Crested geckos are naturally shy and timid animals that tend to hide when they feel threatened, stressed, or uncomfortable.
They may also hide when they are shedding, digesting, or resting.
However, hiding too much or for too long can indicate that your crested gecko is unhappy, unhealthy, or bored.
If you want to lure your crested gecko out of hiding and make it more sociable and friendly, you need to understand and respect its needs and feelings.
Thanks, I know! But just tell me, How do I get my Gecko to come out of Hiding?
The very first step to luring your crested gecko out of hiding is to provide it with a suitable enclosure that meets its physical and psychological needs.
A comfortable and secure environment will help your crested gecko feel more relaxed and confident, encouraging it to explore and show its natural behavior.
Well, here’s what you need to do:
- They mostly like tempting treats: Place a small dish of your gecko’s favorite food near the entrance of its hiding spot. They love fruit-based baby food, mashed fruit, and small insects like crickets and mealworms.
- Be patient: Don’t try to force your gecko out of its hiding place. This can be stressful for them and may even cause them to drop their tail. Just relax, be patient, and let them come out on their terms.
- Think out of the box: Turn the temperature down a few degrees and put a heating lamp, heating pad, or another moderately warm heating mechanism where you think the gecko can come. Close the door and wait a few hours.
- Let him feel secure: Sometimes, geckos feel more secure with multiple hiding options. Try adding some fake plants, branches, or cork bark to their enclosure to give them more places to feel safe.
That’s it…
He is still hiding 🙂
OK, though hiding is a normal behavior for them, sometimes it can indicate stress, illness, or environmental problems.
So the following might be the reasons:
Maybe you have just brought your gecko home, so it needs some time to adjust to its new environment and get used to you.
You have got a female gecko. In general, female crested geckos hide more often when she is ovulating or about to lay eggs. This is a natural process!
It may have felt threatened or stressed by something in its environment, such as loud noises, bright lights, vibrations, predators, or other geckos.
Or maybe he is sick or injured.