Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Now that my BD is accilmated any tips on getting to "know" him. Sometimes I put him on my shirt and sit outside so he can bask in the sun. How DO you pet a reptile? Would it be detrimental to have sit on my lap while I watch TV for an hour or two? Sorry Im use to chameleons, and like LeLe I have to adjust.

I have a pair and they're both very different. My male likes to sit in my lap and watch the ceiling fan. Thats pretty much all he does because he's just flat out lazy lol. My female on the other hand loves to get in the floor and go for a walk around the living room. I'll set her on the floor she'll take off a little ways and look back to make sure that I'm coming too. I'm usually on my hands and knees so that I don't scare her. When I'm standing above her she doesn't seem to comfortable with the walk so I have to stay low to the ground with her. I just let her go where ever she wants unless she tries to go somewhere that I know she can get lost or hurt. There are times where we go for a walk and she runs right into the bathroom and starts to scratch at the tub because she wants a bath so we stop the walk she takes a bath and goes back into her tank or I'll hold her in a towel for a little while. It really depends on what your beardie likes. Just like with people each beardie is different and likes different things so all I can really say is to try different things to see what your beardie likes. What I've said above is pretty much what my beardies like and who knows yours might like some of the same things.

Mine varies with his temperment at that particular time. If I retrieve him from the tank I can get him to sit on my shoulder from time to time without running around, particularly if I'm wearing one of my fleece pullovers, which he adores. If he's already up and running around in his tank, I'll let him on the floor or the open window to catch some rays. If it's the window he'll either sit and bask for a few hours or "plan his escape route" like we like to call it. His escape route technique involves him pressed belly-up against the glass and his head moving around everywhere to get a full view of the outside world.

If he wants to roam the house, he won't leave the room unless I am standing right behind him, following him every step of the way. He'll move forward a few steps and cock his head up to make sure I'm behind him. If he actually does leave the room he'll come back in to make sure I'm within his eyesight.

His favorite thing to do is ride in my Jeep with me. When I put on his harness he knows he's going outside. When we get in the Jeep, he'll either camp out on my shoulder or on the passenger headrest to get a better view of the world. He's just a joy to have.

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Dl

I've got to say that I love that harness its so cute. I also found out something new about my boy today. I knew that he liked to curl up in my shirt and go to sleep or lay on his side and sleep but today I found out that he likes to lay on his back like a baby and have his belly rubbed. It was so cute I was carrying him around like a baby. I'd tried doing it before but he wouldn't have anything to do with it until today. I guess that he's just my big baby lol. I'll try to get pics of my two after my female lays her eggs which should be any day now.

I've never seen a beardie on its back, I didn't think they'd allow it because it was such a vulnerable position. I'd love to see pix of that.
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Dl

Sure you can pet a beardie....!!
Have you ever stroked a cat from the head to the tip of its tail? We pet our beardies much the same way. This is much easier to do when they get 12" and longer, of course. But the babies even like their head stroked and rubbed gently. They often time close their eye when you do it.

Even if yours isn't too long yet, give it strokes on its back when it sits on your shirt. It will get to liking it...

Have great fun with your beardie...

you know closed eyes of reptiles are a sign of stress not of joy? *shakes head*
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Ingo Hess
My Reptiles

ps: sorry for partitial strange english, im from europe, austria.

How old is your guy? My guy (2 months) is a bit skittish when I go to reach for him, but once I have him he mellows out. I have pet him on the head (and as Morgana says, he closes his eyes), under his chin and on his belly if I am sure he is comfy and not going to bolt.

I sure know what you mean about our adjusting - at least we are doing it together ! With chams it is beaten into you not to handle unless necessary (unfortunately for Luna, that is sometimes frequent so I really respect her alone time). I find myself really hesitant about holding bd boy and don't hold him for long. I am getting better and take him out 3x/day but only for about 5 minutes or less at a time.

Gee, we can get to know our little fellas together! Got pix yet? I have more, just need to upload one of these days.

lele
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0.1 Veiled - Luna
1.0 Beardie - For now his name is Beardie Boy
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta
1.0 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.3 Mad. Hissers (2 died ;(
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula (no name yet)
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha
Chameleon Help & Resource Info

I still need batteries for my ancient digital camera lol. He's a sandfire and I think he's about 2 months old too. He's about 7 inches total. I've only started handling him since 2 days ago when he started to eat regularly. Today I held him for 30 minutes and he was calm. Hes a really mellow guy, he lets me pick him up and everything.

P.S. The bowl technique works great, he sits in there and eats like 15 crickets each time. THANKS!

All this talk about them being great pets.

Reminds me of my own little collared lizards. Cory the youngest was very tough to tame. When I first brought him home he jumped off my hand and ran across the carpet on his hindlegs then scuttled under the dishwasher in the kitchen. After 2 hours I figured out how to remove him and he was just sleeping there in the front all innocent .

Now he's on my lap, 8 months later, wondering about where's his tank and if I'm going to pick him up. Quite inquistive.

I'll wait on a beardie though, I need to buy my pair of other collareds a larger tank for when they're bigger.

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-Nicole

2.1.0 collared lizards
2.0.0 side-blotched lizards
1.0.0 desert tarantula
small tropical fishes