Beardies

[MissSkittles]

My beardies both knew their names....I'm certain of it.

Chameleons seem to recognize people too....but I don't think they hear well enough to understand language. I went to buy a chameleon one day and the store clerk wouldn't let me handle it. He said it was mean and crazy. I said it looked quite calm to me and I wouldn't buy it unless I could handle it. He refused but just then the store owner came in and came over to the cage. The chameleon went crazy. I asked if I could handle it and he said sure because he knew me well. He left and I picked up a calm chameleon. When the guy came back to see how it was going the chameleon went crazy again!

I had an iguana..she knew a few words...if she was trying to dig her way out under the gate on the room doorway, for instance, I would say "up" to her and she would quit digging and go up over the gate.

I could say to her "did you go poop" and she would go to the litter box and poop.

That all is amazing! I suspect reptiles intelligence is greatly underestimated. Spike is showing that he does recognize his name. He was pretty much ignoring me today when I was blabbering away to him...then I said his name and he turned to look at me. Now if only I can get him to recognize his salad as food.

 

[AmandaS]

Now if only I can get him to recognize his salad as food.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Now if only I can get him to recognize his salad as food.

Now THAT I can relate to.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Sonofagun, the little turd likes radish greens. We've tried every "green" and leafy vegetable (and most not-leafy vegetables) and this is the first one for which he's actually come back for 2nds.
Who'da thunk?

There aren't a lot of greens on a bunch of radishes anyway, and... only the Missus will even eat them.
We did find that if you plant a radish, it'll grow a new crop of greens fairly quickly (a week?) but not enough, and he still needs variety. (grumble, grumble...)

 

[MissSkittles]

Sonofagun, the little turd likes radish greens. We've tried every "green" and leafy vegetable (and most not-leafy vegetables) and this is the first one for which he's actually come back for 2nds.
Who'da thunk?

There aren't a lot of greens on a bunch of radishes anyway, and... only the Missus will even eat them.
We did find that if you plant a radish, it'll grow a new crop of greens fairly quickly (a week?) but not enough, and he still needs variety. (grumble, grumble...)

Until he gets bored with those and then you’re back to square one. We went thru that with dandelion greens...then arugula...then watercress...kale, collards, mustard greens, red cabbage, various squash, etc. The only thing he consistently has liked is blueberries with raspberries as a close 2nd. I just rotate the greens and other options to try to keep things interesting and hope he’s in the mood for them. At least my feeder bugs get fed very well.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

We've tried all of those and more to no avail; he doesn't even like the berries. He ate one blueberry, and turns his nose up at any more. It's uncommon but not unheard of for some beardies to be this way. Even the starvation strategy doesn't work. Stubborn little a-hat.

 

[Rhea’s mum]

Our little ‘angel’ just looks at the the salad as if we are trying to poison her. If it doesn’t move she doesn’t want to know the hubby has issues saying no to this face though, when it comes to supers

 

[Thatwizard420]

Do I have the prettiest Wildtype or what?
His colors are amazing

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Our little ‘angel’ just looks at the the salad as if we are trying to poison her. If it doesn’t move she doesn’t want to know the hubby has issues saying no to this face though, when it comes to supers

Is that her "bellyfullabugzface"?

 

[Rhea’s mum]

Is that her "bellyfullabugzface"?

No that’s her ‘my waiter is ignoring me again’ face

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

We've tried all of those and more to no avail; he doesn't even like the berries. He ate one blueberry, and turns his nose up at any more. It's uncommon but not unheard of for some beardies to be this way. Even the starvation strategy doesn't work. Stubborn little a-hat.

Fruit/veggie smoothie drizzled over live bugs may help.

 

[AmandaS]

Fruit/veggie smoothie drizzled over live bugs may help.

Good idea!

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

Good idea!

I've had my experiences in trying to get stubborn animals to eat their veggies, though it's mainly trying to wean iguanas off a fruit diet and trying to get them to eat their greens. It works really well, as long as you don't give enough smoothie that they could just lick it off the greens.

With beardies I don't think that's going to be the issue. Since if they want the bugs, they gotta swallow the smoothie.

 

[Thatwizard420]

Remember they’re wild animals.

Gotta turn survival instincts on.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Fruit/veggie smoothie drizzled over live bugs may help.

Yeah, it just aids the roaches in climbing out of the bowl before he gets around to inhaling them.
He's just a meat & potatoes kinda guy, only without the potatoes.

Occasionally, he'll have a little salad with his steak, the operative words being, "occasionally" and "little".

Some beardies are just like that. Since waking up, he only eats 3-4 times a week and s once a week—lately only in the bath.

We've given him rein over the back hall (20'L), so he's getting more exercise.
His weight is good, and he's a little hellion.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

With beardies I don't think that's going to be the issue. Since if they want the bugs, they gotta swallow the smoothie.

You don't know Ol' Stinkeye.

 

[MissSkittles]

I just continue to make Spike attractive little salads every day and hope he’ll at least take a few nibbles. Some days he eats almost all, other days he poops right next to his salad bowl.

 

[MissSkittles]

I’m still trying to figure out if he responds to his name, but I now notice he’s got me well trained. He runs around making lots of noise and then up to the door when I approach to let me know he wants to go sit outside. Need to figure out some sort of safe enclosure for him to have more outside time.
*gratuitous pic

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Can anyone tell me what THIS is about? He's been like this for the better part of an hour at least,
and he's never done it before in his whole life in there...

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Missus just came in... His lights are about to go out, and his eyes are closed.
The little turd's going to sleep that way!