Handling juveniles and biting causes

Hello everyone,

I'm hoping I can get some tips on handling juveniles. From everything I've read they are more skittish than the adults, but if/when I start breeding I want to handle them as soon as I can so that they make better pets. I have the understanding that they can't be handled until after the first few feedings. I'm just looking for some tips/tricks. I'm supposing that it starts out the same way as adults, with letting them get used to your hand in the tank first, but after that I'm not sure if I should stroke them for a few visits then slowly begin to pick them up, or what.

Also - on biting. I've been bitten once by each of my leo's, and I'm fairly certain it was due to my own stupidity. With my girl Kalani I just put my hand down into the tank and touched her - she screamed for a short second, which from reading tells me if a fear response, then she bit and released so fast I barely knew what happened. Told her I was sorry, then once she saw it was me I picked her up and we had a lovely time sitting together and watching a movie in the living room. With my male Blaine, I went to work with him right after feeding. He's skittish, but never been aggressive. He bit and released; I'm guessing he thought I was giving him food. I "hand feed" with tweezers to monitor how much they eat. Do both of these theories sound right?

i wait to handle my babies untill after they eat, only to assure they start eating sooner, and that is the only reason. i use vermiculite as an incubation medium, and i usually have to catch them, then rinse them off...so i actually handle them hours or less after they hatch. after that, i dont touch them again if i can help it, untill they are eating consistantly...which only takes a week or two. the thing with handling very small leopards is speed, these little lizards are like lightning ninjas! they are quick! even adults are super fast if they want to be. some will accept handling sooner than others, but they usually tame down within a few weeks. as far as biting, it is nothing to worry about. i have only been bitten by geckos a few times, and it does not hurt...but this is coming from someone used to being bitten by ten foot and larger snakes....but leopard gecko bites are superficial, and probably rarely even draw blood. my only suggestion is to be careful that your babies are settled in and eating. i also reccommend that you have a larger tub under you, incase one gets out of your hands...and they will...and if they do, they are GONE! they are that quick. i was showing my father and mother in laws some babies, and a usually calm white and yellow sunglow just bolted and ran up the side of the tub, jumped out....and was gone!!! fortunately after an hour of moving one of my adult racks, and the baby dropping its tail...i found it in a corner, inside the wall where a water pipe comes into the room! this is a baby valued at almost a thousand dollars, now with a regenerated tail, and that would have been a huge loss for me, i only have four of these right now....and i have been keeping and breeding reptiles for many years...so things will happen. i am very quick, i fought professional mixed martial arts for nine years, and still work out and roll...but that gecko was so fast, i didnt even have time to react! it just takes a confident, and quick hand....but the most important thing is gentleness. these little babies are very fragile, so you have to balance gentleness with quickness and just learning how to handle them. i have learned little tricks that let the babies walk on me, while still kinda holding on to them...the trick is controlling them, while still keeping them relaxed.if they feel they are being grasped, they will panick, and try to get away. this will come with time and experience...just be patient, and gentle, and you will learn how to handle the babies....the babies are so much more rewarding once they get used to handling though, you have time to check out their beautiful colors and watch them change as they grow, up close and in your hands...they change almost overnight sometimes.

I wouldn't recommend stroking, that will freak them out. Remember they are prey creatures, meant to be larger animals dinner. Those bumps on their back are like cat whiskers, very sensitive... even my adult leo doesn't like his back rubbed, but will tolerate his head and belly rubbed a bit but you can see it trips him out a but. Like Rick said, slow gentle non threatening movements will be best. I never did the hand in the tank thing, I would just pick him up, let him sit in my had for a few second so he could lick me then take him out and sit down with him getting him tread across my hands (treading is when you put one hand in front of the other as they walk across them). You really have to think like a prey creature, kinda see it their way. Instinct tells them anything larger than me usually eats me, so it's important to be a non threatening as possible. Sometimes putting a scrap of clothing in the viv like a sock with your scent on it will help them learn your scent isn't a that so when you do start handling you've already established some relationship. Thats how a lot of people tame tegus or monitors

Wow. Thanks for the info! Yeah, the bites weren't painful in the least. When they bit I wasn't even so sure they had teeth! I hesitate to even call it a bite... more like a "toothless" love nip. I'm not afraid at all of being bitten again - if it happens, it happens. I'm more afraid of scaring or stressing them out.

Kermit, the more you tell me the more I can relate them to the hedgehogs. I have to do that for the hogs every time I handle them... always keeping in mind that they are prey animals. I also do that thing with the clothes for them too!

Like you said Rick, I think much of this will just be gaining confidence through experience, but all this knowledge sure does help.

Ack! Before I forget, how often can I handle the juveniles? Or does it depend on how stressed out it makes them?

Personally I've never raised a hatching but I think it would all depend on the individual leo. Some will be more tolerant and less stressed, others will freak at the slightest simulation. I think since it is a conditioning exercise that the more you stick to a regular schedule the better. Remember their natural tenancy is to be most active at dual and dawn so handling after sunset would be more in tune with their natural programming. Also my boy, who was a sub adult when I got him preferred to be handled on a full belly. When he was hungry he was more ansy and agitated. Again relate it to the experience you have with conditioning your hedgies and you'll do fine.

kel is deffinately right about each leopard having a different personallity. most will accept handling if you start slow, building trust...maybe every other day at first. picking it up and letting it walk on you for a few seconds, then let it walk back off your hand into his enclosure. letting it walk off of you, instead of catching it, then putting it back into its cage actually builds its confidence in you...it seems to learn it is "allowed" to move freely, with only minor direction by you. they will actually enjoy being out, and running around on you. after you notice your leopard getting more comfortable, and less 'runny', you can increase the handling length, and frequency

Thanks so much for all the info guys