@LieschenrelleuM Igor performs absolutely no labour around the household beyond being cute*. He's a blue-tongue skink, so he's physically incapable of jumping (though he's a stronger climber than one would think!), and he prefers premium wet dog food to insects. He completely lost interest in hunting down and eating live feeder insects years ago (though he *will* chase a cat toy) - I think he knows that I'll end up bringing him the good stuff anyway. He's 18 years old and I figure he's earned his eccentricities. :-)

But I try to sync up our mornings so that he can get up a bit before me on most weekdays: Every morning he sits in the front of the terrarium and waits for me to come and say hi and dispense neck scritches and present my nose for him to lick.

(He doesn't seem to be "jet-lagged" or otherwise disturbed by the DST switch during the rest of the day; he just has a week or so of slightly wonky mornings.)

*) A long time ago he was out wandering in a park for a walk in the summer, when two kids came over and wanted to say hi. After the usual introductions and such, the boy (8ish years, I think) asked what I "used" him for. I was completely baffled by the question ... but I didn't really have to answer it, because the girl (6ish years I think, probably the boy's sister) matter-of-factly stated: "Aw come on! He's a pet! His job is just to be cute!" - which is correct. :-)

@LieschenrelleuM (Here's a picture of him, enjoying the good life. He's omnivorous and *loves* green grapes. But he isn't much of a fly-catcher :-) )

@datarama very cute and unexpectedly huge!

I had kinda pictured a gecko.
Glad to hear a morning ritual involving scritches and noses is the reason he has to get up unreasonably early/late for a while once a year, seems like a fair deal.

@LieschenrelleuM He's a big boy. :-)

(or, uh, big late-middle-age gent? And very friendly.)