# Well my tegu still hates me!



## burke0000 (Aug 13, 2008)

Well Ive had my extreme giant baby for about a month now and he still freaks, its very frustrating not being able to hold him and especially when all the other hatchlings like being handled.

aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


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## PuffDragon (Aug 13, 2008)

Sorry for your troubles bro. I know it can be very frustrating, especially when you just want to hold the little guy. Can you make a video by any chance? So we can see how your approaching him and what not? When I got mine I did not handle them for a week and a half. I did feed outside the enclosure but I got them out by tricking them onto a rock, so I still wasn't touching them. They have warmed up tremendously and I can do anything around them. What methods have you taken to bond so far?


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## JohnMatthew (Aug 13, 2008)

Yeah, you might want to try something different whatever your current approach. Or he just might need more time. My tegu isn't exactly tame, yet, but i've figured out what makes him freak is when i try to scoop him up from the side or rear(like i'm chasing him). When I started offering my hand slowly from the front so he could get a good sight/sniff/bite before i touched him, it got easier. He'll still huff and puff a bit when i'm first going in there, but now as long as I slowly scoop him up head first, sliding my hand under his body he at least doesn't run anymore :-D .


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## Gx3 (Aug 14, 2008)

I had a pair of green iguanas that were extremely wild and the way I finally tamed them down was just sitting with my hand (not moving it at all) in their tank and after half and hour to an hour they would come and check me out and eventually crawl up my arm. How long do you keep you hand in their cage everyday? Oh and like JohnMatthew said don't ever chase them around (even if your only moving slowly), and try slllllooooowwwwllly approaching them from the front after hes basked for a couple of hours.

Oh and I found out a sort of trick that works perfect with my red....I slowly scoop him up like i described (from the front/side) while he is under the light basking, and he'll be walking in my hands and then I slowly move him back out of the light and he seems to be wondering where the light went and it calms him down A LOT, I have used this with other lizards as well with success, so you might want to give that a shot.


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## burke0000 (Aug 17, 2008)

Well guys ive been trying everything that all you guys have suggested. Putting my hand in the cage for long periods of time, putting a worn t-shirt with my scent in the cage, putting hand in front of him and wait to allow him the chance to climb on, tried holding by scooping him from underneath with him seeing me.

very frustrating


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## DaveDragon (Aug 18, 2008)

burke0000 said:


> Well guys ive been trying everything that all you guys have suggested. Putting my hand in the cage for long periods of time, putting a worn t-shirt with my scent in the cage, putting hand in front of him and wait to allow him the chance to climb on, tried holding by scooping him from underneath with him seeing me.
> 
> very frustrating


It sounds like you may need to take a ride to Panama City soon! :mrgreen:


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## leoares27 (Aug 18, 2008)

well, i've had my tegu, bones for almost a year now...and granted, he hibernated for about half that time...and he still hates me too...when he comes out, he peaces out...well, he is curious and wanders till he finds somewhere he can hide in...(which i think i've closed off just about everything, except behind the t.v.) But whenever i want to go near him...i go REAL slow, crouch down so i am not towering over him...and at that last moment, he runs...
I take him out every other day, unless he seems like he wants to come out more (when he jumps, i'll take him out, reguardless of when he was out last)

i don't usually grab him, i will wait...and wait, sometimes coaxing him with turkey...rather than have to grab him...when he is in my hands, he is fine...no prob...
grrr lol.


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## JohnMatthew (Aug 18, 2008)

Tegu's in general tame easier. I guess that means some you don't have to do anything at all to tame while on the other end of the spectrum, you found a little demon  . I think a little attitude in an animal is kind of fun and enjoy when mine arches his back at my approach. Keep at it but don't stress him out trying too much too fast - that will just reverse any progress you might have made.


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## burke0000 (Aug 18, 2008)

Thanks for your responses guys besides him spazzed it doesnt help that to feed him I have to stir him out of his mulch( I know this isnt good but he is only out in the morning and if I put food out at night when I have time to feed him he wont come out and eat unless I get him out). My parents think I was lying to them because before I had the ok to buy the little guy I told them how tame and easy to handle and all that good stuff the tegu would be. I guess out of all those hatchlings I got the little psyhco spazz tegu, once again very frustrating.


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## burke0000 (Aug 19, 2008)

bump


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## Gx3 (Aug 19, 2008)

If you continually pick him up while he is sleeping it can be very threatening to him. They may be the problem. When they are burrowed they think they are safe and it acts the same way a "house" would. I would try and let him come out on his own, he should at least come out for an hour or two a day to bask.


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## JohnMatthew (Aug 19, 2008)

If he's only out early when you're not at home try putting some food in his enclosure(you might not like doing it but it's alot less stressful for your tegu than digging him up in the afternoon). If you could have one of your parents check on the food and remove it a couple hours later that'd probably be best. That way you avoid him trampling through uneaten food and maybe later eating something covered in mulch.


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## PuffDragon (Aug 24, 2008)

Burke check your PMs


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