Many baby and juvenile leopard geckos can be moody and skittish, resulting in bites. However, it can also be an adult leopard gecko who bit you. While leopard gecko bites are not very serious, they make both you and your gecko uncomfortable. In this post, we will discuss common reasons why leopard geckos bite and how to prevent leopard gecko bites.
Do leopard geckos bite?
Yes, leopard geckos can bite, and babies are more likely to bite you than adults. Some of the reasons for biting include aggressiveness, mistaking your hand for food and being scared or annoyed.
How painful is a leopard gecko bite?
Leopard gecko bites should not hurt much. Baby leopard gecko bites don’t hurt at all. Even adult leopard geckos don’t have big teeth, so a bite is not likely to draw any blood. Leopard gecko bite will feel like a pinch.
Leopard gecko bite drew blood?
The best way to disinfect a small leopard gecko bite that drew blood is to wash your hands with soap and disinfect the wound with hydrogen peroxide, cleaning alcohol or antibiotic ointment. Cover with a plaster to prevent infection.
How to stop a leopard gecko from biting you?
To stop your leopard gecko from biting you, you need to understand why it is doing it in the first place. What are the potential causes of biting? Below you will find a list of possible causes and prevention for leopard gecko bites.
Tip number 1: Don’t handle your new leopard gecko
The truth is, your new leopard gecko will be scared when you bring it home. You should not handle your new leopard gecko for at least 3 weeks after bringing it home. Instead, you need to only give it food and water in the bowls and clean its tank for the first two weeks.
During the third week, you can start hand feeding your leopard gecko. If your leopard gecko is comfortable at this stage, then you can start handling sessions.
But handling not when you pick up your leopard gecko – it has to come on your open palm. Only after a month or more, you can start slowly picking up your leopard gecko, but be very gentle, quiet and slow.
Another reason why you shouldn’t handle your new leopard gecko is because it can get very stressed and drop its tail.
This applies especially for babies, and it is a good idea to keep handling at a minimum for the first 3-4 months (or until it grows 5-6 inches long). Babies tend to be very feisty, moody and stressed, it can result in tail drop.
Both young and older leopard geckos might be moody when you bring them home, and some will never love handling much. Leopard geckos don’t truly enjoy handling – they tolerate it if you tame them. Read a post on taming leopard gecko here.
Tip number 2: Don’t handle your leopard gecko when it’s giving you the signs
Your leopard gecko might not be comfortable with you handling it, and it will give you the signs. If your leopard gecko is hissing, screaming and wagging its tail from side to side quickly (or if the tail is up), it means to leave it alone.
Don’t handle your leopard gecko at this point to prevent bites and trust loss. Back off and watch your leopard gecko. If it calms down, try to approach slowly one more time. But if it screams again, it is better to leave it alone.
This often happens when your leopard gecko is not tame and is not used to handling. Leopard geckos often wag their tail and move their shoulders from side to side to escape, and biting is often the last thing they do. But force handling will break the trust.
Learn how to tame your aggressive leopard gecko in this post.
Tip number 3: Don’t scare your leopard gecko, or it will bite you
If you approach your leopard gecko’s tank suddenly and reach your hand to handle a leo, it will become stressed. You must approach your leopard gecko’s tank slowly, making sure it can see you first. Use your soft voice, so it can both see and hear you.
When reaching for your leopard gecko, never do it from above, as they see it as a threat. You must only place your hand from the far side or front, moving in slowly. What is more, never make any sudden or jerky movements, as this will scare your leopard gecko and it can bite you.
Tip number 4: Keep holding your leopard gecko when it’s biting you
If your leopard gecko suddenly bites you when you are handling it, don’t drop your leopard gecko, scream or put it back in the tank. If you push your leopard gecko or drop it after it bites you, it will be very stressful your leopard gecko and it can lose its tail.
If you put your leopard gecko back in the tank straight away, it will think that this is the way to make you leave it alone. When your leopard gecko gets used to that, it will always bite you when you are handling it.
Instead, keep holding your leopard gecko and don’t move if it bites you. There is a big chance that the bite will not hurt at all.
Tip number 5: Be careful when hand feeding your leopard gecko
When hand feeding your leopard gecko, it can mistaken your finger for food and bite it. This is especially true when your leopard gecko is hunting for food, and you stick your fingers in the tank.
Leopard geckos don’t do this on purpose, and if you are fine with small bites, then it should not cause any problems. If you don’t want any bites, present your leopard gecko’s food in the bowl or use tongs, such as these.
Be careful when using tongs because your leopard gecko might bite them too, so keep the prey at the tip. If you use tongs more often, your leopard gecko will associate them with food, rather than your fingers.
Tip number 6: Be careful when your leopard gecko is shedding
When leopard geckos are shedding, they might become moody and mistaken your finger for the skin.
So when your leopard gecko is shedding and pulling its skin, don’t try to reach for your leopard gecko. When pulling the skin, leopard geckos use more force so this bite might hurt a little.
Summary:
To sum it up, leopard geckos don’t often bite their owners. Leopard gecko bites are often accidental, or due to stress. Anyways, your leopard gecko bites should not hurt much or at all, so make sure not to throw your gecko if bitten.
If you think that your leopard gecko is not tame, read this post on taming a leopard gecko.