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So, I've given Ammit a while to acclimate. I'd say he's really cozy in his enclosure, as I've caught him just dozing off in the open on several occasions. He's already chosen two favorite hiding spots, and one spot he frequents to catch some fish.
He loves to hide under his 'bridge'. There's plantation underneath it that he also hides in while under there. All you can really see if you look back there is his snout. Many a fish died back there, LOL! He also loves to hide in the fake vines. The place he frequensts for fish hunting, besides his hides, is by the water filter. The fish seem to be attracted to the heavy current it produces and he uses that to his advantage.
I've also started spending some time with him to get him used to handling. He gets a little calmer each time, so I think that's a good sign. I'm well aware, though, that he needs to always be watched because, no matter how tame, he is a wild animal with instincts.
Here's some pictures!
Sittin' in our bed.
Crawled up and fell asleep on me.
Fell asleep on the bed, LOL, so cute!
Lounging on a fake bark decoration.
Gobblin' up a Black Molly.
Take 2 of the gobbles.
Trying to offer him thawed out shrimp, as I've seen some owners successfully feed this along with other items in their diet, but he's being a bit stubborn on being offered food. Here's a picture of him with a shrimp, but he didn't eat the whole thing. I've tried cutting it up, too, but I think he just needs to learn to get into the habit of being offered food. He's still young.
I doubt it's a good sign that it's falling asleep on you or the bed. I bet it's due to stress and nothing else. I think you should build an actual relationship with it through just proper feedings and mainentance.
If you're looking to make it easier on you in the future to deal with it, then I think you should sell it now. No one should consider owning something that is by nature pretty aggressive and making it "tame" or "docile". I strongly believe people shouldn't get an animal to cram into their lifestyle but one that already meets someone's lifestyle. I believe a bearded dragon is for you.
I doubt it's a good sign that it's falling asleep on you or the bed. I bet it's due to stress and nothing else. I think you should build an actual relationship with it through just proper feedings and mainentance.
If you're looking to make it easier on you in the future to deal with it, then I think you should sell it now. No one should consider owning something that is by nature pretty aggressive and making it "tame" or "docile". I strongly believe people shouldn't get an animal to cram into their lifestyle but one that already meets someone's lifestyle. I believe a bearded dragon is for you.
Stress would cause it to fall asleep?
Anyways, I'm not looking to tame it or make it docile, I'm fine with it being the way it is, but everyone needs to work with their reptiles on a daily basis after they've settled in for a while, otherwise you're going to wind up with a problem. If I never ever EVER worked with this crocodilian in my future years of owning it, I'd reckon the first time I did need to pick it up for whatever reason, I'd get the living crap bitten out of me, and it wouldn't be pretty at future sizes, I can guarantee you that. It'd be better for me to WORK WITH IT, and GET TO KNOW IT, than to be dealing with something I don't know crap about because I didn't take the time to learn its queues, its personality, etc. I wouldn't know jack crap about how mine, in particular, behaves, and that's BAD. For that reason, that's EXACTLY why everyone should work with their reptiles DAILY. Big or small, it doesn't matter.
I'd mentioned daily handling prior but did anyone complain about it? No. All they said was let it acclimate first then work with it daily, which is exactly what I'm doing.
Secondly, I don't like bearded dragons. I don't like them. I don't mind looking at them, but they do not appeal to me in the least.
Also, Cuvier's Dwarf Caimans have a nicer demeanor than others.
Anyways, I'm not looking to tame it or make it docile, I'm fine with it being the way it is, but everyone needs to work with their reptiles on a daily basis after they've settled in for a while, otherwise you're going to wind up with a problem. If I never ever EVER worked with this crocodilian in my future years of owning it, I'd reckon the first time I did need to pick it up for whatever reason, I'd get the living crap bitten out of me, and it wouldn't be pretty at future sizes, I can guarantee you that. It'd be better for me to WORK WITH IT, and GET TO KNOW IT, than to be dealing with something I don't know crap about because I didn't take the time to learn its queues, its personality, etc. I wouldn't know jack crap about how mine, in particular, behaves, and that's BAD. For that reason, that's EXACTLY why everyone should work with their reptiles DAILY. Big or small, it doesn't matter.
I'd mentioned daily handling prior but did anyone complain about it? No. All they said was let it acclimate first then work with it daily, which is exactly what I'm doing.
Secondly, I don't like bearded dragons. I don't like them. I don't mind looking at them, but they do not appeal to me in the least.
Also, Cuvier's Dwarf Caimans have a nicer demeanor than others.
