Yes I changed to front opening about 12 years ago and noticed a major
difference. Both my daughter and I use front opening except for quarantine
and mini feeding cages. Margaret
----- Original Message -----
From: "Hilde" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2001 10:18 AM
Subject: Re: Happy just to be with my gek
>
> I've found this 'friendly leo' thread interesting.
>
> A few years ago I read an article in one of the reptile magazines about
> leopards. I can't remember exactly who wrote it, but it was a well known
leopard
> breeder. (Can't find that issue of the magazine right now to check). I'm
trying
> to remember the specifics of this one cage set-up mentioned. If I remember
> correctly, the group of leopards was in a top opening set-up, and then
moved to
> a front opening one. The author mentioned that the change in behaviour in
the
> leopards was remarkable. They used to be somewhat timid, but in the front
> opening one they changed to friendlier, outgoing and even voluntarily
walked up
> his arms. His theory was, at least in part, that once 'the hand' reached
in
> from their level, not from above, it wasn't perceived as a predator, and
they
> were more relaxed.
>
> Over the years, I've had my leopards in glass tanks, top opening, like a
lot, if
> not most people do. Now I've got some in front opening cages and noticed a
> distinct difference too. There are 2 sections with 4 cages in each. The
leopards
> in the ones near the top, at my waist or shoulder level, are friendly as
> anything now. They come out to check what I'm doing when I reach into the
cage,
> they walk up my arms, always ready to interact. The ones lower down, at
knee and
> hip level to me, are not quite as friendly, first stopping to see what or
who is
> coming into the cage. Once they see it's only me, they also interact
willingly,
> but not quite as calmly as those in the higher cages. The difference
between the
> leopards in top cages, and those lower down is very noticeable.
> Both are a world of difference when compared to the top opening set-ups.
>
> It's not at all unusual for them to stand at the door and watch us at any
time
> of the day. A couple of times I've tried an experiment, where I held a
cricket
> or superworm in my hand, about 3 or 4 feet from the cage while one of the
> leopards was watching me. He definitely saw the food, and tried to get to
it.
> While I was walking towards the cage, the leopard kept his eyes on my
hand, and
> walked right up and grabbed the bug the second it was within reach. Yet,
when I
> had them in top opening cages, in the same spot in the room, I rarely saw
any of
> them check us out the same way. I don't think any of them would have cared
if I
> had held a tub full of crickets in my hand.
>
> I really don't know what, if anything this proves, but it's interesting.
Quite
> possibly, like the author of the article said, they don't see me as a
predator
> or threat since I'm on not approaching from above, like most predators
would.
>
> If anyone else has noticed a change in behaviour after a set-up change, it
would
> be interesting to compare notes.
>
>
> Hilde
> --
> ~*~***~*~
> Chaos, panic, & disorder
> - my work in the kitchen is done.
> "Mageirocophobia" is the intense fear of having to cook.
>
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