Getting Your Lizard Pets To Trust You

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Kevin McCurley
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New England Reptile
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[@E.C.Animation]

We all just watched over 13 minutes of a guy petting his lizards. :D

[@BachikoiBabi]

LPT: Watch all of your videos on 1.5x speed because life is too short.

[@straightwhitemale5753]

Ssshhhh

[@losttrailarchery]

...when you wanna give up your job and go work for NERD lol

[@crystaltripi6775]

It is truly a beautiful thing how much of your time and affection you give to your animals it is obviously that you see each one as an individual that deserves more than the bare bones care bless you , you really are an amazing person 😊

[@RedQueenOfficial]

so nice to see how gentle you are with them.. and they look so much like baby dragons

[@stevenk.3440]

Kevin, you're videos are so educational. I truly appreciate every one of the videos you release. Anyone can see you truly love your reptiles amd want others to have the same relashonship with theirs as you have with yours.

[@jeevious5]

I could watch these interactions all day. Great information. Thanks for sharing Kevin

[@Acwan82]

Kevin is doing a lot more than just petting his lizards.. TBH a wild caught water monitor is no easy feat earning it's trust in a way where you can "pet" it like in this short clip. I would pay money to learn from Kevin and tour his facility. Kevin, keep up the awesome work!

[@SmilingJimsConstrictors]

Love the way you work with your animals. Has really helped me become a better keeper. Love my monitor and I thank you for the knowledge you’ve given me to make that happen.

[@firequeen7872]

Just wow. Massive respect for your immense knowledge intuition and care for these beautiful beasts

[@mikel724]

Kevin, I love how gentle you are and your desire to interact and love your animals. I'm of the opinion that I have more empathy for animals than I do for human beings. I believe you fall into this category as well!!!

[@tonysprimitiveanimals8445]

Thanks for the great info. I just got 2 tegus myself and I’m gona try your method. I really like how you work with your monitors and how you handle them. I enjoyed every minute of this video. 👍 I’ve seen a lot of other methods but it’s more like forcing yourself on your animal but how you do it, is like how you said it “you need a rope and to make a rope you gotta make a thread. I love that. Awesome video

[@cutznfadez4683]

"threads combined equal rope" 👌🏼

[@Kuultyc]

Great stuff man, this technique works so well, thanks a million for sharing!

[@briangilman1937]

Love the way you work with your animals, it's inspiring me to get back into monitors

[@FirePunchGaming]

would love to see more trust building with a nile monitor. My boy is getting better, but Nile monitors are notorious for distrust.

[@patrickwolfram9410]

Your techniques are the best hands down. Tried them on the dreadful nile monitors lol had them seeking me out and trusting me.

[@garyarthur2988]

My huge male sav loves to cuddle and always comes to me like a friggen dog. Lol

[@pain002]

Mine loves to poop and pee whenever I take him out...And squirm, and tailwhip and bite

[@latinos4whitegirls798]

@@pain002 eat him

[@ianparkinson7039]

You are truly the reptile whisperer Kevin, love your videos

[@michaelphelps7603]

with reptiles you really do have to start off with just getting them used to I remember with my leopard gecko that passed away when he was only a couple weeks old what I would do is stick my whole hand in the tank and just let it sit there and just do that for about 10 minutes and just do that every day and let him get used to my prescence and voice and after about 2 to 3 weeks he was climbing into my hand and was ok with me just being around and a couple weeks after that let me pick him up with these kinds of pets you really have to be patient because they are so timid and cautious

[@wendydillard1]

ok so he liked it after he died? You said " my leopard gecko that passed away when he was only a couple weeks " Then went on to talk about the next 5-6 weeks. wow

[@SpiritofPoison]

So the thing with monitors is their intelligence so you prolly need to do other things for them aswell. Also the other guy who commented is just a dick and has no respect for a persons feelings.

[@airplanegeorge]

this is great stuff, please keep it up, getting a reptile tho like you is everything.

[@Hyperrr]

Ima try this with my iguana! He's kind of a dick lol thanks!

[@NewEnglandReptile]

Ok, does he act like a dick all the time or just part of the year????

[@Hyperrr]

New England Reptile Distributors all the time, he's a rescue he was neglected.

[@FirePunchGaming]

New England Reptile Distributors I would still love to see more trust building with a Nile Monitor. I see along of water monitors, which is fine, just a bit more of an accepting monitor. My male nile is getting better by not biting or hissing, still enjoys evacuating his bowels on occasion. I've been with him since he hatched and is now about 3 months old, I have his female companion on the way.

[@TheAquaYoshiDingbat]

Really amazing video! Thank you for sharing!

[@lisatagliabue6395]

Your work with these animals is incredible! 😃

[@josettetaylor5176]

What kind of monitors are these? They are just wonderful!

