"Interactivity" in relation to Herps...

I'm curious about something. Are reptiles "interactive"?

I've always been a reptile person. I got my first snake (an 18" baby Colombian Boa) at 15 after spending a few years begging my parents and proving I was responsible with pet hamsters. Since then it's been reptiles, dogs and the occasional rodent (unfortunately my mom sold my snake when I was away at college: she didn't handle her as promised and when she was bitten, she decided the snake was too much of a hassle and sold her to the local pet store).

What about "interaction"? When most people (friends, family etc.) find out that I want/have a reptile, the first thing they usually do is say "...but you can't interact with them!!!" How do people define interactivity? I've got a hamster and my mother thinks it's a highly interactive animal because he takes food from my fingers, climbs on me and lets me handle him. Does she not understand that I get that same level of "interaction" from my dragons and from past reptile pets like my snake? I hold both Gums and LeChuck, I feed them bugs and veggies from my fingers and I let them climb on me. I also let them sit on the windowsill staring outside for hours on end too. Just watching that behaviour is really rewarding. I don't feel a bond with my hamster, but I definitely feel connected to my hognose and dragons*

What perked my interest was showing my mom a video clip from another poster here of his Blue Tongue skinks eating. While she watched I told her how awesome Blue's are and her reply was "but you can't interact with them"! Why can't I?


*I recently lost my male Beardy LeChuck. He was a pretty old guy when I got him (somewhere from 3-6 years and I kept him for another 3 and a half). He went somewhat downhill over the course of a few months, then passed away in August. He was extremely mellow and was able to change colours from a muddy brown to a very light tan (all dragons might do that, but Gums certainly doesn't so I have no idea). I really miss the guy, especially him perched on my windowsill staring out into a backyard filled with life (birds, dogs, rodents, people and more!) He's in present tense above because I wish he was still here

Originally Posted by Pug

Does she not understand.... (

No, she does not. Either people get it or they dont. No amount of explaining will ever change them.

Unfortunately, I agree with Sammy. Some people might change over time, but it is mostly the For and Against when it comes to herps. My parents are more in the middle. They used to be firmly against my little frogs and gecko, but I think they are slowly warming up.

....That'll probably change when I buy roaches

For the majority of people with that mindset, interactivity is required to be a two way street. Pets are chosen and kept from the perspective of what they can do for the owner in respect to his or her pleasure and enjoyment. While many lizards and chelonians can indeed interact on this level to a degree snakes simply cannot. No reptile will respond to human interaction with the same enthusiasm as a dog, but many can and do come to enjoy human contact at some level.
What people who view pets from this perspective aren't capable of grasping is the ability to derive enjoyment from the observation of an animal with the absense of any reciprocating emotional attachment. Unfortunately it is impossible to convey this enjoyment to someone who doesn't already understand it.

What I find interesting is that many of these same people who cannot fathom how someone could enjoy keeping a snake often derive much pleasure from observing a tank of fish.
Fish are much like reptiles, some will actually form a type of bond with the keeper, but most do not. However, actual physical interaction is eliminated with fish keeping whereas it is not with reptiles. Regardless, these people normally appreciate a beautiful fish tank, but are incapable of seeing how you can appreciate a nicely set up reptile enclosure.

Over the years I came to accept the fact that the average person will never understand why I enjoy reptiles and have therefore abandoned any attempt at explanation. The fact is I don't really even enjoy discussing the topic with non herpers anymore and usually make every effort to avoid it.

For my snakes they seem to follow into several categories of interactivity:

1. This is food or 'not food'.
2. This is food or 'not food' and I don't like 'not food' in my cage.
3. This is food or 'not food'; and this is not MY 'not food' and I don't like it.
4. This is food or 'not food'; and I don't care if its my 'not food' or not.

'Not food' I'm refering to as people and MY 'not food' as myself.

Alan that is good!

Clay made some great points. My father asked me what good are snakes, unless they can act like a dog they are useless animals. I tried for years to teach him, but he refused to accept my love for them. That was until I came home from a show after selling off all my babies, at that time, he saw a use for them and has not spoken to me since. Go figure.

Until they are willing to try and get that same joy you receive from your reptiles, they will never learn and drive you nuts.

My dad hated snakes all of his life. He talked about killing "green snakes" all the time and gave a little show one day with a gater snake in the back yard. I was 8 or 9, just tall enough to kick him in the nads and make it hurt. He still doesn't like snakes but he does tell me when he sees them basking on the dock at his house.
Moral: one kick in the is worth two on the dock..
Mom always liked them though - she even liked to feed them when I left for the Marines and was sad when I took them away.

We had fancy Goldfish when I was 12 (it was my moms idea: she wanted fish), but I find fish boring because the only interaction is dropping food in and corraling them up for temp tank placement when the main tank is being cleaned. I was too young to appreciate the tank, although I wanted a snake back then and it was a no . Our fish were nasty; the three biggest (just simple common goldfish) were mean and they eventually ganged up on and ate the fancy guys/gals (they picked em' apart until they were bits and pieces). Then the two biggest commons turned on the smaller one and ate him. At that point we were able to give the remaining two to a pet store. The experience definitely left me with no desire to give fish another go

After thinking a bit more, I'm not too sure that I can even explain why I enjoy reptiles and what I see in them. I like having a hamster, but a lizard/snake is much more enjoyable. All I can do is sum up a bunch of reasons why they're neat: it's the way they look, the way they act and the different behaviours they display that really make them interesting. There's more of course, but I don't need to list them off here because we already know what they are

Doing more research has me convinced that a Blue Tongue skink is the best reptile pet for me at this point in time (I want a smooth couch potato that's not completely dependent on bugs or rodents and looks snake-like with short stubby legs). Even though my mom may never understand, it's not going to be her pet, but if she wants to visit and hang out with him/her, maybe I can set that up

Ilove my bluetongue and she is very responsive.She knows me and is comfortable with me.She scratches every once in awhile to get out and she will climb out onto my hand.She will not come out to anyone else though. She likes to just hang out on my desk and when she gets tired she heads back to her cage...My tegu is equally as responsive.He loves to just come out to look around.Not looking for food just wants to be out and about.I havent had him very long but he beginning to trust me more and more...My snakes arent nearly as responsive to me but I love just handling them and caring for them and meeting thier needs....No reptiles dont lick your face or coming running up to you when you get home, they are more like cats.If they want to be around you they will let you know, otherwise just feed them and their happy...