being TOO patient??

crawldad · New Member Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Ohio

'evening! Michael (crawldad) here. As my couple posts will show, I have had exotics for 30+ yrs., but have a bit of a quandry with my "Jeffie". Except for taking him out of the shipping container, I have not held him. He hibernated very shortly after arriving last fall. He and I have a speaking relationship, as I open his cage and basicly enter with my upper body, and grub around doing clean-up and watering. He usually just watches. Occassionally gets up and explores me, or walks away. I have touched him a few times, and only spooked him once. Never had a tail whip. But I have not "grabbed him" or "scooped him up". I read a lot, and see where trust is important with these animals. I don't want to push it. We are entering his second month of spring/ summer activity. He just shed, and is eating well. Am I waitng TOO long to handle? We (my family) are looking forward to a long relationship. Toss me an opinion or a suggestion if you would please.

Tegster · Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 8:15 pm Post subject:

Hi there,

We just returned our Tegster to Rick Sisco this weekend. My son admitted he was too much work and that his first reptile should have been smaller and a bit less worry and care.

What I did see upon handing his container over to Rick confirmed to me that we had been MUCH to timid in the handling of Tegster. Rick immediately opened the container, and with a confidence that can only come from many years of experience, scooped up Tegster and hugged him to his chest. Tegster only squirmed for a nano second. He then began stroking him. After several minutes he handed Tegster off to his wife. She had him in sort of a "football" hold and was stroking the side of his neck. He never moved.

I was sort of mad at myself because I was always telling my son "don't restrain him", or "put him down he obviously doesn't want to be held". Maybe if I hadn't said anything and just let my son handle him the way he wanted Tegster would have become "social".

Don't wait. Start today. Be gentle, but firm. And hold your tegu often. I would do things different next time.

_________________
Renee

crawldad · New Member Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Ohio

nice series of tail whips............

I'll wait a couple days to try again

Tegster · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 5:55 pm Post subject:

Yeah-they're not necessarily going to like it at first. But do it everyday anyway. I wouldn't hug a small tegu to my chest, I'd let him climb on me after scooping him up - being sure to support all four feet. Tegster was approximately 3 feet long so Rick sort of hugged him to his chest and he calmed right down.

While holding your tegu take him somewhere around the house and show him something new and interesting. They are very curious. He'll start to look forward to being out of his enclosure.

But beware, we found that before Tegster grew to be 3ft long - he liked to leap from us to close surfaces. Sometimes he leaped from one person to another. I don't know if they all do that.

Good luck! It's a process.
_________________
Renee

crawldad · New Member Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Ohio

Thought I'd post an update. My normal routine with Jeffie now is to open both doors to his enclosure, as soon as I enter my "critter room", and do my clean up to his home. He has not come to me on his own, and usually struts around the cage while I am in there. I spend about 1/2 hr. each day in the cage (literally laying on the ground), and his reaction is more laid back. But I still haven't forced the "I gotta scoop him up and hold him" yet. Except when I re-entered the room last night, I almost stepped in a nice fresh lizard dropping, and thought uh oh, I forgot to close the second door. So, I found him walking along the far wall exploring. I decided it was a good opportunity to allow him into my space, and proceeded to do more maintenance on other animals. He avoided me, but never ran away. After about 15 min., I sat on the floor, and decided it was tim to pick him up. I persuaded him towards his cage and after putting on some gloves, scooped him up. I only SAW the teeth, did not feel them. But I can imagine the damage they could do. He wriggled, and kept his mouth open, but soon calmed down, as I had hoped. I took the gloves off and was able to stroke him, and held him for a good 1/2 hour. My hold on him eventually loosened and felt as though he was comfortable. What a beautiful animal they are. Eventually, I laid my hands down in his house, and he calmly walked away. YES!! What an awsome feeling. I do hope this is a step in the right direction. He has since eaten (enjoys a variety of f/t rodents, vitamin supplemented chicken breast and ground turkey, and has started on apples). My wife took some pictures while I had him out, so I will add some more pix to my photos soon.

I do tend to babble on, but this is a subject I truly care about, and this is the place for it. Again, it's nice to be here

Tegster · Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 1:11 pm Post subject:

Nicely done!

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Renee