cant handle gecko

Question
i bought a leopard gecko a couple of months ago it was about 5 months old i was told. it still had its purple banding. now it is almost all yellow with spots. about 6 inches long and getting quite fat. i hope this gives you and idea about the age. it seems quite healthy, but it is very timid. i have tried to handle it but it hisses and bites until you put it down. now matter how gentle i am. what can i do to tame it some, or should i wait until it is older and more calm?

Answer
Hi Ashley, As a general rule leopards tolerate handling quite well but there are some individuals that just never really adjust to it. From your description it sounds like its at the age where it should start naturally calming down somewhat. You may just need to be gentle but persistent and not react to the hissing and bite attempts by putting him down immediately. Essentially not rewarding and reinforcing the hissing behaviour. This is similar to the approach used to tame young iguanas. If you try to approach him from the side rather then from directly above it is less likely to trigger his instintive fear of predators. Also, when you are holding him try to keep your hand flat. Even reptiles that tolerate handling usually don't react well to being grasped or feeling trapped or confined. You may want to try this close to a surface in case he falls. Try letting him walk from hand to hand. If he has a favourite food, like waxworms you might also try offering one to him by hand or while he is in  your hand. Try to have slow and steady movements around him that don't resemble a predator swooping in from above.
Handling is really not natural for any reptile, although some tolerate it. If you don't notice some improvement in a month or so I wouldn't keep subjecting him to the stress. You may just have to accept that he is more of a display pet. Good luck!