I think my leo likes me

[e_cupcake26]

:main_yes: Hi Everyone,

I know that reptiles aren't like cats or dogs or birds when it comes to emotions, but I think my leo Arabesque likes me. Everytime he wants to come out of his tank he looks at me and open and closes his mouth like he's smacking. I always look at him and talk to him before I take him out. So now it looks like he's imititating me with his mouth. Then he always goes to the same rock when he's ready to come out. I've had him for about a month now and lately he's been wanting to stay out longer. He never tries to escape or get down. He's content to crawl around on me. If they are capable of having preferences, I think he prefers me! :main_yes:

 

[Pepper]

I agree, my little baby already recognizes me as a non predator and will gladly let me pick him up and he just chills on my hand, I'm looking forward to a calm adult

 

[laurlaur12]

Newton, my leo is just starting to "like" me. or at least not hate me. haha. congrats on making a new friend!

 

[Haligren]

He may be smacking his mouth because he's drooling. He's probably associating you with food too. Don't forget that.

But even though leos don't have "emotions" or whatever like mammals - atleast from what I can tell - I'm pretty sure they have preferences and likes and dislikes. I'm the only one that can pick up Tiamat. She gets frightened if someone else tries to. The only other person she's taken to is my husband (crawled onto his shoulder from the back of the couch while he was playing video games. Freaked him right out. XD) And I think the only reason she's okay with him is that she's probably smelled him on me a few times.

 

[Gregg M]

Sorry but I dont think any of this has to do with leos liking their owners... You even all said it yourself... They do not like humans or seek,crave/need out attention or interaction... However, by nature they do need and seek out heat... Basically your hands are heated landscape... It is perfectly normal for pet owners to humanize their pets... In my opinion, it is not a bad thing... Humanizing pets usually goes hand in hand with optimal care... But it should still be in the back of your heads that if given the chance, your leo would run as far from you as it could get...

 

[Lacedolphin]

I disagree with that.... alot. Seeing how they react to you or not does not mean we are humanizing them, I just means they are reacting or not reacting to something we do. Why is it so far fetched that they would figure out a way to communicate with us or at least try to on thier level?

I got into a conversation about this in chat a couple days ago. I was told there is no way Amara knows her name. I know I have repeated it over and over to her and now when I open the tank and say her name she reacts by popping her head out of the hide. Do I think she understands english? no. Do I think she is reacting to my voice? yes. It is called conditioning. All animals from goldfish to monkeys can be taught how to react to something with posative reinforcement.

If I'm crazy, OK...I'll live in my fantasy world where animals even though they can't speak english learn to communicate thier needs or wants in ways they are able to.

I'll get off my soap box and shut up now.

 

[LeapinLizards]

I agree 100% that they definitely know the sound of our voices...there is no doubt in my mind about that. Honestly though, that is where it ends. You could call your gecko "Pizza" and it would react to the sound, not the name.

A geckos brain is wired for the basics...to eat, breed, survive, etc. It is not capable of complex emotions. It may not FEAR you, due to it being handled often and therefore realizing your hand is not a predator, but it is definitely not like a puppy that comes when it's called, and interaction with it's owner.

As far as a gecko preferring someone over another, my geckos definitely prefer myself over my husband, again I think that is something to do with sound...he obviously has a MUCH deeper voice than mine (at least I'd hope so!). My geckos are used to me talking to them on a daily basis, and he is not around them nearly as often.

 

[Retribution Reptiles]

Didn't we have this conversation Heather? lol. But i do agree that it's more of a tonal situation. Geckos still do have 5 senses. They use all 5 when associating to fear or not to fear.

I can shake my crix container over the tank and all my geckos know that sound, it means food.

 

[LeapinLizards]

Yes we did Ryan

Mine definitely know the sound of "shakin and bakin" too....

 

[Bodon]

I think they can tell people or things apart, i know when mine sees my dog walk past she reacts very differently than when i do. And when she does see me she often climbs at the side of the tank trying to climb out, she doesnt do this when she doesnt see me.

 

[Gregg M]

Conditioning and learning, although similar are also different... Like I said, they do not need or even want our attention... The only thing they need from us, not known on their end, is the provisions we offer them to keep the thriving in captivity like heat, food, water, and a clean environment... They are not pack animals and contrary to what some think, they are not even social in any way...

I love my leos as much as anyone but I know if I took any one of mine and put them down in a rocky outcrop in the middle east, I would never see it again no matter how many times I called its name... LOL

Our leos do not like us... They are conditioned to tolarate us because they do not have any other choice in the matter...

 

[Haligren]

I dunno about that. I think that after being conditioned that you = food, if you were to let one go it MIGHT show up thinking that it could get free handouts. That is, if it happens to be in range of your voice.

It's farfetched considering the statistics but I believe it's possible.

 

[Gregg M]

I dunno about that. I think that after being conditioned that you = food, if you were to let one go it MIGHT show up thinking that it could get free handouts. That is, if it happens to be in range of your voice.

It's farfetched considering the statistics but I believe it's possible.

Ahhh, who knows... I can even be wrong at times... Maybe.... LOL:main_thumbsup:

The thing is in the wild, insect prey is very abundant so it is a constant free hand out...

 

[nats]

My 3 leos are all very friendly, when they are hungry, they love me!
They dont want anything to do with being picked up though.
Indie will let me pick him up for a few seconds, Newpy and
Slinky will both run and hide!! :main_huh:
They arent the least bit affraid of me, and they lick my fingers
all the time, they just do not want to be picked up!