Sav Personality changed

nepoez · 05-03-13, 12:37 PM

Hi all,

I have a sav who would always come up to me when I open the cage, and never be scared of me. He would even walk onto my hands and stand there almost everytime I put my hand near him. He's never shown ANY signs of fear around me. But all of a sudden starting yesterday, when he sees me he would run into the burrow, and just act like a totally different person all of a sudden... no longer trusts me like before. I didn't do anything to him. Any idea if this is normal?

Only thing I can think of is, that he had a cage mate, whom my guy would always bully.. so I sold that guy(plus they won't fit in my place when full grown) it seems that ever since that other guy had been sold, he just became a totally different person.. how could that be?

smy_749 · 05-03-13, 01:11 PM

Hes not a totally different person, because hes a lizard mate. My guess is that one of your fellow members of the household traumatized him trying to grab him or scaring him or something.

nepoez · 05-03-13, 01:13 PM

I wonder if any would confess what they did!

Pirarucu · 05-03-13, 02:14 PM

This is not the first time I have seen this happening. Getting rid of the second one is what did it. Having multiples means that they see the others around and it makes the area seem safer, duck hunters use decoys for the same reason. Remove the others and that perception of security is removed and possibly reversed, if they realize that you are the reason the other is gone. Imagine if your neighbors suddenly disappeared.. I have heard of identical results from other monitor keepers, so that's my theory.

smy_749 · 05-03-13, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

This is not the first time I have seen this happening. Getting rid of the second one is what did it. Having multiples means that they see the others around and it makes the area seem safer, duck hunters use decoys for the same reason. Remove the others and that perception of security is removed and possibly reversed, if they realize that you are the reason the other is gone. Imagine if your neighbors suddenly disappeared.. I have heard of identical results from other monitor keepers, so that's my theory.

I'd throw a party.

Pirarucu · 05-03-13, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

I'd throw a party.

LOL. I would most likely do the same thing..

nepoez · 05-03-13, 03:46 PM

this is not cool.

smy_749 · 05-03-13, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nepoez

this is not cool.

Just keep working with him, he will come around hopefully. Don't buy another one again though just to get his personality back.

Pirarucu · 05-03-13, 05:06 PM

Agreed, he will just need some time. His environment changed, and he will need a while to adjust.

smy_749 · 05-03-13, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

Agreed, he will just need some time. His environment changed, and he will need a while to adjust.

In other news, completely off topic. Undeground reptiels posted 'male and female farm bred) dumerils lol 125 each is the cheapest i've ever seen them.

Pirarucu · 05-03-13, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

In other news, completely off topic. Undeground reptiels posted 'male and female farm bred) dumerils lol 125 each is the cheapest i've ever seen them.

In other news, never buy from Underground Reptiles..

smy_749 · 05-03-13, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

In other news, never buy from Underground Reptiles..

Yea, I'm aware. I particularly like the part where they are farm bred, definite male and female pair and only 125....Thats an very low price, they must want to get rid of them for some reason....

A few times I emailed them admittedly, just to see if I could haggle prices. It doesn't take much haggling to lower prices by even 100 bucks on monitors. And he said in one of his videos he had some trouble and "lost a few " monitors for feeding the wrong diet...