Post-Brumation and more bonding between the guys

Since Taco is back from brumation, he has gradually ramped up to his normal pre-brumation behavior (eating well, liking his salads, pooping, basking, exploring, coming out early in the morning from his burrow). So nice to see
He's a bit more active than before, I would say - now 13 months old, no head bobbing or acting out but just more active, exploring more, and at the same time more used to being handled and more knowing what to expect. He even wanted out on the previous two days (his average so far was: out once a week or every two weeks), and yesterday even twice (once with my husband during the day, once with me late afternoon). Yep, out with my husband I love that my husband now also dares (!) to take him out, isn't afraid of touching him anymore, and they seem to enjoy hanging out together. My husband showed him the fish tank close-up, let him explore a bit in the office, let him snuggle at his neck and then put him back in the enclosure. Love that I remember months ago when I did similar things, my husband was more like "she dares to touch this creature, brave!", "you know, when you travel for work, I feed him, I clean up his poo, but nothing more".

 

[Chris.]

Very nice. Some people take more time to get used to reptiles and vice versa. Nice to hear your husband is coming around

 

[ChileanTaco]

@Chris.
Yes, he never had a reptile as a pet before, never had any close contact to reptiles and avoided them as far as possible (e.g.: at exhibitions, ranger stations... just watching and never interacting and rather going a step back). Same with insects and arachnids.
He's always been fine with pets/ animals that he associates with the "cute fluffball" (cat, dog, rabbit, guinea pig, budgie) or small fish, but anything more similar to wildlife (reptiles, insects, rats and mice...) was always a big no-no.

But one can learn and can overcome misconceptions. I remember years ago he was also very afraid of all kinds of insects - even caterpillars and feared things they simply cannot do (will this jump into my face?). Nowadays he comments their interesting colors
Or - two things at once - hand-feeds Taco with insects

 

[Sue E.]

I am way more of a wildlife person than most of my family..picking up frogs, hand feeding worms to my beardie, snuggling with reptiles and petting snakes etc. Only thing I cant warm up to is spiders. I guess maybe I could get past that with tarantulas, but Im more of a look dont touch with them.

 

[xp29]

I am way more of a wildlife person than most of my family..picking up frogs, hand feeding worms to my beardie, snuggling with reptiles and petting snakes etc. Only thing I cant warm up to is spiders. I guess maybe I could get past that with tarantulas, but Im more of a look dont touch with them.

I LOVE jumping spiders.
I've rescued a few Tarantulas from out of the road here. I just move them off into the desert 🏜 in the same direction they were traveling.

 

[ChileanTaco]

I am way more of a wildlife person than most of my family..picking up frogs, hand feeding worms to my beardie, snuggling with reptiles and petting snakes etc. Only thing I cant warm up to is spiders. I guess maybe I could get past that with tarantulas, but Im more of a look dont touch with them.

I also - with one exception: I like spiders, too. Touching them is also no problem, but normally I just don't do so as they are so fragile.
My husband said, when somebody asked him whether I would have problems with the worms and roaches for my dragon, he said: "There is one problem with her: She likes all kinds of animals"

Regarding getting more used to certain animals: My husband, for whom it took some time to bond with Taco (first he really didn't like having such a reptile around, found it disgusting touching "it", and all that kinds...), now has zero problems with him. Just this week he got a lick from Taco on the cheek and he found that cute! He's hand-feeding him dubias and worms, because he likes to observe how Taco catches them, zero problems

 

[Sue E.]

I LOVE jumping spiders.
I've rescued a few Tarantulas from out of the road here. I just move them off into the desert 🏜 in the same direction they were traveling.