[@r.wesleydukes2825]

Inspiring, thank you

[@philthyguitars6407]

You're the best! Really like and love your content and how you work with the lizards

[@rachaels8leggedwonders448]

Dude! I know this is WAY in the backlog, but because of you I have been able to gain trust with a very fearful, neglected boa, and am making great progress with my sav monitor rescue!

[@AssetsStevenLesko]

I love how you try it with different monitors that are at different levels with you. really gives you perspective of what level im at with mine. pleeeease make more

[@ChuckHorneTheLizardRoom]

Love the basilisk clip, those girls looked gravid! I never really handle my knights but I do think having them less prone to nail me would bring a more positive dynamic to our relationship! I'm going to have to give it a try, one thread at a time! Awesome as always!

[@NewEnglandReptile]

You can do it....do the flat hand under them approach and up over your head...never grab as you know!!! Build dem threads!!!!!

[@erikburns1787]

Kevin can you post a video of how you start with an animal that hasnt had ANY human contact yet or starting with an aggressive lizard please?

[@dustinmontanna]

Any tips for a skittish Gargoyle Gecko? I've had him almost 5 months and he is so scared whenever I try to pick him up. I've only handled him a handful of times because of this. Should I just move the leaves and grab him if he's hiding? Do I just put my hand in there until he jumps on it?

[@Cbob222]

wow the baslics are beautiful i didnt know you had them!

[@EVILMORPHGOD]

Yes we breed them.

[@boakeeper4619]

Do you have savannahs for sale n this is so educational for people who want to learn about monitors

[@ReceivingLightweb]

N.E.R.D. are you suggesting that if the Reptile hisses you should not do a thread of trust, and instead back off? I won over my first Savannah monitor by kinda just picking her up, she hissed a lot. Later she stopped, and now she's fine just chilling in my lap. I got a 2nd Savannah who is very active, very alert, and she is more active than my first but she hisses nonstop.

[@chrischris4510]

another great video from NERD! I just rescued a asian water monitor 4 days ago. id say maybe a year old since its about 22" total length. its very skittish right now but surprisingly not hissing, tail whipping or bites considering what the poor lil thing has been through. lived in a 55 gall tank w carpet its entire life so far and a plant light. I'm almost done his cage I built so he be fine and happy now that he will have the right house and care taker! he's eating just not infront of me. I've kinda just left him alone so he just sees me but I haven't tried really handling him so he isn't stressed. any advice when I should try socializing? thanks man keep up the great work

[@nedpaled]

I work with helodermid lizards. They all seem to be born extremely defensive and want to bite. With gentle care most of them calm down and are fairly trusting as they mature. The attitudes of both my beaded n gila colony go way south during breeding season. All the sudden a usually very docile male will chase me right out my reptile room in a fit a hormones..... Their behavior also gets way more aggressive outside.....worked with these lizards about thirteen years and besides baby aggression I have found Beadeds behave aggressive more but it's almost always bluff posturing, but when a Gila is angry it's not bluffing and is much quicker to actually bite you......

[@stevelender6852]

Great info video

[@dysfunctionalthor4719]

Can this work on my water dragon that’s always hiding whenever I enter the room?

[@robreigns5357]

New to your channel. Do you sell baby croc monitors or know someone who does? I've been trying to purchase one for about 2 yrs now

[@MrAkw09]

I just bought an yellow ackie monitor, 2-3 year old male , would you recommend me doing this ?

[@susanmartin3762]

Is Bozo the same species as Slinky is over at Camp Kenan? I absolutely love that animal. He's just like a big giant puppy with a long forked 👅

[@stevelender6852]

Very ingenious

[@RoadSpawn]

On average, do you make positive "threads" multiple times a day with the same animal or is it once a day and that's enough?

[@charlottejorsal8764]

Kevin, any tips on socializing, when the monitor aint afraid of you and comes right away, but is too excited, so even after a bunch of tongue flicks, still thinks you are food and bites, not aggressivly, but if you were a food item? (Varanus Varius) Love your vids! :)

[@Branfaol1]

I've seen at least one vid that went into this may have even been one of his. But some of the tips was 1 getting them use to your scent like putting a old sock in the tack so they start to I'd your scent as a non prey item. Two use tong to feed them or spoon depending on food a size of animal. The associate that with food and not your hands and fingers. Then you work on introduce induction of your hand when feeding them to give distinction between food and non-food. It's a process if you or someone with same question. Here the vid I referred to it was more about younger monitors but the techniques should still apply with older lizards just requiring a little more patients and awareness on your part.kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHvGcpuIqL6eq5I

[@jv122798]

Is it best to always pet them under there chin as opposed to the top of there heads? I have an ackie and always pet her from the top of her head but not sure if that is okay as i only have her for a month or so. Thanks for the awesome videos.

