A research collaboration into caring for pet lizards has shown that lizards can be trained to make choices, such as selecting to spend time with a heat or a light source. The study carried out over a period of three months, was conducted by Dr Kristie Cameron, Dr Lorne Roberts and student Regina Kowk-Heon of our Environmental and Animal Sciences School; Dr Lindsay Skyner of Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology; and Dr Jodi Salinsky of The University of Auckland.
The research participants; Larry, Danee, Smurf, Omelette and Komodo!
Using five lizards – of different species – they were placed in a T-maze and trained to move to the left arm of the maze for light and to the right arm for heat. Then the reptiles were provided free access to the T-maze and the option to choose whether they turned towards the light or towards the heat. The findings showed that it is possible to train pet lizards to tell the difference between stimuli using a T-maze and that some lizards choose heat over light.
A few of the lizards didn’t show a preference suggesting they needed more time to learn! The data gathered, although only at the beginning of the research, suggests that lizards might not use a resource just because of its presence, but instead make a choice whether to use it or not.
The T-maze
“The research showed us that pet lizard owners need to be aware of their lizard’s ability to make choices, as well as the ability to show a preference for some resources over others,” said Dr Cameron, Lecturer in Applied Animal Behaviour and Husbandry. “This method is a relatively simple way for owners, zoo keepers and anyone with exotic animals to test their animals for preferences, especially if the animal, like a lizard, isn’t able to be handled or trainable like a dog,” said Dr Cameron.
Good lizard husbandry dictates that owners provide an environment and climate for t
heir animals to display normal patterns of behaviour. Without this, lizards could have physiological (for example respiratory problems, deformed bones or atrophied muscles), as well as psychological problems such as stress.
Lizards are ectotherms, meaning that they rely on behaviour to regulate their body temperature, seeking external sources to warm up or cool down. Wild lizards select habitats to spend their time in order to maximise foraging or avoid predators at the cost of access to heat and light. Pet lizards usually don’t have these struggles. They do, however, have the ability to choose not to use these resources.
The research also showed that it’s not just a simple matter of owners providing heat lamps and UV-B light in any areas of the lizard’s enclosure. Although ‘aesthetically pleasing’, the lizard may not utilise heat or li
ght if they are located in an area of the enclosure the lizard does not favour. Therefore, it’s important that resources are placed in the terrarium in positions that owners have observed to be used by the lizards.
The findings of the research will be used to inform owners that lizards are more intelligent than often given credit for and that they do have the ability to make choices. The placement of heat or light sources, food and other enrichment items in the enclosure needs to be carried out with some thought, to maximise the health and welfare benefits.
Really interesting, very cool to have this being done right here at Unitec.