Do Crested Geckos Like To Be Held? (7 Clear Facts)

People often express interest in knowing whether crested geckos like to be held. In this article, you will find information on whether these geckos like to be held, and if they do, how you should go about handling them.

Do crested geckos like to be held? Being held is not something that most crested geckos really like by default. But if you take time to bond well with yours, it may eventually come to like – or at least to tolerate – you holding it.

It is worth remembering that crested geckos are reptiles. And most reptiles don’t really appreciate people holding them. So this is not something that is unique to these geckos.

Cresties have more docile personalities than most other pet lizards. This is what makes it possible for them to eventually get to a point of accepting, and maybe even somewhat liking, people holding them.

The most important thing, when it comes to holding these geckos, is to ensure that you do it in the right manner and at the right time. This way, you can avoid distressing the lizard.

Can You Hold A Crested Gecko?

Before venturing to explore the do crested geckos like to be held question at greater length, we need to find out whether, in the first place, you can hold a crested gecko.

The truth of the matter is that it is possible to hold a crested gecko. It is something that many owners of these geckos do. So it is something you can do.

If you hold the gecko in the right manner, the handling won’t cause it any harm. Neither will it cause you any harm. Therefore it is something you can safely do.

But before you can attempt holding the gecko, you need to ensure that there is a bond of trust. There should be some sort of bond between you and it. You need to ensure that it trusts you.

If you attempt to hold it before there is any bond between you and it, it will most probably experience intense fright. Then it may get into fight or flight mode.

If it opts to ‘fight’, it may bite you. And whereas its bite isn’t particularly nasty, it will still cause you some modest pain.

But if it opts to ‘flee’, it may end up jumping from wherever you are trying to hold it. Then it may sustain bad injuries.

Moreover, in flight mode, it may decide to drop its tail. This will leave it with a wound which has potential for infection.

All in all, you can hold a crested gecko. You just need to ensure that it really feels secure, before you attempt holding it.

With this background information, we can now proceed to explore the do crested geckos like to be held question.

Do Crested Geckos Like To Be Held?

By default, these geckos don’t really like people holding them. But if you patiently create a bond of trust between you and the gecko, it may eventually get to a point where it comes to like you holding it.

This leads to the question, how can you bond with a crested gecko? And one way is simply by being around the gecko’s tank frequently. This way, it comes to know and recognize your scent.

Another way is by ensuring that you remain its primary caregiver. So you provide it with food, water and other things it needs. Over time, it comes to view you in positive light. So it comes to bond with you in that way.

Once there is some bond between you and the gecko, and it seems to trust you, you can attempt holding it.

This shouldn’t be by way of grabbing the lizard though. Rather, it should be by way of holding your hand to it, while nudging it with the other hand to move onto the hand you are holding out.

If the gecko likes the idea of you holding it, it will walk onto the hand you are holding out. So it will effectively climb onto that hand.

If the gecko doesn’t like the idea of you holding it, it will flee from the hand you are holding out.

All in all, the key thing to understand is that crested geckos, being reptiles, don’t really like people holding them. That is by default.

But if you bond well enough with yours, it may eventually get to a point where it likes you holding it.

Which Types Of Crested Geckos Like To Be Held?

In answering the do crested geckos like to be held question, we need to understand that there are nuances.

All these geckos are not alike. Some of them may be more tolerant of handling than others.

For instance, if you pose the do eyelash crested geckos like to be held question, the answer you get may be different than the one you get for, say, a harlequin crested gecko.

The patternless, flame and pinstripe cresties may like (or at least tolerate) handling, if there is proper bonding beforehand.

But the basic fact is that most of the geckos won’t appreciate you holding them. That is unless there is some sort of bond of trust between you and them.

Do crested geckos like being petted?

In other words, do crested geckos like to be stroked?

And the answer is that, by default, these geckos don’t like people petting them. But if you bond well enough with yours, it may get to a point where it comes to like you petting it.

