do reptiles love or grow attached to humans?

I think it all depends on the reptile. I am not so sure they love but they definately know who is kind to them and who is not. They also learn who brings them their salad.

Hello,

I had to say yes to this. My thinking is along the lines of attachment. Not all animals exhibit the ability to show affection. I do believe some reptiles have the ability to bond with their owners. Developing the trust associated with socializing an iguana for instance is a good display of building a bond. Do they love you, maybe. Who can really tell?

Some iguanas will fancy only one owner and become protective of "their" property. Is that love? Could be.

I think it is possible, but listing the species that have the mental capacity to do so would be the far greater challenge!

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I don't think it depends on the species rather than it depends on the personality.

I have kept many different species of reptiles, and over the years have rescued well over a hundred different iguanas. I've kept one for about seven or eight years now and I have watched go from the most aggressive nasty animal one could imagine.

After several years work, this animal, not only loves me, but needs me more than any mammal I have ever kept. As an example today I put him out on the dock to enjoy some of the spring time sunshine. I got busy and forgot he was out there. This is a huge no-no in the Reptile field. But Pat Dog found me in the body shop some 30 or 40 minutes later and grabbed a hold of the back of my leg. He still in breeding season and has for several years now decided that I am his mate. Trust me, I don't feel I display any kind of feminine qualities.

I keep several reptiles that showed different levels of affection. Without a doubt, this nine-year-old 17 pound, extremely abused in early life ig want to truly loves me and needs me.

I have heard from many people over the years about different species that have reacted the same way. Just as genetics will determine many factors about an animal's health and growth, personality will also reflect its ability to show affection or not.

Dr. Gordon Burghardt who was one of the primary editors of the addition of iguanas of the world, and who has thankfully become an associate and friend of mine, teaches at the University of Tennessee. If you'd like to google his name. You will find his website. He has more published articles on reptiles than anyone I have ever met, and it seems to be less known than many of the names thrown around today.

His specialty is "play" and teaches college courses on just this subject. And I'm not talking about play with children or mammals, but by observation. The ability of reptiles to play.

Because of different personalities, and because so few people have had the ability to observe many different reptiles of the same species, many will think that the ability of reptiles to play or love, may be insignificant.

The truth is that many can show deep love and devotion.

When it comes to reptiles. Please trust me in that one size never fits all.

Whether or not anyone reads this is insignificant, but regardless is a fact.

Bobmac

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What a great read Bob,,,,,I guess what it all boils down to is how our herps can be so tame with one family member and so aggresive with the next (Dom know this with his son) They attach to what they are comfortable with. Is that love ??? who knows,,,,,but it aint hate.

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Ken
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan

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Zane Neher.

The great and strong man is one who bears within his character many contradictions.
Crocodilian care.

i guess I don't know what to think. i've certainly kept a slew of reptiles, and each did have their own distinct personality. i started with 2 collared lizards in high school, and they were very tame when I first got them. the biggest of the two was always nice, the smaller one got increasingly aggressive over time. i currently only have 1 snake, a almost 7 year old(can't believe i've had him for so long!) Childrens python. he likes to roam his 40g breeder, and isn't intimidated by me, my girlfriend, or our 2 dogs, but is pretty shy when someone else is over. i don't handle him nearly as much as I should, so I can't really be sure about love one way or the other. he'll bite if I try and take him out bare handed, but if I put on a glove, docile. if I manage to get him out bare handed, he's fine as soon as he's out of the pen. i've even brought him in to my girlfriends class(1st graders), and gave a talk about reptiles while holding him. kinda hard to tell with him.

I don't know that I would actually classify it as love as we know it. Its very easy for us to anthropmorphosize behaviors when it comes to our pets. We tend to project their behavior into what shape makes sense to our way of thinking. I will admit that the trust and socialization that is shown by species that by all rights should rip us up at every opportunity is amazing. We want to think that they return our feelings of affection for them and I think to a certain extent that they do. Is it love as such? Or is it just a learned behavior based on being treated with care and respect? I think that a dog loves you and you can kick them and abuse them and they keep coming back for more. I don't think you would get the same result with a reptile. I do know that reptiles recognize individual humans, bond with us, and often will bond more so with one member of a household than another. Exactly what this involves in their minds is anyone's guess .

Except maybe a Pet psychic!

Thats a joke folks!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

hey I know a good one The same one that told someone else that King Arthur was not happy because he needed to be on green felt Remember the blind old rat snake with cataracts in his eyes

Yeah I have ran across a few that made me do a serious eye roll!
One of them kept telling me that my iguana was talking to her telepathically. And she kept referring to my decidedly female iguana as a he!
You'd think that Zok would have corrected her!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!