Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Observations from the last week with Hewey boy my 10 month old Ionides:

He is still in his recooperation enclosure. It is plainly furnished with no substrate, a simple hidebox, and a water container that has a towel under it to absorb spills. Whenever I take Hewey out to soak in the tub, I use this towel for him to drip off on. So, obviously he is in constant contact wiht this single piece of fabric, in and out of his cage. Heres the interesting observation:

When Hewey is out side his cage with his towel, he tends to stay near it. Hell walk around, but always returns to his towel. Hell shove his nose into it, try to crawl into it, etc. If I dont let him have the towel he roams until he finds a suitable dark corner or hiden spot to crawl under. If his towel is there, he retreats to it instead.

I just found this interesting. I think that the familuarity comforts him... Anybody have opinions on this behaviour?? This seems like a very unreptilian habit. Or am I just overanylizing??

Thanks,
Michelle

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Hi Michelle,
He likes his own musk, and this may be anthropomorphizing, but things familiar to him are preferred over those things otherwise.

He is out of his cage, which can be stressful, as your looming over him somewhere, and most monitor prefer to be left alone to their own devices....as Gloria Swanson, "We want to be left alone" kind of mentality....just guesstimating, nothing more here....GLAD he is doing better...

Happy Holidays M,
markb