How to handle little crestie...

[Tigergenesis]

Well I thought I'd give the little one a few days to settle in before even thinking about handling him/her (born 7/8/04). I would appreciate any tips/advice on how often and how to get her used to me and handling without harming her. She's just so tiny I'm pretty nervous/scared to try and handle her. I'm also scared she'll jump off/away from me and I'll lose her or she'll get hurt.

Signed,
Nervous Crestie Mom

[CDN-Cresties]

When handling cresties, I like to do so on a bed so incase the jump its not a hard landing and not too far of a drop. Cresties can be very jumpy, try placing one hand infront of the other and let the crestie crawl from hand to hand. Try 5-10 minutes session once each day. BTW in the Rhac book is says that it is best not to handle baby cresties that have a SVL under 3 inches incase of a jump/fall that can lead to serious injury.

In my experience, it doesnt take much time to calm cresties down, I had one little guy who had some retained shed on the tip of his tail but the problem was he was so jumpy but after 20 minutes of trying to get the shed off with a moist q-tip, he finally settled down and still today is one of my most relaxed gecko. Best of luck

[Tigergenesis]

I just got through reading that about not handling under 3 inches. Maybe I should hold off then?

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Sounds like a plan if it is under 3". I would let it grow to maybe 3 and 1/4", then start handling. Good luck!

C.

[Tigergenesis]

That I will do. Maybe I won't be as nervous then.

Thank you!

[PDDM]

Uh-Oh Mines only 16 days old!I handle it only to give it Food(baby food on the tip of my finger) and put it back,Also after it shed today i wanted to check under its toes to make sure its ok is it ok to be handling it when i feed it babyfood?

PS:It only jumped once but like CND cresties said i do it over my bed while i sit on it.

[CDN-Cresties]

Let your crestie eat the babyfood from a dish just to be safe, resist the urge to handle them

[PDDM]

I already have the dish of baby food but never seen him lick it

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Its probably shy to walk over to it. Just put the spoon or whatever you use in his/her face inside the cage.

C.

[PDDM]

I usualy feed it off my fingure(after i wash it off a few times)But its mostly On the fake Plants..

[Tigergenesis]

I've been feeding my little one from a spoon or my finger (w/o handling) and I also leave some in her bowl (I think she's been eating that too). But, if I do find some pinhead crickets I will have to change her substrate back to paper towels - which means she's gotta come out of the cage. How do I pick her up to move her to a temp container while I make the switch?

[CDN-Cresties]

Its okay to briefy hold them in your hand while you transfer them to a different temp container.

[Tigergenesis]

Do I just let her get onto my hand, nudge her on my hand, pick her up from the sides, etc?

[HeatherRose]

You mean 'literally' how to pick them up?

I just nudge them onto mu hand, or put a finger or two under their chin and they just climb on...

As for feeding, just leave some babyfood in the enclosure...I use plastic bottle caps from diet coke bottles... You can also try Crested Gecko Diet, I had my hatchlings eating it out of a bottle cap in their enclosure at just a few weeks old...

Good luck

[PDDM]

im trying that too,its too hard to tell if S/he ate from it though,when i want to get it on my hand to feed it i usualy try to pet its back with my opposite hand,and since they jump it usualy jumps onto my hand,its pretty calm when i feed it from my fingure,(i feed it with my fingure not a spoon because im kinda shakey lol) when its done though it runs all the way up my arm...i dont want to hurt it so i usualy shove my arm in the tank so it gets off