Serious question. Do frogs and other reptiles like to be hugged?

[undeterred]

These are the kind of critters I'm not too comfortable picking up.

[alphafemale]

1. ummm...they like warm?

being grabbed or held against will...not so much.

at what point in their off/on reptile brain that line is crossed?

They'll let you know.

[siligut]

2. A friend grew up in the Philippines, she hugs her chickens

I don't feel comfortable hugging a chicken, but she does and the chickens love her.

[siligut]

6. Modern day birds as the descendants of dinosaurs crossed my mind when I posted

I learned that in anthropology many years ago. Your parrots sound sweet. I dated a man who had a female parrot and she hated me, thought of me as competition I think. Her pupils used to dilate back and forth when I was near.

[siligut]

9. Kudos to you

Rescue parrots? I think it is so much more difficult to care for non-mammalian animals anytime, let alone those with issues. That your parrots want to be close to you and climb inside your shirts is sweet. The other behavior, well I don't really know, but it is a good thing that you seem to

[nolabear]

11. We used to have rescue parrots too. Now just Pidge, our African Grey.

And they are all as different as can be, that's for sure. My husband has a particular talent with birds. They adore him. Pidge likes me fine but as you said there are certainthings that are part of each relationship. I truly enjoy her, for the most part. The toddler stuff like tantruming when she wants something you've got and going apeshit when you're on the phone is amusing and annoying at once.

[Kali]

15. oh god, the phone

NOT allowed!

[saras]

3. Some birds can "learn"

They don't have mammalian brains, so it's not going to MEAN the same sorts of things. But if it doesn't set off alarms in them, you can train them to associate it with positive stimuli. People successfully train pet snakes to be people-friendly, within limits. Chickens are really social, but probably by chicken and not mammal standards.

[siligut]

4. My friend's chickens run to her when they see her

Maybe she means food to them, but she also hugs and kisses them.

[dimbear]

8. Boas like hugging.

Just crushes.

[surrealAmerican]

10. Frogs are not reptiles.

Should we be talking about reptiles or amphibians here?

[Kali]

14. ...

beat me to it

[undeterred]

18. What about chickens?

[Kali]

20. frogs are not chickens either

though some enjoy dining on both kinds of legs

[saras]

21. tastes like chicken...

[nolabear]

12. Not per se.

Hugged? No. Touched, stroked, scratched? Sometimes. Reptiles (frogs are amphibians) like warmth so a tame one will enjoy a warm lap. They can recognize patterned behavior so can respond to when you're going to feed them or turn on a light for heat or some such. It's low level intelligence but I believe they respond with some pleasure to pleasurable sensation. Hugs they'd have no use for. But we can get away with a lot of handling because we're just smarter.

[backwoodsbob]

13. gators dont

just saying

[OriginalGeek]

16. I hug frog legs with my TEETH

and a little while later with my butt.

[Wait Wut]

17. Not sure about hugging, but...

...I heard licking them was popular once. Not sure if the recipients of that affection appreciated it, though.

I personally love reptiles. I've never tried to hug one, but have cuddled with a few snakes and one iguana. They didn't seem to mind.

[trof]

19. Them Toad Suckers. Mason Williams.

"How about them toad suckers? Ain't they clods?
Sittin' there suckin' them green toady frogs.
Suckin' them hop-toads, suckin' them chunkers,
Suckin them leapy types, suckin' them plunkers.

Look at them toad suckers. Ain't they snappy?
Suckin' them bog-frogs sure makes 'em happy.
Them huggermugger toad suckers, way down south,
Stickin' them sucky toads in they mouth!
How to be a toad sucker? No way to duck it.
Gittchyseff a toad, rare back and suck it!"

[UnrepentantLiberal]

22. Man Sleeps With His Best Bud, a 445kg Croc

Who wants puppies and hamsters when you can have a half-ton croc as a pet?

52-year-old Chito and 5-meter, 445kg Pocho became best friends since 20 years ago after Chito nursed him back to health after he found Pocho dying from a gunshot wound.

Now these two have got some history together: Chito "stayed by Pocho's side when he was ill, sleeping next to him at night. I just wanted him to feel that somebody loved him, that not all humans are bad."

"After a decade I started to work with him. At first it was slow, slow. I played with him a bit, slowly doing more. Then I found out that when I called his name he would come over to me."

http://www.google.com/cse?cx=016029227907449184321%3Abfemlva_yk0&q=Chito%20Pocho%20half-ton%20crocodile%20reptile#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=Chito%20Pocho%20half-ton%20crocodile%20reptile&gsc.page=1