Leopard geckos are one of the most popular types or reptiles to keep as a pet. They are very beginner friendly and to be honest quite easy to look after and this makes them one of the first choices. So, do leopard geckos move fast?
If you are thinking about getting yourself a leopard gecko as a pet you will no doubt have lots of questions. One of them questions may be,
“Do leopard geckos move fast?”
After all you could be worried that your new pet is too fast to handle for you or your children. Make sure you take good care of them in the first place.
Well in this post I am going to be letting you know how quick leopard geckos really are.
Do leopard geckos move fast?
First off I want to give you the quick answer to the question, after all it is what you came here for.
For their size Leopard Geckos are really fast at moving. This is because in the wild one of the main ways that they avoid predators is by reacting quickly and getting out of the way of trouble. They will only waste energy by moving fast if they feel directly threatened or scared.
Although leopard geckos are fast at running you should not worry too much as a pet owner. There are some simple steps that you can follow which will stop your Leo from feeling as though it needs to run, I will get into those further into the article so stick around for that.
Do leopard geckos move fast?
How fast can a leopard gecko run?
Whilst as far as I can tell no one has actually found out the true speed of a leopard gecko.
However it is estimated that leopard geckos can run at between 5-10 kph which isn’t particularly fast. Coupled up with their small size though it can make them hard to handle if they do decide to run.
How to stop a leopard gecko from running.
A leopard gecko will only move fast and try to run away if it feels threatened or in danger.
To stop this from happening there are ways that you can handle your Leo to keep it happy and stress free.
One of the main reasons why a leopard gecko will run is because it has been spooked when you try to pick it up.
Another reason could be that you catch your Leo at feeding time whilst it is feasting on live crickets. They can move extremely fast when they are trying to catch their dinner!
How to stop a leopard gecko from being scared.
To stop your leopard gecko from running due to shock or fear you need to handle it correctly when trying to remove it from its terrarium.
The best way to do this is to slowly place your hand palm up next to where your Leo is. Make sure to give it plenty of time to assess that it is you approaching and that you are not a threat.
You should now be able to ease your leopard gecko onto your open palm by using your spare hand.
One tip is to never grab a Leo from above as this is how a predator would attack it. Grabbing from above will almost certainly cause your gecko to take off at high speed or even give you a quick bite!
A video of a running leopard gecko.
Below is a quick video from YouTube that shows a leopard gecko running around its owners home
Conclusion.
Do leopard geckos move fast? Leopard geckos make for an awesome pet it you would like to get into reptile keeping.
They are really easy to care for and gave amazing personalities. Yes, they can be fast at moving and difficult to hold onto but with a little time, patience and training you will find your pet leopard gecko will stop running from you.
