Reptiles as social creatures

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Jack Dempsey
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Nov 24, 2005
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I am bringing this topic to this forum, to see what your views are. This is a more complex sunject so please dont derail. Id like to get your view points, examples on this. Are they actually social, or is it chance socialisation ie : sharing the same basking area shelter etc... My opinion is they are chance social animals, and the only real socialisation takes place only during mating.

Thoughts?
 
There are definitely examples of pure chance socialization ie stacks of basking turtles that don't care to distinguish between other turtles and rocks or logs. I believe with some reptiles there is more to their social interactions-but I have to go to class, so I'll come back to this later....
 
andyjs;2423853; said:
There are definitely examples of pure chance socialization ie stacks of basking turtles that don't care to distinguish between other turtles and rocks or logs. I believe with some reptiles there is more to their social interactions-but I have to go to class, so I'll come back to this later....
Click to expand...


I agree there are more complex social behaviors within certain species. But I am still convinced they have to do with enviornmental factors or events that force socialization.

Exmaples: 1.Rattlesnake dens used for hibernation
2.Komodo Dragons feasting on a buffalo because it is the only
available food source.
 
i agree with the point that its a ummm kind of like a "forcible" situation that brings them together like they want to bask and the only spot is being taken or the only food they can find is already being eaten so they seem to react to each other but in actuality there just doing what they need to live
 
How about comparing social habits in captivity and in the wild. For example, I doubt that leopard geckos are social creature in the wild. Yet when raised from the very beginning with each other they obviously grow accustom to one another and have no problems (in most cases) sharing a den or hide with each other. I can't imagine in the wild they would allow another animal that is viewed as competition under the same rock or den.
 
How about crocs. Many of them are fairly social creatures especially the Niles. They work together to bringing down food, bask together and have pecking orders during meal time. They also den together during droughts. In most cases they live in loose groups of females, young sub adults and one dominate male.
 
Crocs are a good example of circumstantial socialisation, they hunt together only when the wilderbeast migrate. Its etched in their instincts to be able to detect when these events take place, and find a way to put up with eachother. But we cant compare that to a herd of mamals who day by day work together for the betterment of their group ie meerkats.

Captivity does show the versatility most reptiles have by showing they can indeed socialise to an extent while in a square box. However there some reptiles that are so primal that even captivity will not stop them from tearing another of their kind to shreds, with the only exception being mating.
 
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