Then so what if it's an animal? Most animals don't shoot out fire or lightning, either!

[Like geez man it's as if you've never encountered an above-average intelligent creature before.]

Okay so it can't talk, but that doesn't mean it doesn't communicate or understand what you're saying. What's so wrong with saying "please don't bite me" you're going to be traveling with it anyway, you may as well get the ground rules out of the way.