Teaching Name

[AidanJames1]

Just 2 quick simple questions, how do I teach my blue tongue its name and how long will it take. by the way its name is Rex. Hope to know some new people on this form.

[Richard.C]

not sure its possable for them to learn there name per say,you can get them to come to u though,usually they think you have food

[Linnea]

blueys are not social animals and thus do not need to communicate with words. normally they say proof of that is that they lack vocal cords.
if they are able to learn voice commands or names i do not know, but i repeat my bts name quite often and as of yet he has not "responded" to it more or less than other sounds.

there are other ways to teach your bluey things, however. colours are a very good example. they are able to see several colours, if not more than us (infra red or untraviolet maybe). if you search youtube you can find videos of people learning monitor lizards which colour indicates food etc.

Blueys are exceptional at feeling the ground shaking, like most elephants are. elephants use this to communicate in quite an elegant manor, so i dont see why a bluey who is so sensitive to it wouldnt learn something from it. although im not sure how you would apply it lol (jumping around would almost certainly scare your skink)

blueys could probably learn a mountain of things, if you have a bluey who really enjoys such things he will pick up small intelligence tests for lizards in no time (probably) I have never tried this. But ive recently read some simple articles where skinks have had higher scores than birds on simple intelligence (problem solution) tests.

As richard said, most skinks are incredibly food motivated. they will do anything for food they love. and if they once have learned they can get food a certain way they will keep trying (probably).

[bella3]

I just searched the "target training" on YouTube with monitor lizards. It is very cool. These guys are crazy about their food!

[Katrina]

Rex is a cute name!

BTS will respond to noises and may come to recognize you, but I don't think they will ever learn their name. Blueys and all reptiles are very different from cats or dogs, so don't expect your new friend to act like a mammal!

[LarissaLurid]

Even my Kinkajou never learned his name, and he's even a good sized intelligent mammal. (Although my rats and 1 of my mice learned their names and to come when called lol) Not all pets will learn their names though. I don't see my skink ever learning his either.

[NennaMeerkat]

I think it is more about tone of voice rather than what you actually say that a skink might respond to. When I first got my skink he wouldn't do anything except run when he saw me. Now that he associates me with food if he is hiding/sleeping and hears my voice he perks up and comes to investigate. Usually doing a wall climb if he thinks I am holding out on him.

[skeetersmom]

Skeeter will hear my voice and respond - at first I convinced myself that it was his name he was responding to, but logic overcame wishful thinking. Now, when I go to his tank and say in a high voice his name, he does respond - but does the same no matter what I am saying, as long as it is in the same tone.

He does react a lot differently when he sees his food dish - can a bluey go ape??

[NennaMeerkat]

I think blues can go ape, especially when they see a treat coming there way! Like a tasty snail or earthworm for instance. I know mine goes crazy anytime food is in the picture. Gets so excited he starts biting at anything that might even remotely be food. He has even tried to cart off his food bowl!

[critterguy]

I have seen little that suggests my animals can hear-but its interesting some of you guys are getting responses.

What I have seen is that they are very object oriented. I have both my animals target trained to a wooden ball on the end of a chopstick. I moved to a new apartment recently and it got packed away during the move. I pulled it out and tried it on my male Billy-who hasn't seen it since-shoot-last August. After the offering of a fig beetle grub(I'd previously only offer supers/mealies etc. during target training) I figured to try the target out and he fixed on it just as ever. If anything he's a bit too crazy about it...I got him running back and forth on the floor for several minutes trying to bite the thing. I'll need to film this sometime.

[skeetersmom]

Critter - can you be more detailed here about target training? Is this similar to conditioned responese - training an animal to perform a task for a food reward? LOL - thinking of Skeeter knocking on a ball when he was hungry - that would be awsome!

[WanderingChai]

Me and critterguy have had experience in target training- And it is extremely easy to teach them to do. Tea Cup learned in 2 10 minute sessions! I just use any object with a rounded tip(chopstick, back end of a pen) or something like Critterguy has, and lightly tap them on their nose, then give them a treat. Before you're 1/2 way through with the 2nd session(By the way, I can do one session a day, just ration the treats! I recommend tiny pieces of cat/dog food), they should be walking short distances to get to their prize. If it takes longer- don't be discouraged! Every skink is different.

Upon first target training I discovered that BTS probably do not have the best eyesight(or maybe it's just Tea Cup?), and cannot see the target if it is more than 10 inches away. It takes longer, but you can teach them to follow a "tapping" noise that comes from rapping the target on a surface, such a bed that you're training on.
Note: You can teach other tricks after you teach Target Training for about 2 months and they've mastered it. I have taught Tea Cup to be comfortable doing things she would not normally do, such as get up on just her hind legs and balancing with her stomach and tail.
Another note: They will not respond to voice commands. They seem to do well with touch commands though, such as a tap on the head to get their attention before trying to teach a new trick. Good luck, happy targeting!

Critterguy, I'd love to hear more of your stories and experiences! PM me and we can exchange information.

[Richard.C]

they can definatly hear well,sneak up on wild ones,u can make a small noise and they look and or bolt straight away,they also have very good vision,alot run and hide well before folk get to see them,also with food,they can smell it from a fair distance away,bang food in any of there cages and even hiding ones come running to the bowl,indoors and out

the outdoor ones,if i hang in there cage and make noise it gets there attention,if i then reach in with my arm alot come cruising over,food oriented,or just there to curious,the timid ones hang back,but they sit back watching,if i dropped food in they would come over to