Do They Understand?

[NH93]

Hey everyone!

I feel like a bit of a dink for not being on lately... I have had so much going on. But, in that time, Azure has grown like CRAZY.
An update here: 17.5" long, 520+g!


I want to link a very short video clip for you, of me calling Azure and her "coming to me". Now, I don't really think she comes when called. I assume it was a fluke. I think she knows her name in a way, because I talk to her so much and say her name to her basically whenever I walk by her. I am not really sure if she's actually "understanding", or just gets that I am directing my voice towards her and she's paying attention. It's kind of cool nonetheless so I got a piece on video. By the way, I didn't have food in my hand either no cheap tricks LOL.

http://instagram.com/p/taLt6rKjRv/?modal=true
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154611319920313&l=6047921550203292413
(Hopefully one of those works).

Do any of your skinks show this behaviour? Very cute, either way.

Thanks for looking!

[Scincus]

That's really cute! With Azul she kind of just ignores me even if she knows I'm talking at her. When I let her explore she eventually comes to me, but she only does so when she wants to.

[Dood]

Reptiles are smart and trainable

Most zoos are using classical and operant conditioning to train their large reptiles for routine and veterinary procedures to reduce the stress of forcibly restraining them.

A quick google search of "reptiles training" list several studies. Usually the abstract is only given but full articles can be purchased or accessed by University students or campus computers. With a little digging you can even find the whole paper

Visual discrimination and reversal learning in rough-necked monitor lizards (Varanus rudicollis). - https://smartech.gatech.edu/bitstream/h ... sequence=2

The Use of Classical and Operant Conditioning in Training Aldabra Tortoises (Geochelone gigantea) for Venipuncture and Other Husbandry Issues - https://www.animalsandsociety.org/asset ... 060103.pdf

Using operant conditioning and desensitization to facilitate veterinary care with captive reptiles. - http://books.google.ca/books?id=619CY_S ... CDIQ6AEwBw

[NH93]

Reptiles are smart and trainable

Most zoos are using classical and operant conditioning to train their large reptiles for routine and veterinary procedures to reduce the stress of forcibly restraining them.

A quick google search of "reptiles training" list several studies. Usually the abstract is only given but full articles can be purchased or accessed by University students or campus computers. With a little digging you can even find the whole paper

Visual discrimination and reversal learning in rough-necked monitor lizards (Varanus rudicollis). - https://smartech.gatech.edu/bitstream/h ... sequence=2

The Use of Classical and Operant Conditioning in Training Aldabra Tortoises (Geochelone gigantea) for Venipuncture and Other Husbandry Issues - https://www.animalsandsociety.org/asset ... 060103.pdf

Using operant conditioning and desensitization to facilitate veterinary care with captive reptiles. - http://books.google.ca/books?id=619CY_S ... CDIQ6AEwBw

THANK YOU!! Is there a way to "thank" your post? That is very cool.

[MechHAN]

Reptiles are smart and trainable...right...
But on the other hand,I spend years to learn english and i wont understand any word from you when i was 10..Language is not a simple training...

And I do love my bluey,but I think monitor are much smarter...

[SmaugTheBluey]

What are you feeding him? its like bts steroids! My bts does move his head when I say something but I have never had him come towards me.

[jdheff1982]

My guy reacts somewhat. If he sees me enter the room, he'll tilt his head up some. If I sit in my PC chair not far from his enclosure and wave, he'll start tongue flicking. And when he sees me and wants out, he'll try climbing the front glass doors. Sometimes when I baby talk to him, he'll jerk his head from side to side a bit. Not sure what that means.

[NH93]

What are you feeding him? its like bts steroids! My bts does move his head when I say something but I have never had him come towards me.

She gets a feeding everyone other day, a mixture I make loosely based on LLL Reptiles' YouTube video she was fed daily for a bit, and now she's huge!

Hehe.

Azure also scratches when she wants out now... which is very annoying sometimes. When I put my hand in she sometimes nudges me with the top of her head so I'll pet her. She's got an awesome personality!