray bottle get a glass of water and flick droplets at him.

Maybe start off with your hand further away. Dont move towards him try not to be nervous. Be sure you clean your hands vefore and after so any smells wont eb there that he may not like. Keep your hand further away from him and just sitting in the opposite side of the cage. If he starts to walk away take it out. Time is the only thing that can help. And obviously it is causing him stress so give it a few days before trying again. Trying to often can make him really stressed which can make him sick. So take it easy and one step at a time.

Good luck,
Yexalen