most common questions people ask.

[thestem07]

Ok since I got my tegu, I have noticed there are common questions everyone who doesnt know much about reptiles ask, when they find out you have a reptile (other than a snake) that has the potential to grow to 4ft.
Two of the most common questions I get are, does he bite and what does he eat?
I understand the what does he eat, as tegus are what I would consider exotic and not well known. I just dont understand the question about biting?
What is it about larger reptiles that makes people assume they bite?
I wouldnt ask if your new dog bites, or lets even go with another fuzzy exotic animal for comparison, a farret.

Wow kinda sounds like I am angry about it... I am not and really I dont mind answering, No quite the opposite actually :-D

I was really just wondering what are some other common questions everyone has encountered when telling others they have a large lizard?

 

[reptastic]

i think those 3 questions would have to top my list other than can they pet them lol i take my larger reptiles outside a lot during the warmer days so people see them alot

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

All kinds of questions from the norm to the not so norm. When I tell people what I have, when they see a pic of my reps and or when I take them to work. I get questioned up the wazoo. My boss is afraid of him but he stopped me to ask how he was doing the other day,...I was :shock: :lol: . I work in a Vet hospital and a lot of our Vets are afraid of and won't treat certain animals,... I don't get it :roll: .

But anywayz,..questions like do they bite, what do they eat, has it ever tried to eat me or my other pets, what is its temperament like (since most people are use to seeing monitors and iguanas)?

What made me want and get one, Where did I get it from, what do they feel like, Aren't you afraid of it :lol: ?

Do they have feelings, does it know you, how and or can it recognize you, Does it poo and if so where does it come from and what does it look like?

:lol: All kinds of stuff. Just like snakes I have had people who are afraid of him still come up, ask questions and touch his tail or back when he's not looking :mrgreen: . Even at work people still flip when they see him,...which is understandable to a degree. I mean he's bigger than most of the pets that come through there.

I guess the top 3 questions would be,...

1. What is that?
2. Does it bite?
3. What does it eat?

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

As for the does it bite question,...I never say no. Whether its a child or an adult, I feel as though saying no is misleading.

My answer is always the same,..." It has a mouth with very sharp teeth so it can bite". To me saying no is just asking for it to prove you wrong. Which for someone who maybe afraid of it and have it turn and bite them after you just said it doesn't bite. Would create a bigger problem then if you were honest and open about it.

More than like he won't bite but there's always that chance.

Just my dinars on it. :-D

 

[Jefroka]

No one's asked if my pets bite. They ask what do they eat & how big do they get?

Another very popular question is, why do you have/keep them?


...Jefroka

 

[reptastic]

lol another question i get is "do you like normal pets like dogs and cats" i always respond" for me this is a normal pet" lol

 

[thestem07]

Bubblz, I like your response to the biting question I am going to use that from now on, seems how he has bitten me before but that was almost 100% my fault, I didnt wash my hands after getting his food around when I first got him.
Reptastic, I get the normal pets question form a few people, and I do like dogs, (not keen on cats though) but I am allergic to the hair and I explain this and they usually agree a reptile is cleaner than a dog when it comes to hair LOL.

 

[Red Earth Exotics]

Not really a common question, but a common sense question...

I was once asked if my snakes drink water....

 

[TeguKid80]

Haha I like this thread I have gotten Is that legal to keep? Does it bite? (My basic response is anything with teeth can bite) and Why do you bother keeping that isn't it scary having it in your house? Lol...

 

[txrepgirl]

Most people ask me if it's a iguana lol. Our neighbor's girlfriend ask us if our big Arg. b/w Tegu would eat her Wiener dog if he would get loose lol. Since I don't like her I sad yes but her boyfriend know that Leonidas never would be able to eat their dog . Other than that I get the same questions you do.