Do you think your bearded dragon loves you?

[taniacrowe]

Do you think your beardie loves you, or do you think that bearded dragons are more so accustomed to their owners? I can't find a definitive answer on google, some people believe their brain is too small and we project our emotions onto them.

I think, well I'd like to believe that Krillin loves me. I hope he does, and I hope he doesn't just tolerate me. Reptiles aren't as affectionate as cats or dogs, or are they - and we just don't recognize it? What do you guys think?

 

[fcooper]

I know that Boo loves me. I will come home from work and she'll be laying on her hammock looking all depressed, but as soon as I walk into the room she perks right up. When I take her out to feed her some greens, I will have her wrapped all snug in our electric blanket and even though it's warmer in there, she'll still climb up onto my arm to snuggle. I know that it's because she missed me and loves me. And, I know that she knows that I love her too.

 

[smaugthebeardie3756]

I don't know that it is as complex as what we think of as love, but I do think they have some form of it. Human emotions are centered in the amygdala, also called the "lizard brain", which is the most primitive part of the human brain, so it would make sense that at least the base emotions would be present in other animals. Again, I don't know think it is the complex type of love and affection that we experience, but some more basic version is not out of the question. They definitely recognize that you are not a predator and you give food. They are solitary animals so even if they were capable of more complex emotions, they likely still would not be as outwardly affectionate as dogs or even cats. I do think they have their own version of this too though. I'm convinced my guy plays with me by hiding behind some furniture during his roaming time and running out when I notice him, then going to hide somewhere else and surprise me. He also follows me around on occasion and seems to want me to follow him sometimes, looking back at me to make sure I'm still there and turning around if I stop.

 

[Xjrosie]

I think Thor knows he can trust me.

He hates baths. He nonstop tries to get out. But I don't let him out till I've given him a thorough scrubbing on his beard with his baby toothbrush. And he will sit there and wait for me to get done. No black beard, no pancake, no head bobbing. And when I'm done, he waits till I put my hand down and he walks up my arm to my chest.

If I'm sitting on the couch, he wants out to be on the couch with me. Eventually, he does get down and roam, but he usually comes back when he's done and will crawl onto my chest and lay down like a baby with his tiny head on my shoulder.

So, I think they do feel affection for us, but I think it's mostly trust.

 

[NightRaysMoon]

This is surprisingly a debate I really only see with beardies. If a betta fish can have personalities; beardies have feelings. Kazoku sure has a bond to me. A few days ago I was petting him, his eyes closed. I started thinking what would I do if he was very sick, I was crying a bit, he noticed and wouldn’t close his eyes again with me petting his head.
Kazoku has a black beard when in his enclosure, if mom is holding him he takes longer to lighten his beard, if he is with me his beard lightens up in like 2 minutes.
Compared to my late beardie; Dio, who didn’t fully know who I was nor had that much human contact before she was rehomed to us. She never really liked being next me when I fell asleep with her at night. Kazoku stays right with me at night.
I guess this turned into talking about bonds but bonds and love go hand in hand.
I will note this; I had three bettas, the first hated humans, the second was neutral, the third let me pet him and greeted me every time I came near the tank. Just like them beardies can have their own perspective on humans as well.
My friend told me she did that infamous maze science project but with beardies and they got faster every time they did the maze.