To Breast Feed or Not To Breast Feed!

[Emzie]

im more of a cuddler but what my animals want comes first.
ie i would love to handle my snake all day but i know he doesnt like that so i get him out only about 15 mins a day where as my dog and ferret want constent attention and i spent all my free time i have with them so there getting the attention they need.

 

[sockbat]

I love my beardi sockbat she's not just a pet she's one of the kids and gets cuddles just like the kids.

 

[bubbaloush]

LOL I can't believe anyone would use the term breastfeed in reference to a reptile , i have a friend with a snake who is as Magpie describes but i say he is obsessive compulsive over the snake not that he is breastfeeding it.

We aren't obsessed with our snakes but they get handled about once a week ie one handles them while the other one cleans their tank, or if its a sunny day we handle them to let them have a roam outside etc. We actually have two snakes that love being handled and tries everything not to go back in the tank.

FWIW the term breastfeed for a reptile is a bit stupid i don't think any reptile owner would feed their reptile from their breast

 

[Miss B]

Ever thought of just getting a dog that is 1) a pack animal and 2) responds to commands...

I think the main thing for your breast feeding is 1) does it require lots of TLC or just the essentials, 2) what benefits are the animals getting, 3) ado the animals require a 'pack' with an alpha leader or 4) is the animal generally found in solitary excpet for during certain seasons.

There's absolutely no reason to moddy coddle any reptile at all.

No reptiles are pack animals as such - though some, such as freshwater crocodiles will be found in large groups but they do not exhibit a community lifestyle.

Take for instance dogs - they require the attention because they're a pack animal that uses that society as part of their well-being.

Take for instance chameleons - they choose to be solitary because they don't require the community spirit.

You can love any animal as much as you want - but you're not doing any reptile any favours by smothering it or by playing with it all day long. Reptiles need long slow periods of down time to be healthy.

Cockatoos appear to like companionship - so much so that they become a one person bird more often than not.

Snakes do not.

Well said.

 

[callith]

I keep, feed, clean and occasionally handle my beardie

 

[kakariki]

I agree bubba.....the term "breastfeeding " is ridiculous in this regard. I believe by handling our reptiles we are, in fact, doing them a favour. A well handled snake is less stressed when it has to be handled, for eg vet visits, cleaning, general checking, breeding etc. An unhandled animal will stress, as said by Hix, in regards to handraising birds. I also handraise birds, not just as pets but to reduce the stress birds encounter when in an aviary situation. Our handraised birds do NOT fly into the wire in a panic, they are quite calm when we enter their aviary. Same with reptiles. I bought a young [2yo] coastal. He hadn't been handled much cos he bites. I handle him anyway and he is improving. He stressed to the max when we bought him, tagged me 15odd times in a 20min period. Now he might once or twice, sometimes not at all. He doesn't wrap around my wrist & threaten everything, he investigates stuff now. He is [ dare I say it ]much calmer BECAUSE i handle often. Not always every day, but often.
Each to his/her own. I have as much right to handle as those of you who don't. I don't resort to petty name-calling because I don't agree with you.

 

[Jewly]

I enjoy interacting with all my animals, but I don't go overboard. I might get my beardies out, every couple of days for a few minutes at a time so they get used to handling and I probably get Kiandra out, maybe 3-4 times a week, but for only a few minutes at a time as well. I'm hoping to let my beardies walk around the house for a little while each week when they're adult size so they can stretch their legs and have a run if they want.

 

[redbellybite]

well call me REXINE HUNT ! cause I always give the ole eastern brown and taipan a kiss on the head and say that "YIBBITY YIBBA" when ever I catch a ven all of them need love awwww and they respond lovingly to my affection with a hissing and tongue action and lol even at times they try and inflict a bite so adorable as i let them on their way i call out my phone number and addy just incase they wanna drop in for a cuppa .........................

 

[dragon lady]

redbellybite... i expected a knee jerk reaction
well thought of...total laugh.. that was fun to read.. thankyou!...lol

 

[redbellybite]

and are you saying DL that I dont do this ???????????mmmmmmmmm LMAO

 

[angel]

I fully agree with you dragon lady TLC is very much needed

 

[cris]

Providing for an animals actual needs and respecting what they are vs anthromophising and creating "needs" that dont exist and causing extra stress. So hard to tell which one is right.

 

[Chris1]

what are bf keepers?

and yes, i took chubby to the vet cos she had an upset tummy, she came to work with me for 2 weeks while she was on anti biotics so i could keep her warm,...

but i did learn from my mistake, i no longer feed chub the fatty superworms and after insects i staple her to a heaty bag to digest....the problem wasnt handling her, it was that she ate and then slept behind the tv cabinet while her bad mummy went drinking.

 

[Matthew Burgess]

she came to work with me for 2 weeks while she was on anti biotics so i could keep her warm,...
.

isnt that what an enclosure is for? keeping your lizard warm? doesnt your enclosure have heating?

 

[tfor2]

I guess each to their own to a certain extent with regards to this topic..
But i have to say, I also agree that the topic heading "breastfeeding" is at all relevant to subject, and should be referred to as something else, like cuddletime, mollycottling, anything but breastfeeding...

 

[ihaveherps]

the problem wasnt handling her, it was that she ate and then slept behind the tv cabinet while her bad mummy went drinking.

lol.... if you cant figure out that the problem had everything to do with "breastfeeding", you really need to have a good look at yourself. If you fed it in situ in its tank, where apropriate heat is (hopefully) provided, then maybe it wouldnt have searched for a warm hide, which in this case would have been minimal warmth put out by your entertainment system. In my eyes this is a perfect scenario as to how "breast feeding" can go bad, a scenario that never had to come to be, did.

 

[Tatelina]

Why must the term be 'breast feeding'? So gross.

Reptiles don't get cuddled in the wild...so why should that happen in captivity....?

 

[slim6y]

Why must the term be 'breast feeding'? So gross.

Reptiles don't get cuddled in the wild...so why should that happen in captivity....?

Reptiles don't get regular meals in the wild... why should they get pre-killed, thawed rodents in captivity?

Reptiles don't get water bowls in the wild....

Reptiles don't get comfy hides in the wild... heating... lighting... blah blah blah

So - why should they get that in captivity?

Simple... we want healthy happy reptiles...

But I don't agree with going overboard - once a week max handling for any snake, and that's to get them some fresh air and UV!

 

[bubbaloush]

"Why must the term be 'breast feeding'? So gross."

In reference to a reptile yes gross, in reference to normal breastfeeding not gross (but then i am still bf'in my son so biased )

Seriously though are people really using the term breastfeeding when talking about reptiles other then in this thread?

Maybe they should check out the meaning of breastfeeding ie feeding a baby or young child directly from the breast, nothing to do with cuddling, yes some babies comfort feed but that isn't for the cuddles

Wouldn't something like Cotton wool owners be a better one to use?

 

[DennisS]

I have dogs,cats,teenagers,turtles,ferrets ,birds, a missus , a 5 year old, parents, grandparents, and fish i cuddle the lot when they or i want it except the fish. And i always feel better !