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\nCan Your Reptile Bond with You?<\/p>\n
\nCan Your Reptile Bond with You?<\/p>\n
Reptiles are cold-blooded, but does that mean they\u2019re cold-hearted too?<\/p>\n
Experts aren\u2019t exactly sure if reptiles have the ability to bond with humans or not. \u201cUnlike domesticated dogs and cats, reptiles have retained their primitive characteristics,\u201d says Adam Denish, VMD, a veterinarian at Rhawnhurst Animal Hospital in Philadelphia and Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n
Dr. Denish believes reptiles show emotion\u2014but in a limited form. \u201cMost of their life is about basic necessities like drinking, eating, breeding, and surviving,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Two of the most obvious emotions: fear and aggression. For instance, a snake will hiss if she feels threatened and a bearded dragon lizard will puff out his beard and change its color from light brown to black when he\u2019s mad or stressed, explains Dr. Denish.<\/p>\n
Snakes have been known to show excitement and curiosity, too. \u201cAt the zoo,\u201d says Dr. Denish, \u201cwe see snakes that are interested in new forms of enrichment like bedding, housing, or a new scent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some reptiles will also show pleasure at human contact. Iguanas liked to be stroked on the top of the head. Turtles will hurry over toward you if food is being offered.<\/p>\n
Actual love for a human, though? That, says Dr. Denish, is difficult to prove.<\/p>\n
But as long as you feel a connection with your pet, that\u2019s all that matters. The more time you spend nurturing your pet, the better it\u2019ll be for both of you. You\u2019ll be more comfortable around one another, leading to a greater chance that a \u201cbond\u201d will form\u2014whatever that bond may be.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no doubt in my mind that people can create wonderful bonds with reptiles,\u201d says Lorelei Tibbetts, LVT, VTF, a veterinary technician who specializes in exotic pet medicine and is the hospital manager at The Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine in New York City. \u201cIt may not be the same relationship you get with another kind of pet like a dog or cat, but it\u2019s not any less rewarding. It\u2019s just a different bond.\u201d<\/p>\n
People who own reptiles aren\u2019t getting them to snuggle, she explains. But there are other ways to feel as if you are \u201cbonding\u201d with them. Try some of the examples below. Have you ever seen a pet snake be taken out of his enclosure? \u201cHe\u2019ll twist around your arm. It\u2019s like they enjoy your body heat and like being outside, not cooped up in a tank,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Bearded dragons are another species that like to be held. They\u2019re usually fun and interactive, and like sitting on your shoulder, according to Tibbetts.<\/p>\n And many turtles love to have their shells scratched or rubbed, she says. In fact, many turtles will actually push into your hand if you\u2019re petting them. They may also like having their heads or chins stroked.<\/p>\n But remember: Like humans, every pet will have his or her own personality. Make sure you are cautious when handling or caring for your reptile. Be aware of behaviors signaling aggression or fear. Also, wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling your pet reptile. Reptiles can be carriers of Salmonella, a bacteria which can be spread to humans.<\/p>\n 2. Create an interesting habitat. <\/strong><\/p>\n Spend extra time setting up their environment. \u201cA tank with a bowl inside isn\u2019t enough,\u201d says Tibbetts. \u201cYou need to give them things to do\u2014places to hide, places, to climb, things to lean against. Change it up every now and then.\u201d<\/p>\n That way, even if your reptile doesn\u2019t want to be held or handled, \u201cYou\u2019ll enjoy watching them explore their environment and take pride in caring for something beautiful in your home,\u201d says Tibbetts. That\u2019s a special kind of bond in and of itself.<\/p>\n 3. Remove them from their enclosure.<\/strong><\/p>\n You can also take some reptiles outside \u2014 as long as you watch them and make sure they can\u2019t get lose. \u201cMany turtles and tortoises love going outside. They like digging.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Can Your Reptile Bond with You?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pets"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/archive1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49164","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/archive1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/archive1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/archive1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/archive1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49164"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/archive1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49164\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/archive1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49164"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/archive1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49164"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stjindy.com\/archive1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49164"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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\n1. Handle your pet.<\/strong><\/p>\n