[@janicethefamoldham5346]

Amazing love them all xx

[@dillonmarino4222]

Great video wish my nile was this easy at the start he took forever to tame asian waters are precious

[@SansaStarkofWinterfell]

Kevin, this is the kind of video many of your subscribers required. To see just how far along in their work they are with their lizards they are. Great video #LizardKing ! Great job. Also, I love watching you work. Thanks for the longer video! 🌱Be Blessed 🌼

[@NewEnglandReptile]

Lizard King...I am now using that one!!!!

[@stevelender6852]

Is one species most likely to bite

[@anthonymichel4660]

Excellent work, I get more impressed with every video I watch here at N.E.R.D.

[@reneemaurice9508]

Great video

[@barbaraweekley3319]

Hes so cute I always liked lizards I used to catch them salamanders and lizards in Florida but all these new kinds dragons wow

[@theawakening2946]

I want to come visit you guys where are u located?

[@puhtymekMN]

What kinda monitor is in 8 min ?

[@susanmartin3762]

Human eyes do the same thing. When looking at something pleasing, our pupils dilate. The opposite happens when looking at something we don't find pleasing. There are many behaviors we express without saying a word. True communication is 80% non-verbal which is why texting is so messed up when trying to convey feelings..I despise texting! If you don't want to speak to me then come back when you do.

[@erikburns1787]

My savanna monitor is aggressive when I put my hand in his tank no matter how much he's eaten but not aggressive when outside his tank. Any Advice?

[@panzerkrieg3509]

I think hes just defensive and territorial of his cage, or he might just have a huge prey drive. Have you tried target training him?

[@erikburns1787]

@@panzerkrieg3509 I think it's probably both those things. Because he doesn't try to bite me at all outside his tank. Thank you for your suggestion. I havnt tried that.

[@larrylaird3576]

As I've been watching you work with the monitors, I realize what you are asking so much for your pupil's. I can get a wild caught animal much cheaper but,I would probably lose it for stress or parasites, so I'll save my money and buy one from you that is socialized.

[@GoatyHerps]

They probably see their reflections in the lens. That's my guess for the camera scares.

[@kevinmccurley659]

You could be right!

[@milesdp1990]

Hey NERD. Had a question for you if you had a moment to answer. My Asian water is approaching a year old now. Until now, he has displayed no aggression whatsoever. No biting, tail whipping... not even hissing. Eats from my hands, loves exploring and doesn't mind interaction. Today though I pulled him out (normally he comes out on his own), fed him, and he tail whipped me and hissed at me for the first time ever. Have your monitors ever had bad days before? If so, is that indicative of something the owner has done, or are they going through a mood swing? Any help would be appreciated.

[@NewEnglandReptile]

He got spooked, this happens if we surprise them with a quick sudden movement, noise or stand up over them. Remember, they are acting on instinct and the slow get eaten...but we are trying to override instinct and teach them to think first!

[@christiansanchez1486]

Wonder if this would work for an iguana

[@christiansanchez1486]

@Shannon Smith I love iguanas

[@TacticalLoL]

Holy shit that's sick

[@AndreUchoaUSA]

A Master!

[@CaseyRead]

I'm having a few issues with my Black Throat monitor. He's a big dude, and he's always incredibly hostile no matter where he is. Very dangerous situation. Any short/basic bits of advice for someone who doesn't want to get bitten?

[@anthonyrupe9453]

Casey Read never take your gaurd off simple as that. they can cause serious injury never forget that

[@brianpartlow5530]

I had a Savannah monitor that was mean when I got him. He was an adult so I figured he wasn't handled as a baby. I took it slow with him. I would talk to him when I cleaned his cage, sneak in a quick neck scratch. It took a couple months but he calmed down enough for me to pick him up. I would put him on my lap and give him back rubs. He would get tasty snacks as rewards. Some monitors have major trust issues that take a long time to beat. My Nile monitor never got nice, he would bite any chance he got. You could hold him but you needed gloves because he would spin his head around and chew on your fingers.

[@Blarggnugget]

do water monitors like back rubs? I never really see you rub their backs, just their necks.

[@NewEnglandReptile]

Haa!!!!! I DO Rub their backs too...but the face is a big thing as it is the next step up from a back rub!!!!!!!

[@Blarggnugget]

New England Reptile Distributors ok cool. thanks for your reply. I want one one day, but I want to make sure I can cuddle it with both parties happy.

[@alexcrowder1673]

My Nile definately enjoys his back rubs too haha. Holding their head up all day must be pretty exhausting lol, especially with their long horizontal necks.

