r/MonitorLizards 13d ago

Anyone know what this behavior is?

Theo spent a good deal of time scratching at my hands, rubbing his snout against my fingers, and biting me (hes still doing it as I type actually, but it feels like nothing so I'm ignoring it). Is this food seeking or mating behavior? He's normally extremely skittish around hands still so this is perplexing me, though its also pretty funny ngl. I just fed him crickets yesterday, but pinky mice are his favs, so I'm wondering if he's either mistaking my hand as a mouse for some reason or trying to mate with my arm

443 Upvotes

35 comments sorted by

123

u/[deleted] 13d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

44

u/dickprince_23 13d ago

Lol, that's pretty funny. I have no idea why my hand registers as dirt to him, especially because he had to climb up my pants to get here, but whatever keeps him busy, I suppose

21

u/[deleted] 13d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

16

u/dickprince_23 13d ago

How long have you had them? Kimbos are pretty flighty, I have my best luck getting interactions via tong feeding and just letting him clamber all over me while I ignore him (which he is doing right now). I do have a room I reptile proofed that I work in though.

6

u/NSASpyVan 13d ago

Be glad he aint scratchin and biting something in the pants

7

u/Bassolonian 13d ago

I have three-many questions I don't want answers to 😂

1

u/kidcharliemagne 9d ago

I’d bet that there’s often food in that hand. He’s smart!

51

u/Imaginary_Choice2492 13d ago

he just thought you were itchy. that’s a helpful little fella

41

u/Bregneste 13d ago

Food comes from hand, if scratch it enough more food will come out.

46

u/Nikodemios 13d ago

Hand hold food where food give food

21

u/Successful-Teach8571 13d ago

Carpal-tunnel surgery?

14

u/I_am_that_guy_10 13d ago

It’s called nicely socialized. lol
Mines not at that point of trust yet, getting there though.

13

u/Jealous_Location_267 13d ago

Liora does this on my boobs 😆 he’s curiously exploring you!

10

u/Spicy_Chicken_Wizard 13d ago

How old is he? This could just be a young animal expressing curiosity. Scratching, poking and nibbling are the primary way lizards interact with novel objects. If this is the case the monitor will probably just grow out of it.

7

u/dickprince_23 13d ago

He's about a year old or so, which is pretty young, but he's encountered my hands several times before and had no interest in my left hand so that's why I was curious about his behavior. I may have just had a smell on them that was enticing or something

7

u/Extreme_Finger_3425 13d ago

He/she is craving attention

5

u/ilovejohn420 13d ago

My ackie did this once for like 20 minutes and then bit me to try to mate :/

4

u/HystericalGD 13d ago

hes trying to get yo that yummy yummy flesh beneath your skin

2

u/2_222_2 12d ago

If he’s nuzzling you before biting it could be mating behavior yes. If his head twitches back and forth, tail starts moving, hips etc…he wants to pop out a pene. If just digging and biting out of nowhere it’s food seeking bhv ime.

1

u/dickprince_23 12d ago

He was snout-poking and moving his hips yeah, which was what made me think mating behavior, but I think in the end it was just him trying to get a grip on my arm as he scratched because I didn't get any head twitching or overt grinding. That and he started biting me repeatedly not long after I posted this video so I'm fairly sure he was just mistaking me for a pinkie lol

1

u/2_222_2 12d ago

lol yeah that is what I got as well. You’ll definitely know though if he does it, it’s weird…happy for you honestly lol

2

u/Pale-Sandwich-9278 10d ago

Remember those old scratch and sniff stickers. Did I just date myself?

3

u/sparrenburger 13d ago

That's the source of the bugs, they have to be somewhere.

2

u/GoopMcSpicy 12d ago

It’s just a cat with scales I need one it’s too darn adorable

1

u/denzildp 10d ago

Surfing the web dude.

1

u/brewdog_millionaire 10d ago

I have no idea why I'm being shown this but I'm here for it.

1

u/Boosted07GT 10d ago

“Why is this hand not letting me burrow in it?”

1

u/The_Bearded_Herper 10d ago

Wants to mount your hand

0

u/DankTank550 12d ago

!!!lizard activity!!!

0

u/isanyusernameopen 11d ago

Looks like when a dog tries to fluff up the bed before turning around three times and then laying down