Do reptiles play?

[wideglide]

I've seen the furry guys play a bunch but I don't recall of ever seeing or hearing that reptiles ever play. Anybody ever heard or seen such a thing?

[scarecrowking]

Well, if I hold my little black albino in front of my face and make kissing noises, he reaches towards me and flicks his tongue against my lips a couple times, but that's about it.



Brian

[Explodingboy01]

I don't know if you would call it play, but I just posted a video of my son's bearded dragon, Diablo, who likes to jump on the coffee table and slide accross it. He does this frequently. Maybe he just likes to be on it, but he sure does look like he's having fun. http://www.reptilerooms.com/forumtopic-4581.html

Diablo also happens to prefer my wife over anyone else. She has blonde hair, (I don't know if this has anything to do with it,) and he will seek her out wherever she happens to be in the room. He'll make his way to her, climb onto her and hide on her shoulder under her hair and fall asleep.

[JEFFREH]

That was a pretty awsome/hilarios video. Mine doesn't do anything that I would classify a fun but he kinda enjoys his bath when I sing the rubber ducky song and i put his two arms on my hand and move him across the water. He also likes to climb on his plant in the cage then hurry and jump onto the branch and kinda slide down the egde. Then he repeats. But nothing as cool as the Diablo

[Explodingboy01]

LOL! Diablo's pretty cool. He's the first one that we've had that's as lively as he is. Most of our other ones are too casual to jump on stuff. Our first one Spike (I think that's the most common name for a beardie,) used to jump to take crix from your fingers, til he accidently chomped me. They have some pretty strong jaws. Drew blood and everything. Anyway, now he's just old, fat and lazy. Just like me!

[GeckoKing_57]

WideGlide, Reptiles dont play...... Some semi-aquatic reptiles will exersize if place in the right size tub, or bath.... You might consider that playing? But as far as knowing another reptile ( the same species) as a friend and playing together, not happenin. Reptiles either have enemies,mates, or followers, thats about it

[KLiK]

that is such an awsome video. my first iguana used to "play" soccer with me. i would roll a little ball will my foot and he would hit it with his tail. he didnt puff up or extend his dewlap so i think he kind of enjoyed it

[Ceph]

Uh oh, here we go anthropomorphizing again!

As much as I'd like to believe that some of the comical behaviours I've observed in reptiles are playful, I'd have to agree that their brains are definitely wired for instinct as opposed to creativity. Until I see a smiling gecko suddenly burst into a giggle fit, I think I'll stick to that belief. I even have reservations about attaching names to any of my herps.

Of course, with all the genetic meddling our hobby is engaged in, who's to say how long it will take for a specimen to appear with a neurological mutation for heightened intelligence? Could be fun!

C

[kephy]

I can agree that though sometimes a reptile may look like it's enjoying what it is doing, like a beardie swimming underwater in it's bathtub, they don't partake in an activity specifically because it is "fun." It's always because it feels good on their dry, ready-to-shed skin, or because it benefits their health and suvival in some way. I don't really think reptiles have the concept of happy and sad, or emotions of that kind. They only sense things that are important for their survival. Safety. Danger. Pain. Mate. Fight. Eat. Sleep. etc. The concept of fun is a bit more complex.

Though it's still fun to think Domo like to play in the bathtub. That's more for me than it is for him, though.

[hershey]

I was wondering if leos should take baths and how come my leopards are so lazy. all they want to do is go in there hut. I mean they like to be held, their heat temperature is great and they seem to be very healthy to me. So if some one could tell me some advice that would be great.