Odd Tegu!!!! HELP!

Bxstorm2nv · Member Joined: Jan 02, 2005 Posts: 32 Location: NY

I have a 2'9 Argentine Blk & Wht Tegu and she is giving me a problem that i dont know how to solve. OK I would like my tegu to be nice and calm, the only time she does this is when she is out of her enclosure. When i go to pet her while she is in the cage she rises up and trys to stike at me with her tail, accompanied with some hissing. I have seen what these powerful animals do to mice and i have seen there teeth, so what i fear is the same being done to my hand. She also has bit down on my hand with a glove once and that did not feel to good either. The only way for me to take her out of the cage is by putting a sheet over her (blindfolding) and then lifting her up and out. After that she is calm. What i would like is for her to be calm inside the cage when i go to pick her up as well as out. Any idea's?

Junior · Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:26 pm Post subject:

GOOOOOOOOD LUUUUUCCCCK...... Lady hisses and runs everytime. But like your tegu she loves to be out of her enclosure. I have to chase her around her enclosure until I finally get a handle on her. But even than she fights me bites me and anything else she can think of at the time... She calms down when put her on the ground and after that she is good its just picking her up I think she doesn't care for. Like Rick pointed out on another post. I think they just like the safety of being on their legs. I put her on my lap after all the hissing and wiping of the tail and she is fine.

charlene · Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:59 pm Post subject:

Taming your tegu down enough to be picked up out of their enclosure can be a difficult task especially with large tegu like yours. When I have an aggressive tegu I try to get them use to my hand in their cage by reaching in and just petting them on the top of the head. When they have sufficiently calmed down then try to pick them up. I try to do this without gloves but given the size of your tegu i'd use them (at least at first). This takes A LOT of time and patience and I have never used this method on a tegu that big...just so yea know

Charlene

John · Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 1:13 pm Post subject:

Don't expect results right away. The "calming process" (taming is the wrong word as that would mean they are domestic which clearly they aren't) takes time. Generally speaking a baby will be more high strung then an adult. Give it time, work with them daily, things should turn around.
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Bxstorm2nv · Member Joined: Jan 02, 2005 Posts: 32 Location: NY

thanks alot....im going to give her a try but if she doesnt turn around im going to have to let her go and try with a younger tegu. I dont want to do this because i like her alot. So all i have to do is pet her inside of her cage alot right? Well wish me luck.

Johelian · Retired Mod Joined: Nov 22, 2004 Posts: 848

She has to get used to your presence, so you dont just have to pet her every time - in fact, chasing her around when she clearly doesnt want to be touched will only further anger her and set you back.

Best way to start is to just do things insider her cage. Im presuming you mjst have a pretty sizable enclosure for such a large animal, so just spend time leaning in there every day doing regular things like misting, cleaning and so on so that she gets used to having you around - and more importantly learns that you arent going to damage her. After a while she should hopefully stop being so wary of you, and this is when you can start touching her and picking her up.

Bear in mind though that most large tegus will not appreciate being picked up no matter what you do; not having the ground under their feet scares them, and will often make a lizard thrash (mine is probably as "tame" as they come and still doesnt like being picked up - though once you get him against your body so that he has something firm under him he is a softie). This, and they will sometimes exhibit signs of territoriality and/or dislike leaving their own environment. In its cage, the tegu knows where it stands; when its outside in a strange place it doesnt know where hiding places or predators might be, and so will often be more hesitant to react. I guess what Im saying is that a new tegu may not solve all your problems

Stick with it a while and see what happens.

filique · Member Joined: Apr 03, 2005 Posts: 12 Location: California

I agree with Johelian. A new tegu may not fix the problems. I was thinking that with my tegu because for a while I was seeing no progress then all of a sudden she seemed to calm down drastically. This may not be the case with yours but it also may. All animals are different. But it may be worthwhile to stick it out. I know my tegu is still apprehesive about being touched on the top of her head but she is a lot more receptive to being touched under her chin, it's just a thought and it might work for you, it might not. I know with a lot of animals they see low objects as less of a threat and it may be helpful in your case.

tegulevi · Respected Member Joined: Mar 10, 2005 Posts: 489

what about a piece of plywood you could prop up and make a ramp out of. You could just leave the door open and let her come out on her own. Would that work?

prolecat · Member Joined: Mar 10, 2005 Posts: 74 Location: Florida

TEGUSFORYOU · Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 5:10 am Post subject: calming tegus

we have 8 tegus right now each has it own personality.i have three albino blues raised from babies i hold and handle them daily and i still have to "chase" them to get them out but once held there fine.my reds are adults and dont see me as a threat to them anymore and dont mind being picked up. my two adult males blue come running at me when i open cage ready to bite or fight but once out, there fine cage aggresion is common in tegus its there home and they do defend it.give it time and work with it dont feed it in the cage. get it out to feed it in another place. tub,floor or a plastic storage bin rubber maid.it does help with charging you when door is open hope it helps