How much do Beardies physically feel?

[Tuesdaymcm]

We have a new baby bearded dragon, an he absorbs a lot of our attention. We love to scratch is face and pet him on his back. But the question is, does he really feel it? And if he can, does he enjoy it? Does he LIKE to be scratched? We massage his belly sometimes too, but how do you know if they are happy about it?

Another question, which I have seen debated here recently, can they actually get attached to you? Do they love you? Or do they at least love your attention? I've heard people say that they can't get attached to you, they just love their heat and food. I just want to know what at least popular belief is, because I want to think that Spike (the new baby Beardie) can learn to love us and enjoy being around us, but some people don't believe so.

Just curious..

 

[Mediabandit]

If you enjoy petting, scratching and rubbing him and he does not get upset about it and try to get away from you, then keep doing it. As for the question about them being able to love you and stuff, then if you believe they do, then don't worry about what the naysayers say. He is your little buddy now and if you enjoy his company and spoiling him, then go right ahead and don't worry about what anyone else thinks.

 

[clearlyjoyful]

My Itchy is definitely more attached to me and my boyfriend as compared to anyone else. Maybe it is just because he knows us and associates us with food, baths and love, but I think it's more than that. It's more of a personal thing - no real research (that I can find) has gone into this particular issue... (and if it has and I just haven't read it, PLEASE let me know, haha).

 

[Tuesdaymcm]

Well I think they can get attached to people, but I've heard people say, "Thry're just lizards. They aren't capable of emotions like that. They're not cats and dogs." and I didn't know what to believe, but our beardie particularly likes us, and isn't really find of many other people, so that leads me to believe that he is attached to us. But I'd definitely love to hear more opinion. I do like what I'm hearing now lol

 

[clearlyjoyful]

Ah pfft, people who say that are talking out their bums. They have no evidence to back that claim up whatsoever. Who's to say they don't feel emotion? They probably don't the way we as humans do, but they definitely feel something!

 

[Dracosbuddy]

I can tell when Draco looks at me that he loves me

 

[platinumtreasure]

I don't know about love but I do believe that they get just as attached to their caregivers as we do to them. Example...If me and my husband are sitting on the opposite ends of the room and Venus is out she rans over and climbs up me versus my husband. If it is my daughter and my son...she runs over to my daughter. My daughter and I are the ones who are her caregivers. The others just kind of look at her in passing. :silent:

 

[TheWerewolf]

Ah pfft, people who say that are talking out their bums. They have no evidence to back that claim up whatsoever. Who's to say they don't feel emotion? They probably don't the way we as humans do, but they definitely feel something!

Actually they say they do. Scientists do those stupid lab experiments and say, 'no, they can't feel pain. They're just animals, not humans.' But just because the experiments say they can't express emotion doesn't mean they can't. And I think scientists don't know what they are saying sometimes. They say insects can't feel pain, but I know they can. I've kept multiple insects and when they are injured I can see the pain in their eyes! That may sound crazy but I've seen it multiple times. So, I say yes, bearded dragons can feel emotion just like dogs, cats and birds.

 

[bunnyrut]

i don't know, but Mr Dargon has nuzzled my face after i told him i loved him a few times. he scratches and fights to get away from my husband just to run to me.

if they weren't capable of feeling emotions i don't think they would allow us to handle them at all.

 

[platinumtreasure]

I can remember being in a store one day and 2 girls were there with their beardies. The one girl handed her beardie to the other while she was looking at something and I can remember that beardie literally reaching it's little foot to try to get back to her. When she did take him back he was sitting on her shoulder and looking at her like she was the best thing since slice bread! She nuzzled his chin and he nuzzled right back. He was looking at her with since love I thought to myself and it showed that she took really good care of him. It was at that moment I remember thinking gosh those little critters actually seem to bond with their owners.

I say YES they do feel emotions.


I know my Venus does.

 

[StaceysBuddy]

When I pet my beardie I'm pretty sure she can feel it. She usually closes her eyes and gets more comfortable. And like everyone else, even if they have "proof" that they can't feel emotions, I don't care. Buddy does. Buddy knows when it's bath time, she tries to run up my arm to avoid it. She knows me compared to other people, even if it is just my scent or that I care for her.
What about when they are sick? They can obviously feel that because they act like they are sick. Not sure if that's an emotion but whatever.
Even though Buddy hates baths, after she lays eggs and I have to get all the sand off of her, it's like she knows, she doesn't fight with me. Maybe because she is tired from all the laying of eggs but she lets me wash her and everything. Any other time, she will try to get out of the water or avoid the bathroom in general.
You can tell when your beardie is being a diva or grumpy or hungry. I can anyway, I'm sure you all can.

