# Ever trusting Odin (pics)



## AP27 (Apr 30, 2012)

After 9 months of having my little Odin he has grown from a frightened, squirmy "you better hold me just right or I'm going to put up a fuss" tegu, to now having so much trust in me that, among other things, he will let me hold him on his back with little or no fuss. It amazes me how far he's come. 












...And even out on one arm. 











It has really come in handy for getting sheds off his belly and just to check him over in general. I can't believe how calm he is about it. It's amazing the bonds you can form with these lizards over time!


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## jondancer (Apr 30, 2012)

when you hold a lizard on its back like that, they cant breath properly , thats why they dont move when you put them on there backs.


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## frost (Apr 30, 2012)

hes right. its something iv seen vets use too.he looks great tho. getting to be a big one.


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## AP27 (Apr 30, 2012)

He breathes fine and still licks around and everything. It's not like he is subdued into staying still because he can't breathe. I pay very careful attention to him when I do thus because that thought came across my mind originally, that's why if I ever have to do it now I hold him like in the last pic where he can sit up a little more. He seems to like that better and is more relaxed. Thank you for the concern though.


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## jondancer (Apr 30, 2012)

its not good, you could do that to a wild tegu and the reaction would be the same. i do like your tegu though


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## Apophis (May 2, 2012)

I can say I would certainly not get away with doing this to my adult. I think it's great he trusts you so much.


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## Dana C (May 2, 2012)

jondancer said:


> when you hold a lizard on its back like that, they cant breath properly , thats why they dont move when you put them on there backs.



I am not doubting you but where did you hear that? Source you information so we all will know.


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## MaryMayhem (Jul 11, 2012)

Adorable! like a reptilian teddy bear lol


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## jondancer (Jul 11, 2012)

Dana C said:


> jondancer said:
> 
> 
> > when you hold a lizard on its back like that, they cant breath properly , thats why they dont move when you put them on there backs.
> ...



i believe i saw it on a site about the guy named henry the lizard lover, he takes all those weird pics of water dragons and iguanas posing , and thats how he gets them to pose.


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## larissalurid (Sep 3, 2012)

Dana C said:


> jondancer said:
> 
> 
> > when you hold a lizard on its back like that, they cant breath properly , thats why they dont move when you put them on there backs.
> ...



I've heard this before as well, with alligators, sharks, chickens, etc

It's called Tonic Immobility

Tonic immobility has been observed in a wide range of animals, both vertebrates and invertebrates. It is basically an instinct that is triggered by extreme fear. Since many predators locate their prey through motion, and are extremely sensitive to motion while ignoring other sensory inputs during a hunt, a prey animal can sometimes momentarily confuse a predator by entering tonic immobility even if it is caught. Even though a cat may have a mouse under its paw, the cat may become momentarily confused and start looking around for the mouse if the mouse remains motionless by entering tonic immobility. The cat may even let go of the mouse and try to find it. At that moment, the prey animal has a split second to spring back to life and escape. In fact, such escapes have been observed in nature.

"Tonic immobility is a natural state of paralysis that animals enter, in most cases when presented with a threat. Some sharks can be placed in a tonic state. ...The shark remains in this state of paralysis for an average of fifteen minutes before it recovers. ...Sharks may not always respond to tonic immobility by physical inversion of the animal, as has been demonstrated with lemon and Reef sharks. ...Tonic immobility has also been used to describe the paralysis which often immobilizes animals, such as rodents or birds, when they feel threatened by a predator. ...In an interesting eye witness case in 1997 around the Farallon Islands off the coast of California, a female orca was seen purposely inducing tonic immobility in a great white shark. The orca held the shark upside down to induce the tonic immobility, and kept the shark still for fifteen minutes, causing it to suffocate to death."

It is well known that animals such as frogs, lizards, and even snakes can enter tonic immobility when they are turned on their backs. Tonic immobility has also been recorded in human beings, especially among rape victims."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonic_immobility#Tonic_immobility

"Adaptation for enhanced, undisrupted vision possible by compass-like movement of eyeballs (but it only works when somewhat horizontal. Flip a gator on its back and visual system and equilibrium disturbed- eyes unable to focus and gator motionless as though experiencing extreme vertigo)"
http://corkscrew.audubon.org/#Vision


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## Skeetzy (Sep 3, 2012)

I can't source it, but I do remember reading its not nice to the animal to do that. The weight of their stomachs pushes on their lungs, causing a breathing problem per say. Is this 100% fact? I can't confirm, but it sounds reasonable, so I avoid doing that to my animals unless necessary.


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## larissalurid (Sep 3, 2012)

Skeetzy said:


> I can't source it, but I do remember reading its not nice to the animal to do that. The weight of their stomachs pushes on their lungs, causing a breathing problem per say. Is this 100% fact? I can't confirm, but it sounds reasonable, so I avoid doing that to my animals unless necessary.



It does do that, read what I said above and its explained further.


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## Skeetzy (Sep 3, 2012)

I read right after  tapatalk app didn't update in time hahah


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