Even then, you need to understand that this is a reptile. It is not an animal you can pet in the same way as a dog or a cat.

Even if it seems to like you petting it, you should still do it with moderation. If you pet the lizard too much, you are likely to end up stressing it out.

On the whole, these are the sorts of creatures that appreciate it most if you just leave them alone.

So if you have to do any holding or petting, it needs to be with great moderation.

Remember, these are the sorts of creatures that don’t even appreciate each other’s company: unless it is for mating purposes.

For instance, if you research on can eyelash crested geckos live together, you will find that the answer is mostly ‘no’.

So this means that they don’t appreciate each other’s company. Now you can imagine, if they don’t appreciate each other’s company, how well do you expect them to appreciate human company?

So it is best to just leave these geckos alone. If you must handle them, do it only once in  a while, and for short durations of time.

But this may then lead to another question: are eyelash crested geckos good pets, if holding/petting them is a problem?

And the answer is that they do have their advantages, as pets, in spite of the challenges we may have in holding/petting them.

How Often Should You Hold A Crested Gecko?

Quite often, alongside the do crested geckos like to be held question comes this one: on how often you should hold a crested gecko.

So, indeed, how often should you handle your crested gecko?

The answer is that you can handle the gecko on a daily basis. Or you can handle it every other day.

Much depends on what mood it seems to be in. If it seems to be in a foul mood, and it won’t climb onto your hand when you hold it out, it is best to just leave it alone.

Much also depends on how long you have been with the crested gecko. If it is a very new gecko, you should avoid handling it at all. That is at least for the first one or two weeks.

Thereafter, you can be handling it like twice a week, as you keep on bonding with it.

Eventually, once it fully trusts you, you can be holding it like daily or every other day. That is with the exception of when it is shedding or when it is gravid (if it is a female) – at which points you should avoid handling it at all.

How Long Can You Hold A Crested Gecko?

Quite frequently, the people who pose the do crested geckos like to be held question also pose this one – on how long you can hold a crested gecko.

Most experts are of the view that initially, you should only be handling them for 5 minutes or so.

You can then gradually increase that to 20-30 minutes per handling session.

Avoid ever going beyond 30 minutes.

Do Crested Geckos Know Their Owners?

In answering the do crested geckos like to be held question, we said that they typically only come to like/tolerate being held once you bond with them.

This leads to other interesting questions – like, can crested geckos recognize their owners, do crested geckos love their owners and do crested geckos get attached to their owners?

The truth of the matter is that these geckos do eventually come to know their owners. For instance, if you hang around their tank for long enough, they come to recognize your scent.

And if you are the one who takes care of their needs – like food, water and so on – an attachment may grow between you and them.

How Long Should I Wait To Hold My Crested Gecko?

This is yet another of the questions that typically accompany the do crested geckos like to be held one.

Ideally, upon getting a new crestie, you should wait for at least 1-2 weeks, before making any attempt to start handling it.

When Should You Hold A Crested Gecko?

It should be, firstly, when there is some bond of trust between you and the gecko. That is, when it comes towards your open hand, rather than fleeing from it.

It should also be at night. Not during the day, when the gecko is resting: this being a nocturnal or crepuscular lizard.

And it shouldn’t be when the gecko is shedding or gravid (for females).

Final Verdict – Do Crested Geckos Like To Be Held

By default, crested geckos don’t really like to be held. But if you bond well enough with yours, it may soon get to a point where it likes (or at least can tolerate) you holding it.

Even then, you should avoid handling/getting the gecko out of its tank for too long. You should certainly avoid having it out of its tank for more than 30 minutes.

And in every instance, you should check its body language, to see whether it is in a mood where you can hold it or not.

If it is not in a mood where it will appreciate you holding it, or if it is shedding or gravid (for females), it is best to just leave it alone.

As a pet lover, make sure to learn about pet more and give your pet geckos a good and comfortable life!

Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️