Reptiles are an uncommon pet choice especially when people prefer to look for affectionate companions. However, the concept is not completely alien. You can easily tame any reptile with patience and love and create a rewarding bond with your reptile pet. Whether you are considering adopting a house lizard or a young snake, it is important to understand their nature to provide them with a comfortable living place at your home where they can overcome their cautious nature. In this blog post, let’s explore a detailed guide on building trust and affection with your reptile bird.
Why Trust Building with Reptile Pets is Important?
Reptiles are not as docile and human-friendly as conventional pets like cats and dogs. They have a distinct and survival-driven nature making them hesitant to trust any human and approach them in a friendly way. Therefore, training reptiles is not going to be as easy as teaching a pup or feline who has an instinctive devotion to a human partner.
However, it does not mean that it is impossible to tame a reptile pet and get it close to its owner. In the initial interaction, they are going to be reluctant to approach you. You can gradually help them overcome their stress and fear by building trust and letting them gradually get accustomed to your presence.
Guide on Building a Strong Bond with a Reptile Pet
If you are planning to tame a little guy from the reptile family, here is our experts’ guide on fostering a healthy relationship by understanding their behavioral needs. Let’s get started,
-
Create a Comfortable Habitat
The first step is to let them adjust to their habitat by creating a safe place that mimics the conditions in their natural habitat. Reptile species have special requirements for temperature, light, humidity or their survival. Otherwise, their body is going to be in a stressed condition which can ultimately be detrimental to their health. They also need adequate hiding spots in their new home to retreat in the stressed conditions.
Moreover, it is important to ensure that your pet is feeling safe by minimizing the stress factors. Reptiles are extremely sensitive to unfamiliar noises or movements which can induce stress conditions in them. So, it is important to minimize the foot traffic near their enclosure especially when they are in a vulnerable state like shedding.
-
Begin with a Slow Interaction
Reptiles are sensitive to unfamiliar elements including humans. So, it is better to initiate with a slow approach to help your pet in getting familiar with your presence. Before approaching your pet, spend some time near it while observing its behavior for a while. Initially, you will see your pet hissing or hiding which is a sign of being stressed. Gradually, they will begin to feel unbothered by your presence and will adopt your presence as a part of their routine.
Once your reptile pet starts to appear comfortable when you are around it, it is the right time to start a bit of handling. However, do not overwhelm at the start and begin only with the short sessions. You can hold your hand out to let them investigate their probably first human touch. You need to make sure your hands while handling are clean and odor-free. Otherwise, certain smells can trigger a defensive response in the pets.
-
Set a Routine with Your Pet
Setting a routine is important for trust-building with a reptile pet. Here, a feeding routine can be effective to associate something crucial for your pet with your presence. So, you need to consistently provide food to your reptile pet at a certain time. However, ensure that you are familiar with the dietary requirements and patterns of the reptile pet you own as it is different for each species. For example, snakes require to be fed only once in a few weeks while iguanas need daily feeding.
If you are looking for a nutrient-rich food for your reptile pet, TopFlight Dubia can be the best option. Setting a routine will make a big difference to your relationship with your reptile pet. However, make sure that your pet is never stressed out after the interactive sessions. If it does, it would be better to slow down your approach and let them retreat to their safe zone.
-
Be Patient and Consistent
Consistency and patience are the keys to building a strong relationship with the reptile pet. Never confuse the nature of the reptiles with mammals like cats and dogs who usually take only a few weeks to learn new habits and get extremely attached to their human buddy. For reptiles, it may take from a few months to even years to get them fully tamed and adapted to adjust in a household. Therefore, it requires extreme patience here if you are passionate about adopting a reptile.
Moreover, it is important to remove the unpredictability in your behavior towards your pet by bringing consistency to your interactive routines. Stick to a proper time for handling and feeding to foster trust in your relationship. Consistency is important to create a trustworthy bond with your pet.
-
Cherish Each Part of Your Journey
Taming a reptile pet is a rewarding journey, so it is important to acknowledge each progress and milestone you and your pet have achieved together. If your snake has started to wrap around your wrist or the bearded dragon is sitting comfortably on your shoulder, these are the major indications of a strong bond building.
The signs of affection in reptiles are going to be different from traditional pets. However, trust building is going to be your ultimate goal in the entire journey. In the end, if your pet is approaching you by itself, you have done a great job in taming a reptile.
Final Words
Taming a reptile pet seems to be an overwhelming task but slowly you will start to enjoy the whole journey. Respect the boundaries of your reptile pet and be patient and consistent in your right approach to foster a meaningful relationship with your pet. Gradually, you will be successful in taming a wild pet and bring out an awarding companionship with the right handling practices and trust building.