[@ARusso22TV]

They remind me of raptors hahaaa

[@kitsune0rei]

The idea of trust threads seems like it can be applied to most animals. It may just be harder with those that don't do as much thinking and are more instinctual. But it seems to be about patience. My savannah monitor is sweet and tolerant, and shows trust, but doesn't necessarily feel affection for me. I'm trying to figure out ways to stroke him that are more positive for him, since he seems indifferent to most "petting." He was luckily mellow when I got him and he is used to me, but I've also gotten better at reading him. I only got bit once (my mistake, when he was still new to me) but obviously shows the intelligence not to choose to bite me. But I know when not to push, and I'm not going to be dumb and wave my fingers in his face with them smelling like food because I know he has a strong food response and he may make a mistake before he thinks. He will come over to me, he is usually curious what I'm doing, and will sometimes hang out, but he's not really into being held or "cuddles". It's kind of funny, I think he gets bored when I'm not there. I do really enjoy him because he's obviously smart and curious. I try to give him room to make his own choices and tell me what he wants. I do think where some people have trouble is they want to make demands of an animal without really looking at how the animal feels. I'm working with my ball python but she is still shy so I'm not sure what else to do but try to keep it positive and give it time. She's obviously not as intelligent as my monitor. She will sometimes hiss when I get her out (since she's always under her hide and so I have to expose her to pick her up), but she relaxes pretty quickly after being held. I figure it is fair for he to be annoyed that I woke her up or made her come out. When she is awake she will be at her hide entrance peeking and flicking.

[@AdamandEveReptiles]

Very nice info! Thanks for the upload brother!

[@MadCircle01]

is this a Nile or Water monitor.

[@ztkreptiles77]

Dude i love this all this will come in handy to help with my baby nile!

[@panzerkrieg3509]

Watching this cause i have a skiddish baby peach throat lol

[@rivers9457]

Whats a thread?

[@NewEnglandReptile]

Come on now, did you watch the video?????

[@b-rc9997]

really like the way you work with monitors. wish I had room for a water monitor

[@bohemianfly1363]

You say the tongue flicking is good. Please elaborate. Does the flicking indicate a relaxed lizard?

[@delta_g2831]

Kape Kape it just means they are smelling the air and being curious which is good

[@GoatyHerps]

Delta_g Same with snakes.

[@kevinmccurley659]

YES! It means that brain is working and they are taking it all in!

[@blazerix8]

Curious and scared don't usually go together so yes it is good to see a curious lizard

[@sevensenseification]

Does all this animals live in this smal boxes without light and correct heat? that is very sad.

[@kevondenson3570]

bruh that nigga jetted at 8:00 but not getting on youre case but youre kinda assertive really fast

[@andiap892]

wow varanus salvadori😘

[@sallydorsey1851]

Love 💕 those Jesus lizard 🦎 mr do little

[@FCTVbboy]

Hello. i have a Varanus Cumingi here in thw philippines. can you help me build his trust? like hes so skittish and jumpy. hes about 3ft.

[@kevinmccurley659]

YES!!!!! Same applies and it works!

[@danielhanis1]

I tried taking my monitor lizard outside today and it was a terrible experience it NEVER bites or even tries to bite but it lunged at my feet and tried multiple times to bite. I fear that all my trust is gone. What can I do to help the monitor trust me again

[@5954ldydi]

daniel hanis Perhaps trade him in for a beardie! Just kidding, I have no idea until you find out I wouldn't take him outside again. I would start slow with him like in this video to see how much trust is gone if any, do that don't push and continue to read your animals reactions. I never owned a larger more aggressive lizard but have had many snakes. A lot of the information you seek is in this video except why he may have gotten so defensive when you took him outside. If you thought about it you should be able to figure out why. Also would depend if you have had him a long time, etc. Hope this helps for now, good luck with your friend :-)

[@TheHAIR00]

daniel hanis don't worry man my Savannah monitor is exactly the same. He's like a little puppy inside and the second I take him outside he starts hissing and whipping and gaping his mouth. I've been taking him outside for 3 weeks straight and now he's not stressed what's so ever when I take him outside

[@GoatyHerps]

daniel hanis Likely just intimidated by the big open spaces that are still new.

[@Johnny-tq9no]

They can sense the uv light and know they are exposed and become very defensive apparently you also look different to the in the uv light

[@eedesign878]

These old clips are better than the new. Too much people and hazzle in the new ones.

[@FruitHunters]

:)

[@liangisaac5312]

Trust building is Chop it into pieces ！

[@keithbridges2144]

To say at 8:09 "that was bad" was bad on your part as the owner. Treat all of your animals with the same level of respect, regardless of their temperaments. When all is said, they are still animals.

[@kevinmccurley659]

WHAT????

[@kevinmccurley659]

"That was bad"....as in that animal was NOT trusting me and ran away!!!!!

[@jimmyburke845]

What is wrong with you? He said was a bad experience for the monitor getting spooked, not hollering at an animal that it was bad.