Do you pet your wee beastie?

Ambystoma tigrinum does not seem like the cuddliest of creatures, especially with it's toxic skin secretions, but I really do think my Skaddi likes to be petted!

I started doing so when she kept on coming forward in her tank to beg for food. I couldn't stand seeing her paw at the glass, so I reached in (with a well-washed hand) and gently gave her a rub with my finger on the top of her head and her back. She flinched at first, but seemed to allow it and then seemed to like it! She shut her little eyes and rubbed her chin and head against my finger.

So now it's become a bit of a habit. I love interacting with her, but I also want it to be a way to train her that every time I come to the tank, I'm not going to feed her.

What are your thoughts on this? Do any of you interact with your little critters this way? I realize it's a bit risky with their sensitive skin, but I make sure my hands are well-washed and rinsed before doing so. And after!

I'll sometimes gently rub the side of my horned frog's head behind the opening of the mouth, and it will lean into where I'm rubbing. Of course, doing so is an open invitation to getting my fingers bitten, so it is a very brief "pet".

I think the chin-rubbing behavior is more associated with getting ready to feed than it is a sign of affection. I've witnessed it in tigers quite frequently, and I'm sure these tigers were never "pet" in the past. It is kind of cute, ..but you're most likely about to be bitten due to the fact your finger bears a great resemblance to a nightcrawler. Haha.

But hey, whatever blows your hair back!

She's nipped me from time to time, but never repeats it during a session. I don't really mind, especially since I have 'gardener's hands'. She's actually doing it less now, even when I feed her.

my tiger is very nippy and energetic always running around and doesn't burrow much so i dont do much petting, strange for a "mole" salamander thats supposed to be burrowing especially since its winter

Don't pet my tiger, but I often lick my Taricha granulosa... (seriously don't do it)

tmarmoratus said:

I'll sometimes gently rub the side of my horned frog's head behind the opening of the mouth, and it will lean into where I'm rubbing. Of course, doing so is an open invitation to getting my fingers bitten, so it is a very brief "pet".

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i have heard with frogs and toads its actually a natural defence mechanism, they lean into whatever is touching them to reduce the chance of being flipped over and attacked.

i still thought this was cute though!

Toad Petting - YouTube

I avoid handling my amphibians as much as possible.

Generally, I compare petting an amphibian to someone rubbing my corneas with their thumb.

My tylototrion shanjing seem to want to be handled. I feed them by hand, and sometimes they'll climb onto my hand. The second they see me in the room they jump at the glass and look at me...they're funny. They will do flips into the water trying to bite a worm in my hand. lol

JacksonR said:

My tylototrion shanjing seem to want to be handled. I feed them by hand, and sometimes they'll climb onto my hand. The second they see me in the room they jump at the glass and look at me...they're funny. They will do flips into the water trying to bite a worm in my hand. lol

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My Kweichow will try climbing up my hand, but only to get at my tasty looking fingers. Thumb? Pinkie? It doesn't matter, she goes for them all.

I like to keep the petting down to a few seconds at a time, usually with a wet finger to minimize scraping. It's very gentle too. I'd hate for my strange affection for 'creepy crawlies' to cause them undo harm.

I only handle my paddletails to fish them out of the feeding bowl, because trying to catch them in a curved bowl using a small net is nearly impossible, and would pick up all the bloodworms in the attempt. Other than that, I don't handle them, because after handling Imi I get a sore, itchy sensation on the back of my left hand...

The larva has only been picked up once so far, and that was when he swam out of the scoop, onto the toilet cistern when I was doing a water change - I had to scoop him up using my nails.

I never pet my newts. I think it is stressful for them.

Think about it biologically: physical touch is only pleasant to those creatures who have some kind of social interaction that includes touching, like the head-rubbing in cats (prelude to mating), mutual grooming in horses, submissive licking in dogs etc.

To animals without a social touching repertoire touch can only mean nasty things: getting eaten, being bullied, getting stepped on etc. Some newts apparently like to pile up with their peers under roots etc, but there aren't any real social interactions, and that's probably different than being touched by a giant pink human.

I think newts can get used to occasional light handling, such as is necessary when you have to lift them out of their cages or transfer them to another tank. Those are the only times I touch my newts.

I gotta say though, when I do handle them, I love the feeling of their cool moist feet pitter-pattering over the back of my hand...I dunno, it makes me happy (I'm a social being)

yellowpebble said:

i have heard with frogs and toads its actually a natural defence mechanism, they lean into whatever is touching them to reduce the chance of being flipped over and attacked.

i still thought this was cute though!

Toad Petting - YouTube

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Sometimes they help eachother...