# Our tegu, Sam, has passed



## m3s4 (Oct 23, 2011)

Very sad night for my gf and I. Our Tegu, Sam, was mauled by a dog I recently took into our home. (This dog is now being removed from the home and placed into a rescue)

The dog was inside of a large iron cage. This particular dog cage has two hinging slide type locks. The dog was able to shake and manipulate the cage enough to get the top lock to open. That's when all hell broke loose.

At the time this dog got out, Sam was with our 5 year old B&W Tegu inside of a small nylon dog carrier sleeping while I was away running errands. I came back to find that when the dog escaped, he was able to bite and pounce on Sam through the nylon sides of the carrier - enough to cause severe trauma and I'm sure, internal bleeding and/or organ damage as well as massive damage to his tail. 

Needless to say, he succumbed to his injuries and his life was cut short by a very unfortunate, as well as preventable, accident. 

Sam was extremely tame for a Black and Gold Tegu and we worked very hard to socialize him with people and got him to the point he didn't need a harness of any kind while basking, roaming or walking in parks or at home. 

He slept in multiple blankets and enjoyed a heating pad on low while resting or sleeping. As Karri and I used to joke, "He knew no dirt", and was very fond of pillows, piles of sheets and bed-spreads. 

His favorite part of the day was soaking after a nice bask, where we'd let warm, gentle water from the shower sprinkle him and his back. Every now and again he'd get rubbed down with pure coconut-oil - typically before and after sheds. 

I think the only thing he enjoyed more then a warm shower (or eating eggs and turkey) was when we would take him on trips and walk him in the dog stroller Karri got him...He was as relaxed and content as could be while we pushed him along and people would come up to check out, what they thought was a baby - only to find an adorable, extremely healthy, happy Tegu peering back at them. 

He was also the star of the show at the Pueblo Car show here in Colorado for the passed 3 years...Many people knew us BECAUSE of Sam - not the other way around. Many people were just as interested in him, as they were some of the hot-rods at the show. 

We raised him from a 5 week-old little adolescent (And had NO idea just how laid back, fun, cool, intelligent and emotional he would be) until his untimely death.

He is and always will be, greatly missed. 

Our little boy.

-Tommy and Karri






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## james.w (Oct 23, 2011)

Sorry to hear. He was an awesome example of a black and gold Colombian.


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## Ditzee (Oct 23, 2011)

I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you for raising a lovely B&G to break the stereotype. RIP Sam! You were a beautiful Tegu. I hope your hearts heal soon. ~Lauren


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## dragonmetalhead (Oct 23, 2011)

Such a sad story. My heart is broken and bleeding for your loss. I hope you feel better soon.


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## Gedy (Oct 24, 2011)

i'm sorry for your loss, he was a realy pretty gu


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## Sirhc401 (Oct 24, 2011)

Such a terrible accident. Sam indeed proved the stereotype wrong. And is a great example of a great tegu. So sorry fir your loss. Hopefully the pain ends soon


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## babyyitslove (Oct 24, 2011)

=0( poor baby.


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## jmulley6 (Oct 24, 2011)

so sorry. I know how hard it is when a new animal you take in does this.


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## babyyitslove (Oct 24, 2011)

Two of our dogs killed my cat a few months ago. They're gone. My husband's cat attacked my leopard gecko. The cat is gone.

Its always tough to keep different animals (without enclosures) without posing a risk.

I truly CANNOT even imagine how angry and hurt you are right now.


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## m3s4 (Oct 24, 2011)

*Thank you all for the heart-felt comments and wishes. 
*
Indeed, Sam truly broke the stereo-type when it came to Black & Gold Tegus. 

I think with enough patience and understanding, any Black & Gold can and _will_ tame down. It just takes longer then a B&W but I can assure you it's well worth it. The main component is trust. 

He was incredibly vocal; you could rub him on his jowls or on his back and most of time he'd give you quick little hisses in succession. No puffing, no arching of his back...just hisses through his snout - sometiems with his eyes closed and his arms in "lounge mode" - you know, when the front arms are stretched back 100% against their sides while basking. Looks like a pretty comfy position if you ask me. 

It was really funny, and he didn't mean anything by it at all. Now, because of the Columbians nature and being flighty and all, he and I understood this. I assume it was probably a built in mechanism and I accepted it. Interestingly enough, when someone new approached Sam for the first time, Karri or I could hold him and pet him and he would NEVER hiss - he was perfectly fine with us since he knew and trusted us. Once they left though, he was back to the same old Sam and his vocalization. 

Last year for his vet exam the vet tried to hold him. He wasn't having that! He did barrel roll after barrel roll and did anything he could do to try and escape the vet holding him. I took him from the vet and he settled down almost immediately. He knew who I was, and he felt safe. Even the vet thought that was an amazing display of trust and both vocal and physical recognition. 

Sam was special to us and he was a great example of a very tame Black & Gold. 

Thank you for all of your support and best of luck with all of your cold-blooded companions. 

-Tommy and Karri


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## Logie_Bear (Oct 24, 2011)

This is such a tragedy I am so sorry for your loss, he sure was a special little fella. Did your other tegu take any damge as well? I'd hate to have this story get any sadder.


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## Rhetoric (Oct 24, 2011)

I'm sorry for your loss, he was a beautiful tegu. It's never easy losing a family member. I'm sorry if this is too soon but do you plan on getting another tegu down the road? I am really happy that you were able to work with him like you did. I would still like to get a colombian some day.


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## m3s4 (Oct 24, 2011)

Logie_Bear said:


> This is such a tragedy I am so sorry for your loss, he sure was a special little fella. Did your other tegu take any damge as well? I'd hate to have this story get any sadder.



Actually Ally, our 5 year old B&W was unscathed and managed to get out of the carrier and hide under a sofa. Sam, although smaller and definitely quicker, for whatever reason, was unable or could not manage to escape. 

My guess is Ally's also full grown and wghs. nearly 8 lbs, Sam on the other hand was 3. I think her size was her saving grace.

She's definitely large enough to fend off a small dog, and likely did what she needed to do to avoid an attack.







rhetoricx said:


> I'm sorry for your loss, he was a beautiful tegu. It's never easy losing a family member. I'm sorry if this is too soon but do you plan on getting another tegu down the road? I am really happy that you were able to work with him like you did. I would still like to get a colombian some day.



We will definitely, positively, be getting another adolescent Columbian one day. They are similar to B&W's but also very different in their own unique way. 

Not to mention I want to try my hand at raising another "harder to manage" Tegu and try to achieve awesome results.


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## TeguBuzz (Oct 24, 2011)

Sorry for your loss pal.


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## JohnMatthew (Oct 24, 2011)

Sorry for your loss.


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## numarix (Oct 31, 2011)

Im really sorry to that he is gone. He will live on in Tegu heaven im sure, but we will always remember him.


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