Reptiles Don't Show Emotion

[CallDr]

I will not ague that point. But I do have a true story.

My friend Jack would go down to one of his favorite fishing holes off the Savanna River to fish for bream. One day a 4 ft alligator was in the water sitting on a log watching Jack fish. He was using a small rod and spinning real with bait and bobber. When the bobber would move, Jack would real in the fish and then put the fish in a bucket.

The young alligator just watched and did not move. Jack caught one that swallowed the hook and for what ever reason..... he threw it back in towards his little observer. The youngster, perched on a log, swam and ate the little bream and returned to his perch.

Jack did this 2 or 3 times.

The next day he went back and his little observer was back in the same place. Same thing. Except he noticed that his new little buddy was watching the Bobber as Jack fished. Like the day before he threw 2 or 3 to his observer.

This went on for over a week. Then one day, Jack sat down on the bank and instead of his new little buddy siting on the long. Swam over and sat next to Jack as he fished. Every time the bobber moved the alligator would raise up bobbing it's head, then watching Jack real in the fish and putting them in his bucket. Jack, like before shared his catch with 2 or 3 by pitching them on the bank.

I will not debate the "emotions" of a cold blooded Gecko. I will how ever say that what has captivated a lot of people and owners is their ability to interact with us humans. Ours watch us and even walk towards or back and forth in the cage knowing we are there. Like Jack and his little Wild alligator. Ours meet us with some definite "happy "behavior when it's feeding time. Standing high up on their front legs, bright eyed and bushy tailed..... as they say.

Thats how I started. I put the cricket cage next to the glass so the gecko could see the crickets. She would glare from her hide, watching the crickets moving about. Then I would feed her. This did not take very long where she would come out of her hide and to the glass.

All I do know is that a Leopard Gecko is not just a lizard in a fish tank. They can interact with people in some interesting ways for a cold blooded reptile.:main_yes:

 

[T-ReXx]

I agree that most reptiles learn rather quickly that humans are a convenient source of food, both wild and captive. But, I do want to point something out: your friend Jack is doing something very dangerous. Feeding wild gators gets them habituated to humans and makes them dangerous. Although that gators only 4 feet, one day he will be a big gator and will assume all humans mean food. What will happen is one day he will approach a person who is not Jack and when he doesn't get fed may react violently. This sort of habituation is what causes "problem" gators who are removed and killed because of their danger to people. So, by feeding him, your friend puts the animal at risk as well as possibly other people. Feeding wild animals is a bad idea. Don't want to sound like a jerk, but I just felt the need to point that out.

 

[herpencounter]

I will not ague that point. But I do have a true story.

My friend Jack would go down to one of his favorite fishing holes off the Savanna River to fish for bream. One day a 4 ft alligator was in the water sitting on a log watching Jack fish. He was using a small rod and spinning real with bait and bobber. When the bobber would move, Jack would real in the fish and then put the fish in a bucket.

The young alligator just watched and did not move. Jack caught one that swallowed the hook and for what ever reason..... he threw it back in towards his little observer. The youngster, perched on a log, swam and ate the little bream and returned to his perch.

Jack did this 2 or 3 times.

The next day he went back and his little observer was back in the same place. Same thing. Except he noticed that his new little buddy was watching the Bobber as Jack fished. Like the day before he threw 2 or 3 to his observer.

This went on for over a week. Then one day, Jack sat down on the bank and instead of his new little buddy siting on the long. Swam over and sat next to Jack as he fished. Every time the bobber moved the alligator would raise up bobbing it's head, then watching Jack real in the fish and putting them in his bucket. Jack, like before shared his catch with 2 or 3 by pitching them on the bank.

I will not debate the "emotions" of a cold blooded Gecko. I will how ever say that what has captivated a lot of people and owners is their ability to interact with us humans. Ours watch us and even walk towards or back and forth in the cage knowing we are there. Like Jack and his little Wild alligator. Ours meet us with some definite "happy "behavior when it's feeding time. Standing high up on their front legs, bright eyed and bushy tailed..... as they say.

Thats how I started. I put the cricket cage next to the glass so the gecko could see the crickets. She would glare from her hide, watching the crickets moving about. Then I would feed her. This did not take very long where she would come out of her hide and to the glass.

All I do know is that a Leopard Gecko is not just a lizard in a fish tank. They can interact with people in some interesting ways for a cold blooded reptile.:main_yes:

That has nothing to do with emotion... I like to call stuff like this "good business". :main_laugh:

There is a log in my back yard. At noon the log gets very hot and all the insects like to crawl out of it. There are lizards around that show up at the log around that time and start to eat.

Does this mean the lizards are emotionally attached to the log? Are the lizards happy to see the log? No.