I think you have misunderstood what Aaron is saying so let me try.
He isn't saying 'not' to work with it. He's saying to approach working with it on the caiman's terms. So not like you would work with a dog by training. For example: if you really look at the way Wayne and other varanid keepers work with their monitors they are not building trusting relationships by pulling them put and having them crawl on them. They are using tong feeding regimens and an over all hands off approach.
There is more than one way to learn the ques this animal will give you. Though some do in fact involve physical handling others involve close observation while the animal is in its own enclosure.
I personally feel that these animals have no business in private collection for the reasons you have stated in the part I quoted. I think you're a fine keeper and are really doing a decent job. I just don't think there are benefits to keeping them in private collection
Also, not sure about caimans but I know that a lot of lizards will close their eyes and 'sleep' when they are stressed.
Pet a bearded dragon on the head and they will 'sleep' in reality its a grimace which means 'stop touching me'
Anyways, I'm not looking to tame it or make it docile, I'm fine with it being the way it is, but everyone needs to work with their reptiles on a daily basis after they've settled in for a while, otherwise you're going to wind up with a problem. If I never ever EVER worked with this crocodilian in my future years of owning it, I'd reckon the first time I did need to pick it up for whatever reason, I'd get the living crap bitten out of me, and it wouldn't be pretty at future sizes, I can guarantee you that. It'd be better for me to WORK WITH IT, and GET TO KNOW IT, than to be dealing with something I don't know crap about because I didn't take the time to learn its queues, its personality, etc. I wouldn't know jack crap about how mine, in particular, behaves, and that's BAD. For that reason, that's EXACTLY why everyone should work with their reptiles DAILY. Big or small, it doesn't matter.
I'd mentioned daily handling prior but did anyone complain about it? No. All they said was let it acclimate first then work with it daily, which is exactly what I'm doing.
Secondly, I don't like bearded dragons. I don't like them. I don't mind looking at them, but they do not appeal to me in the least.
Also, Cuvier's Dwarf Caimans have a nicer demeanor than others.
Stress will cause it to pretend to be asleep. Essentially it is giving up and pretending to be a bump on a log in the hopes that you won't eat it. You see it with monitors all the time when they are forcefully handled. I would recommend the same treatment you would give a monitor, which is to simply leave it alone and let it come to trust you on its own terms. Treat it like a feral cat. Forcefully handling it will just lead to a Nile Monitor Syndrome. Someone buys a Nile and forcibly handles it all the time as a baby, in the hopes that it won't turn mean. Sure enough, it soon realizes that it can't fight back and simply gives up, and the keeper is put under the impression that they have succeeded. Then the Nile gets bigger. Suddenly it has large teeth and claws, plus a bullwhip for a tail, and it realizes now it can fight back, and it does, since all the handling only built resentment towards its keeper. This probably happens with a lot of reptiles, the only reason many are "tame" is that they simply aren't big enough to fight back.
I am friends with a man who owns a Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman, who simply put it in a large cage and left it alone. It is a very tractable animal most of the time.
I do not forcibly handle any of my animals, except if I need them out to clean the cage. If my snakes display any sign of not wanting to come out, I leave them be. Excepting cleaning and such, I only handle my snakes maybe once every other month. They are very calm animals, and are not at all defensive. My retic will come out of the cage on his own to explore, and will go back in when he wants. So no, you do not have to force your animals to like you, and you certainly don't have to handle them every day. In my experience, you really have better results if you don't.
Stress will cause it to pretend to be asleep. Essentially it is giving up and pretending to be a bump on a log in the hopes that you won't eat it. You see it with monitors all the time when they are forcefully handled. I would recommend the same treatment you would give a monitor, which is to simply leave it alone and let it come to trust you on its own terms. Treat it like a feral cat. Forcefully handling it will just lead to a Nile Monitor Syndrome. Someone buys a Nile and forcibly handles it all the time as a baby, in the hopes that it won't turn mean. Sure enough, it soon realizes that it can't fight back and simply gives up, and the keeper is put under the impression that they have succeeded. Then the Nile gets bigger. Suddenly it has large teeth and claws, plus a bullwhip for a tail, and it realizes now it can fight back, and it does, since all the handling only built resentment towards its keeper. This probably happens with a lot of reptiles, the only reason many are "tame" is that they simply aren't big enough to fight back.
I am friends with a man who owns a Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman, who simply put it in a large cage and left it alone. It is a very tractable animal most of the time.
