How do you tell if your gecko is "content" with their life?

[samthebigkid]

just curious

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I honestly do not think that geckos have real 'emotions'... like happiness or love. Yes, they feel contentment, but it is expressed by their willingness to eat, grow, thrive, and reproduce.

I often look at all my geckos living their lives in plastic tubs and wonder if I am doing right by them. Sometimes my heart aches with guilt for keeping them the way I do, and ask myself the same question... "Are they content?"

I guess I can answer that by asking another question... "Why does a caged bird sing?"

 

[runko]

the main thing every living organism needs

food
water
reproduction

if they are met there fine

 

[jaredm3624]

the main thing every living organism needs

food
water
reproduction

if they are met there fine

agreed.

 

[shadowx362]

they are happy if:
. they poop
. have food
. water
. warmth
. house
. and a clean house
Like most animals they live to eat and so if they are fed they are most likely happy.

 

[Untide]

If one day you find your gecko hanging from a tiny rope then you know they weren't happy..

Most creatures will die if 'unhappy'

I noticed you live in Michigan, where at?

 

[MSMD]

Marcia, I sometimes have the same feelings since expanding my collection and having the vast majority of them in tubs in racks rather than aquarium/terrariums in more naturalistic setups.

Then I see how fat and healthy they are. How willing to eat and reproduce they are. These are obviously animals that are not stressed. I would definitely call them content.

(this is OT, but....wow! Lots of Michigan people lately! I was feeling like such a minority for so long! It's great to see more people on here that are close by! I am in Traverse City. )

 

[samthebigkid]

I'm currently in Adrian for college, but Trenton is where I'm from (for all you Michiganders out there)

 

[nats]

I think leos owned by us forum members are very lucky and content indeed :main_yes:

Why? Because we love them.

 

[Untide]

They don't know the difference anyways. Most are captive bred, and have lived in generally the same conditions for all their lives. To them their living conditions are natural.

 

[nats]

They don't know the difference anyways. Most are captive bred, and have lived in generally the same conditions for all their lives. To them their living conditions are natural.

Yes they are all captive bread.
But they do have certain requirments to make them healthy (and happy).
Once they leave the breeder, it's up to the owner to meet those requirments. Not everyone does, and in those cases, their living conditions would not be natural to them, and they would not be content.

 

[rubym]

Mine are all fat and healthy so I think that they are "content". I try and make their aquariums as natural for them as I can. No one has complained ......yet,lol.

 

[nats]

Mine are all fat and healthy so I think that they are "content". I try and make their aquariums as natural for them as I can. No one has complained ......yet,lol.

Yep, I think you are 100% correct :main_yes:

Plump + mellow + bright-eyed + inquisitive = CONTENT