I have a teen on my hands...?

[holliehawk]

Rubeus is growing up so fast! We are building him a new cage as I type... He is pretty friendly and just loving life overall.

I heard last night that when a reptile crawls on the top of your head they are trying to show dominance or control, is this true?

 

[carol5208]

I have never heard that one! But maybe I am wrong. I heard they are doing that because they are trying to get to the highest point. The higher the better!

 

[holliehawk]

YEAH! That is what I always thought and read... It came from an Iguana owner so maybe it just applies to them?

 

[Leedslad88]

Ive also not heard of that one?

The higher they are the more comfortable they feel. Being in the highest point enables them to see more and thus makes them feel at rest

 

[hun73r]

It is MHO that dominance is not what is being displayed in reptiles but in this case seeking out the highest point for security and overall viewpoint advantage.

Reptiles are not pack dwelling animals and the fights and displays that they show in the wild would be more territorial or ownership related than dominace or establishing a "pack order".

 

[Texas Panther Man]

The whole height dominance theory as stated doesnt apply to reptiles in my opinion. It does occur with birds as they are flock animals. The highest perching bird is usually the dominant one of the flock. The rule is if you have parrots you want their perches at eye level or below for that reason. Sorry to get off topic a bit.