The importance of interaction with your reptiles.

[Wing_Nut]

I have wondered often what the effects of handling animals, and taming them, has on the over all well being of long lived animals. My thoughts started when I hand raised Australian cockatoos, some that can live for more than 100 years, and how the animals cope with the change with us, as we age, and more so how it effects them when they inevitably get new owners. These thoughts extend to how the animals cope with the gradual lessening of handling as animals age and the initial 'excitable' times of having a new animals wear off. I often wonder how long term handling of any animal effects it in the event it has to end. Dogs, cats, birds often suffer sickness as a result of seperation from there long time owners, and if snakes also have the same mental capacity, would that change the way I handled them. The possibilities could well be never ending. My experience lends me to believe with animals less is often more, and where a lack of knowledge or understanding exists I tend to err on the side of caution until there is concrete evidence that certain practices are indeed best practice for the long term well being of an animal. It seems certain that the answers to the questions asked in this particular issue are far from clear and long term experience in my opinion should be regarded highly when dealing with grey areas like these. It is quite clear that with such varied opinions on this issue that the answers may well never be known and may well not be for many decades if at all. I personally find all the points of view fascinating.

Regards

Wing_Nut

 

[KaotikJezta]

My first ever snake, a diamond, was very interested in all people and lived a pretty free range life. Whenever we had visitors he was there out of nowhere going from person to person. Whether he liked people or was just curious I don't know. Having said that, a lot of people like there animals to the point of killing them with kindness. ie overfeeding, overheating, overhandling. I read a conversation on facebook not long ago where 2 people were talking about how keepers that feed and keep reptiles naturally were starving their animals to death and should realise that they are now pets and deserve to be pampered. This is the kind of thing I totally disagree with, There are way to many obese and over metabolised animals out there because of attitudes such as this. My favourite snake doesn't particularly like being taken out but once out he never wanders far from me. When he was little he used to climb up on my hat and curl around the brim. Now he is big he still remembers and tries to get up on it but only manages to put his head and neck on it. If I am not wearing it he looks for it. It's very amusing to watch. Some of my animals don't like to be handled at all, and they get left alone. As far as vens go, I had an old man come in to work and tell me how he loved watching his death adders lick water droplets of the grass and how they were his favourite snakes by far. I asked if he free handled and he said he most definitely did and he had never been bitten. He said he kept them for over 20 years and they were still by far his favourite snake. It was a special experience talking with him. He was no hero or status seeker and he had a genuine respect for all reptiles.

 

[Endeavour]

I like to hear the different viewpoints on this topic, I find it really interesting.

Me to. As with many topics raised on this forum there will never be a definitive answer. Some of the posts on this thread are really insightful and although partly different from my thinking are something I embrace and learn from.


Kindest regards


Endeavour

 

[Gruni]

So how about a quick summary of what you think again Endeavour?

 

[Pythoninfinite]

I have wondered often what the effects of handling animals, and taming them, has on the over all well being of long lived animals. My thoughts started when I hand raised Australian cockatoos, some that can live for more than 100 years, and how the animals cope with the change with us, as we age, and more so how it effects them when they inevitably get new owners. These thoughts extend to how the animals cope with the gradual lessening of handling as animals age and the initial 'excitable' times of having a new animals wear off. I often wonder how long term handling of any animal effects it in the event it has to end. Dogs, cats, birds often suffer sickness as a result of seperation from there long time owners, and if snakes also have the same mental capacity, would that change the way I handled them. The possibilities could well be never ending. My experience lends me to believe with animals less is often more, and where a lack of knowledge or understanding exists I tend to err on the side of caution until there is concrete evidence that certain practices are indeed best practice for the long term well being of an animal. It seems certain that the answers to the questions asked in this particular issue are far from clear and long term experience in my opinion should be regarded highly when dealing with grey areas like these. It is quite clear that with such varied opinions on this issue that the answers may well never be known and may well not be for many decades if at all. I personally find all the points of view fascinating.

Regards

Wing_Nut

That's a well thought out post W_N. As a breeder of parrots and reptiles myself, I've come to the conclusion, with birds in particular, that birds which are strongly bonded to one human individual are fairly crippled emotionally, and extremely vulnerable, given the various reasons why humans want to, or must, change the courses of their lives. I find it a rather troublesome characteristic that many humans are "needy" and rely on vulnerable animals to fill that need, until their circumstances change and the animal or bird has to be discarded. It's the same with dogs of course. I'm far more comfortable selling birds to people I know are going to place them with other members of their species for breeding or close companionship, because humans are just so fickle and transient.

I find it, however, impossible to anthropomorphise about reptiles, because they don't have any emotional investment in their relationships with us (despite what some may think). I love them for what they are, and expect nothing more than the pleasure of watching them and learning about them - the older I get, the more I appreciate their complexities.

Jamie