Hey log! Remember that time I saw an insects coming out of your hole... and I came back the next day and more insects came out of the hole! Whoo... Good times... Good times...

Its called intelligence. Some are smarter than others. Some lizards see a clear box and think food. Some see people and think food. Others have even become so smart that they only associate food with certain people (I have seen some of my lizards react differently to me feeding them and other people feed them). I had one lizard that only associated hands with food. I use to put the greens for my bearded dragons on a blue lid. But I did have one lid that was a different shape and color. If I placed the different lid in a cage with the beardeds that only ate off blue lids it would take a few minutes before one of them would go check it out. Once one started to eat the others came and joined. But if I placed the normal blue lid in the cage all of the dragons where over at the food in a matter of seconds...

Its all learned behavior.

I don't see any difference between the lizard that has learned that at the hottest part of the day insects come out of a hole in a dead log, and the lizard that sees a person and thinks food.

So... Its not emotion its just "good business".

Not trying to come off rude when I talk. Its just my brand of humor. Its chocolate flavored!

Oh! I agree with Ted 110% I would tell your friend to quit it lol.

 

[STUTFL]

They say not to feed whitetail deer because they might get brave and gore you ... I'd definitely be cautious with a 4 ft gator. :laugh:

 

[ariana]

Its just my brand of humor. Its chocolate flavored!

hahahaa i love that!!
i want mine to be pomegranite

 

[STUTFL]

On another note, geckos and many other reptiles are solitary and more or less self-sufficient from hatching (as are some birds and other animals). I attribute this, rather than their being "cold-blooded," to their general lack of social behaviors.
It doesn't bother me though, they're sort of like hairless cats but cuter. :main_laugh: Just so I know I'm responsible for keeping my leo safe and healthy, and he "appreciates" it in his own way.

 

[CallDr]

Reptiles are cold blooded creatures that are completely incapable of showing or reacting to affection. This is so stupid, and I agree that there must be 100 better things to write about.


This was a post about the new Gecko Store printed in the news paper. It's the reason I made the thread.... and the reaction is quite interesting...lol.

First, Jack, or Trapper Jack as he is known, has spent 6 decades in and around wildlife everyday of his life. A man who has a vast amount knowledge of Nature.

When the Savanna River floods in what is known as the Low Country of South Carolina, it creates small ponds in Swamps for short periods of time. These ponds come and go with the rise and fall of the river. All this happened one summer. The gator migrated to the pond and migrated out as the water or pond dried out.

As far as the gator learning to "trust humans" from the story is an interesting assumption. Feeding wildlife is a real topic and can have a negative affect. This is a well documented story about Yellow Stone National Park going back to the 50's.

I can assure you that the Gator remained Wild and did not learn to come to humans. I'm not sure...... I'm positive!


Learned behavior sounds right though:main_thumbsup:

 

[Linford]

As a university graduate marine biologist I do believe you’re mistaking emotion with behaviour. Any fauna species, no matter what type, will inevitably learn/adopt behavioural traits according to specific situation and habitation input.

However, on a basic level regarding leopard geckos, gecko's can be observed to demonstrate emotional qualities through behavioural traits. For example, my male ‘Roger’ is extremely protective of my female ‘Norah’. Now, is this behaviour human judged protective/loving emotion, or simply basic copulation protection?

I believe animal emotion/behaviour can be interpreted in many ways depending upon personal interpretation.

Many thanks

Linford Mann

 

[CallDr]

It is behavior traits Linford and what we observe (or should) is body language.

The "emotions" come from US....LOL! There is some truth in what was said about "intelligence" of one vs another. I had dogs that were dumb as a brick and some that were very intelligent ( might have the wrong word.... but you catch my drift..lol ) I think we all have some member in our family that seems to be a brick and a half shy of a full load...LOL!

 

[CallDr]

I agree that most reptiles learn rather quickly that humans are a convenient source of food

Mine has not eaten any humans yet....... sorry, could not resist:main_lipsrsealed:

 

[STUTFL]

I know plenty who have tried. :laugh:

 

[CallDr]

They say not to feed whitetail deer because they might get brave and gore you ... I'd definitely be cautious with a 4 ft gator. :laugh:

If you are referring to hand feeding an antlered male ( Buck ).......ie in an enclosure? Yes!!!!! They can and have killed more than one person. In fact not far from here a man had a Spike Buck that gored him in the chest and killed him on the spot. Most, cut off their antlers in captivity or NEVER get in the cage or enclosure while having antlers ( they shed them in Jan ) !

Any antlered white tailed Deer that has shed it's velvet...... is ready to Kill!

If someone can get a wild Buck to eat out of his hands....... a very stupid and possible fatal mistake.