In this article, we will see why your leopard gecko gets aggressive and what are the various reasons that can make your pet aggressive.
Well, to figure out how to control this behaviour you first need to know what is the cause behind it and why they are acting like that. One of the most common reasons why they behave like this is that they are not used to your presence or it is their breeding time which is creating changes in their behaviour.
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5 Reasons Why Your Leopard Gecko Is Aggressive
Some Reasons for what your pet can get aggressive are listed below. You should go through these and know the cause for your leopard geckos aggressive behaviour.
Your presence is not liked yet
Reading this you might know what can be one of the main reasons for your pets aggressiveness. If you find that on you entering the room there is a defensive behaviour then it is just because of you that it is happening.
We see that some of the leopard geckos are feisty and the majority of these can be easily trained to have good interactions with the owners as well as the others. The leopard geckos ate the reptile which can be handled by the people who do not have a lot of experience. But still, your pet needs time to adjust to the surroundings you have brought it into and along with that, you ought to take care of their sleeping routines.
Now, when you have got a leopard gecko home you have to make efforts to make your presence liked by it and this is to be done slowly. You don’t have to rush for it as it will for sure take time. Some pets might take a week or so but some may even take months.
During the first months or weeks, the only interaction that you should have with your pet is by feeding it or at the time when you clean the tank. So when you are doing so you have to try that they get acquainted with you.
You need to carry this process till you feel that your pet is comfortable with you. Now slowly after some days, you should try placing your hand in the tank. Do not directly keep it at the bottom of the tank, this is because it might even bite you. So just keep it a little up and it will help them get used to your presence.
Also, you do not have to move a lot, this is because it indicates that you are trying to hurt them. Keep your hand still in the tank, by this they will feel relaxed.
Also, let them take their time to go for the next step. If they are used to your presence they will slowly begin licking you. If you find that it is trying to be defensive then it is better to leave it alone.
Dominance
You might notice that your leopard gecko is trying to be aggressive on its tank mate. Then the aggression is not for you and it is out of dominating behaviour of your pet. The Leopard geckos can behave like the territorial creatures.
Try not to keep two or three of them together in the tank. This is because they will not show their dominance on each other and will feel save in their separate tanks or bedding.
Also, if you are noticing this behaviour it means that they are fighting for their territory or the enclosure in which they are living.
Another thing that you should know is that the females showcase this behaviour the same as the males do. Age is not also a factor for it anyone of the geckos can show this behaviour of aggression.
Some of the causes or reasons behind your Leopard gecko being out of control or dominant might be because you have brought a new lizard to the tank.
Or in case you are housing multiple leopard geckos and the mating season has arrived then there is a chance that this is occurring because of it.
You should know that the leopard geckos are a good pet but they can also hurt each other. So in order to prevent the case where your leopard geckos fight with each other, you can shift one of them in the other tank. It is always a better thing for not housing two Leopard geckos in the same tank.
Temperature
If you are finding that your leopard gecko is not showing good behaviour from a lot of days then it might be happening because of the temperature.
Leopard geckos are mostly from the middle east parts so they live in a dry as well as a warm climate. The nights for sure have a lower temperature.
The leopard gecko is having the habit of living in varying temperatures. So it is your duty that you maintain the temperature of the tank according to their requirements. When you do so you have to make sure that the temperatures are of three varying types which involve one warm side, cold side as well as one area for the basking.
So the temperature that the tank should have should include 75-80 degrees F on the cold side whereas on the hot end it should be around 80-85 degrees F. You can use good lights discussed here. Also, the owners need to provide the basking spot which has a little higher temperature.
At the night the Leopard geckos prefer to have a low temperature so you do not require lights for the night. Another thing that you should be aware of is that the leopard geckos, if not provided with the correct temperatures, can grow lethargic. If there are some errors or mistakes in the provisions you make then it can affect the growth of your pet.
Breeding
If you house both the male as well as the female leopard gecko then it is a possibility that they might have mated and it is there breeding period. During this time both of them will show aggressive behaviour.
This time is a sort of competition for both the male as well as female leopard geckos. They become very territorial during this period. You can know about that it is their mating time if they wag their tails, or fight with one another.
This behaviour is noticed in both the males as well as females. They can even injure each other if they are into a fight. So it is better to get an extra tank which you can use in such situations. If they are alone then it is not much of issue.
Hot female
This is the term which is used for female Leopard geckos who are aggressive. There is no description as to why their behaviour is like this.
As per research, it is seen that such behaviours are mostly noticed during incubation.
Female ones also are very territorial as like the males so you need to keep them with a strategy. It is a better option to bring two female leopard geckos in a tank.
This way can help them get more space and also prevent them from fighting. It will save your time as well.
Conclusion
There are a lot of reasons for your pet being aggressive. You just have to look into the matter and check out why it is happening. Only then you can help resolve it
Try to separate the tanks if you have more than one leopard gecko housed, this will help you as well as prevent them from fighting.
Also, get a routine check-up from the vet to ensure the well-being of your pet.
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