 

[wolfysluv]

I am a very, very science oriented person and very skeptical and questioning of every thing in life. But I do think they have some basic emotions. And I do believe they at least get 'attached' to individual people. Yes, they say reptiles do not have emotions. There is no proof other than the fact that they just plain dont have that portion of the brain that holds emotions like some other animals. But who's to say other portions of their brains arent' being utilized for that in some way. If they dont feel emotion, then how do they get stressed? How do they know to take off like a rocket when there is something "scary" around?

Let me tell you something. My entire life I heard that birds had no emotions as well. And scientists SWORE by it. SWORE they proved it. Then Alex the African Grey came along and their eyes were opened. More studies were done by behaviorists and they became more open minded about it. What is their stance today? I"m not sure. I know students of science still whine that a bird doenst have that portion of the brain or that its too small to be active in any productive way. I'm going to show you something that is very hard to look at okay? It changed my life in that I saw Science is not perfect. It's always evolving. remember in decades to come? All of our questions and current beliefs about many things, will be viewed as barbaric and moronic because we will have even learned more. So never presume to "know" everything.

Here is the video as promised. A cockatoo (distant relative to reptiles) was stolen from my friend. It was all over the news. He was special. She raised him from a chick and he had special needs. I cried and cried, heck we all cried. There was massive search for him. The heat we put on the robbers was so much so that they pretty much quickly dumped the bird in a park ... sold him for a couple hundred to the first person that made an offer. Those people got home, saw the news, and realized it was my friends long lost baby. And they kindly called her. Jaden came home, and she sent me this from her blackberry. Its now up on YouTube as well. This bird is ... CRYING. Crying. You can't see the tears because its blurry. But if you turn it up, you can hear and the sobbing. She had to hold him in that chair, still, until dinner time. It was horrible. She and her husband had to use their hands to peel him off of her, he had a death grip on her. Today, Jaden is happy and lives with his mamma. We dont know how much he remembers as large parrots are horribly brilliant. His friend Mika was recovered later, and it looks like Bailey is gone for good.

You don't "cry" if you dont feel sad ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhjgV48lMCc&feature=plcp

 

[platinumtreasure]

Oh my gosh. I actually got teary eyed listening to Jaden cry. It was very obvious that baby was feeling some sort of emotion.

 

[TheWerewolf]

Oh my word, that brought tears to my eyes! I am literary sobbing! We have birds, a green cheeked conure and six cockatiels. So that bird crying touched my heart. Yes, that is pure LOVE. Our green cheek is almost the same way. He broke his leg and he was so sad. He felt pain and sorrow that he broke his leg. Let me tell you a short story. So I had two leopard geckos one male, one female. We housed them together (I know that is not recommended) and of course the male tried to mate the female many times and she lost toes and the tip of her tail. But, when the male died the female became VERY depressed. If she had tear ducts she would have been crying. She stopped eating and her body slowly deteriorated. She died after two weeks after the males death. She loved Leo, the male, even though he abused her. That is pure love! And I know my Nim will be like glue to me in no time.

 

[bunnyrut]

that is upsetting. Parrots, especially the big ones, have the mental capacity of a 2 year old.

My mom's macaw got startled a flew off, the one and only time this bird ever flew. and she chased after him, down the highway, in her bare feet. when she finally got him he was on the side of the road, exhausted and panicked. of course, someone called the police about a crazy lady running down the road.
the police took her, and the bird, to the police station. they questioned her for hours about her sanity, and kept her macaw locked up in a tiny cage in another room. they weren't going to give him back to her. they sent her home and kept the bird.

hours later, after spending the rest of the day crying, they showed up at her door with the bird. He wouldn't stop screaming "MOM" at the top of his lungs. they tried everything, he didn't stop screaming until he got home and saw her.

a dumb, emotionless animal would not react that way over people. they would just be content wherever they are as long as they have food and shelter.