I do not forcibly handle any of my animals, except if I need them out to clean the cage. If my snakes display any sign of not wanting to come out, I leave them be. Excepting cleaning and such, I only handle my snakes maybe once every other month. They are very calm animals, and are not at all defensive. My retic will come out of the cage on his own to explore, and will go back in when he wants. So no, you do not have to force your animals to like you, and you certainly don't have to handle them every day. In my experience, you really have better results if you don't.
Wow, is that his set up? Those are the kind of enclosures I -dream- of, I love realism and trying to replicate a natural environment as close as possible. He should really tell people how he managed such a beautiful mini-biome.
Anywho, well, ok then. As far as tong feeding, as I said, he doesn't really get it. Would removing feeder fish help the training process because then he would learn that I'm the one that offers food to him and so that he'd be hungry when I do offer it? Usually he has no interest in whatever I offer him, I assume because he's in there sucking up the fish whenever he wants. That's why I think not having feeders in there may improve the tong training process, so he'd be hungry when presented with food.
Also, I think some handling may be necessary, just not on a really frequent basis... Maybe once a week, once every two weeks, etc. I mean, I say this because everyone needs to take their animals to the vet if absolutely necessary(since vet trips stress reptiles a lot, sometimes does more harm than good depending on the situation), and need to pick them up or physically interact with them to clean their habitat. I know one day I'll physically be IN his habitat when he's older, but,(in light of what you and Ladybug said) by feeding regularly I'm sure he'd know I'm not some form of intruder that he needs to wipe out. At best he'd probably think I have food. Even then, he could still get territorial.
Also, Ladybug, if that were the case, what benefit would there be in people keeping things like corns, ball pythons, etc? It's a collection, plain and simple. Plus, you had no clue I would, one day, like to use him for education purposes. I'd love to teach people about animals, especially the ones that are seen as pests/vermin/what have you. Education is important, especially in the reptile business.
Wow, is that his set up? Those are the kind of enclosures I -dream- of, I love realism and trying to replicate a natural environment as close as possible. He should really tell people how he managed such a beautiful mini-biome.
I doubt it's a good sign that it's falling asleep on you or the bed. I bet it's due to stress and nothing else. I think you should build an actual relationship with it through just proper feedings and mainentance.
If you're looking to make it easier on you in the future to deal with it, then I think you should sell it now. No one should consider owning something that is by nature pretty aggressive and making it "tame" or "docile". I strongly believe people shouldn't get an animal to cram into their lifestyle but one that already meets someone's lifestyle. I believe a bearded dragon is for you.
What's wrong with taming it down? It's not like she's giving it drugs to act placid.
What's wrong with taming it down? It's not like she's giving it drugs to act placid.
Personally, watching the video, I'd say it's definitely a risk to be in their natural element(in the water) at that size, but as my statement above says, if you know your reptile well enough and know when enough is enough to them, you know when you're about to have trouble and need to remove yourself asap. If ya don't work with 'em.. well, as I said, you could be in for an ugly surprise. I'd rather know my reptile than know nothing about -them-, specifically.
What's wrong with taming it down? It's not like she's giving it drugs to act placid.
You're cute when you try to act smart.
Just because someone has a video of them doing something doesn't mean they are right. There's lots of videos of savannah monitors kept "properly" to the people who take them. We all know differently though, don't we?
Just because someone has a video of them doing something doesn't mean they are right. There's lots of videos of savannah monitors kept "properly" to the people who take them. We all know differently though, don't we?
And just because one animal of a species does something doesnt mean every other animal of that species will be the same.
Look at Tank. I wouldnt want to get that close to any other snapper!
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Just because someone has a video of them doing something doesn't mean they are right. There's lots of videos of savannah monitors kept "properly" to the people who take them. We all know differently though, don't we?
That's completely irrelevant to Zoo's and wild life reserves that train their animals... There's no reason to always turn a discussion into an attack of negative remarks.
I don't agree with holding a reptile on your chest for efforts of taming because as you said it's most likely stressed but I doubt the gators living in the zoos and reserves with massive enclosures and no threats to their life are stressed out when they get their training.
That's completely irrelevant to Zoo's and wild life reserves that train their animals... There's no reason to always turn a discussion into an attack of negative remarks.
I don't agree with holding a reptile on your chest for efforts of taming because as you said it's most likely stressed but I doubt the gators living in the zoos and reserves with massive enclosures and no threats to their life are stressed out when they get their training.
I think they are still fools. I have yet to see many of these places actually train crocs.
They use the animal's natural instinct to seem like they are trained. Nice try though.
Again, a lot of zoos and places keep other reptiles improperly so why would they be infalliable here?
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