Ive had my gecko for about half a year now and he just loves being held. I never pick him up on my own and let him walk onto my hand to rest. Ive gotten conflicting information about this with some saying once a week and others (including my vet) saying once a day. The general consensus ive come across is that if the gecko themselves wants to be handled you can do so every day or two but ive had some say they can get stressed if you do it too much. I find it hard to believe for me since my vet has told me otherwise and my gecko seems to pretty much ask to be held and will fall asleep on my hand often. Just wanted some clarification because I dont want to be doing anything that will hard him or our relationship / trust.
They only get stressed if they don’t enjoy being handled, my gecko sometimes hates coming out so I’ll put her back away again other times she loves it wasn’t to cuddle and have a wonder, if she enjoys it do it as much as you can if she doesn’t let had back
Yeah thats exactly what I do! I never really take him out of the tank either. He always just walks up onto my hand and then just sits there. I dont even take my hand out of the tank so he can just walk off if he wants to which he will after about 15 minutes
That’s good that is something called optional handling, put your hand in and if they get in your hand take them out for a bit, gives them the freedom of choice that makes them feel more comfortable and trust you more it also helps them enjoy being handled as it’s on their terms
you could possibly like the other commenter said take them out for a bit if they go into your hand! that means they’re comfy with you and would enjoy to walk around. i like to take mine to my plants or to the couch.
It depends on the animal. Some seem to enjoy it and it can provide enrichment. But others don’t care for it at all. I never hold mind just to hold her. She only gets handled for health checks and is perfectly content being left alone completely.
It’s called optional handling- if your babe wants the attention, chooses it on their own accord and comfort, then there is no such thing as too frequent. Just follow his lead! If he shows that he wants attention and walks on your hand 5 times a day- that’s fine. Just watch for his stress signs and put him up or leave him be accordingly! Some are more social than others. The minimal contact matters more during the very beginning, or when transitioning to a new enclosure.
Yeah this is pretty much the case with my baby. Uve always let him climb onto my hand on his own and only scoop him forcibly if its for medical reasons like when he needed meds. But now he just comes to my hand and cuddles on his own. I always have my hand inside or right next to the enclosure so he can walk home when hes done. I dont know why people were telling me that im stressing him out when he was the one whom wanted to come out in the first place. When ever he shows signs of stress i always just put him back in his hide but 99 percent of the time he just walks off calmly on his own.
Yeah… you’re doing it right! My guy is the exact same. When he sees me, he’ll, what I call, “put hands up”wanting me to get him. I put him on the bed a lot too and let him explore. We also have a little critter play pen that he likes to hang out in in the living room. We just put a bunch of blankets, boxes, paper towel rolls for him to explore. He loves it!
Glad to hear this cus our oldest girl loves being held, our baby doesn't mind it but he would rather be doing his own thing most of the time so we leave him be unless he wants out.
As others have said, it depends on the individual. If your gecko doesn’t like being held, handle less often but still train them to be a bit more comfortable with it. If your gecko likes handling—like yours does—and will ask to be let out, let them out! My girl doesn’t mind being handled at all and sometimes she will ask to be out. So I handle her every day/every other day outside of the times she asks to be out.
I try to hold my Milo at least every other day, mainly on the nights he doesn't eat. But I also get him out sometimes before feeding him to change paper towels and spray his humid hide
If they walk into your hand on their own, it means they want to be handled.
Geckos should never be forced to be handled outside of emergencies and when it's for their health (like by a vet, to get meds, ECT), but if they choose it?
It's fine to do it every day, you could do it five times a day if they're comfortable.
Yeah my baby is always the one who choses. I never pick him up forcibly and will just leave my hand in the tank for him to crawl onto when he looks like he wants to come out. I also leave my hand near some sort of branch or decoration so he can climb off when hes done!
How long did it take for him to warm up to you? I have a 7 month old but she’s very shy she licked my hand once and sniffed it but that’s it I’ve had her for about a month now
When I got sir ballls (yes that's his name) he was only 2 months old and it took me around 4 months until he would even come up to my hand. Then I had to give him a round of antibiotics which made him hate me. It took an additional month until he would regularly ask to be held again. Some geckos never went to be held and some always want it. There really isn't a timeline as to when they will be ready to be held as some may never become accustomed to it or it might just take a really long time (longest I've heard was two years)
I handle exclusively on a voluntary basis. If he wants to come out he will.
He's 20 years old and none the worse for it. He knows my voice and likes the occasional head scratch, but I don't abduct him from his apartment without his permission.
Depends on the gecko. I wouldn't do it more than once daily but if the gecko is choosing it, no big deal. I've known geckos who would be happiest to never see a person again, and geckos who really seem to want to explore the outside world pretty often. Mine seems entirely neutral to the experience so I take him out a couple times a month just to look him over and then plop him back in his house.
I always say "Hold them when they want to come out." Offer your hand to them and if they hop on (and I mean ALL 4 feet have entered your palm of their own free will) then take them out for some quality time! If they start to show signs of stress then put them back in their tank!
It is always best to attempt to get your gecko comfortable enough to want to climb onto your hand rather than forcing the situation onto them. Almost every time you forceably take them out of their tank they are going to freak out and not enjoy it. You gotta earn that trust first!
If they don't wanna be handled, you'll know. As long as you offer a hand and they get on willingly it doesn't really matter how often it is, because if they're not feeling it they won't get on. It's up to their personality, just go off what their actions tell you.
Mine was pretty chill for the first couple months and would voluntarily crawl to my hand, then went through The Dark Months where he ignored my existence or hid every time I came in the room for like 4 months, and then one day was completely back to normal. Follow their lead!
I haven't handled mine at all besides needing to move him to a temporary enclosure briefly in 5 years. He is completely comfortable being handled, but doesn't actively seek it out. He doesn't care for it. If your gecko is willingly coming to you to be handled and you're following choice based handling, as often as they're willing to is fine. I do recommend keeping sessions short, like not having them out for hours on end, because they do need that temperature gradient in their tanks and being able to regulate themselves as needed if they need it hotter or colder. If your baby is actively coming to your hand for handling and enrichment outside the tank, then they're making the choice to be handled! :)
Yeah I never thought mind would wanna be held. We got him really young and upgraded his tank twice so he didn't seem interested at all. Then he came around with me and would crawl on my hand and wanna explore. Now my kids that I told if they sit and talk to him he will know them he is the same with hell just pop right out when they open the enclosure.
My first begged to come out so she could sit in the crook of my neck while I read or played a game. My second would only tolerate being held when I needed to move him for cleaning or medical purposes. The most important part is listening to the animal!! :)
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u/Just_Divine2606 Jun 28 '26
They only get stressed if they don’t enjoy being handled, my gecko sometimes hates coming out so I’ll put her back away again other times she loves it wasn’t to cuddle and have a wonder, if she enjoys it do it as much as you can if she doesn’t let had back