# Curious or what??



## pinto24 (Jul 17, 2008)

While I was sitting next to the Bam-Bams tank, I had half my arm in there just sitting on his floor. He walked up to me, nudged my finger a few times with his nose, then picked it up with his head, then bit it lightly. Is this him just exploring and seeing if I am food, or is he telling me he wants to take this outside(get aggressive)? He didn't run off afterwards, he just kind of looked at me then turned around. Of course it scared me, so I jumped a little, but I don't think it really scared him. Does anyone have any opinions? :chin 

Thanks


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## Magik (Jul 17, 2008)

I would say he was just checking you out and if he turned around afterwards I dont tink that meant he wanted to come out..


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## pinto24 (Jul 17, 2008)

I want trying to pick him up though, I just had my hand sitting there so he would get used to me. He walked up to me, checked me out, then gave me a little chomp.


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## Nero (Jul 17, 2008)

My guess would be he was just checking you out


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## Magik (Jul 17, 2008)

Well if he bit you then turned around and walked off he could have just been hungry found out you were not food and then just went off the other way but you are definitely doing the right thing lettin him check you out.I left a T - shirt that I owned in my guys viv to get him used to my scent


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## DaveDragon (Jul 17, 2008)

pinto24 said:


> I want trying to pick him up though, I just had my hand sitting there so he would get used to me. He walked up to me, checked me out, then gave me a little chomp.


I had that happen when our B&W was about 5 months old. She bit me HARD!! She wanted me out!!! I took the hint.


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## Azaleah (Jul 17, 2008)

If the bite wasnt hard, I doubt it was aggression. Tegus have some MIGHTY jaws, so I think he was just checking you out. Keep doing this, and sooner or later hopefully he'll get used to you


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## JohnMatthew (Jul 17, 2008)

He was probably just seeing if your finger was tender enough to rip off a piece and eat :-D When Boon is being aggressive with his live worms he hits them hard and gives them some shaking action before downing them. So yeah, probably just checking you out and seeing if your finger was something else good to eat :lol:


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## DaveDragon (Jul 18, 2008)

Azaleah said:


> If the bite wasnt hard, I doubt it was aggression. Tegus have some MIGHTY jaws, so I think he was just checking you out. Keep doing this, and sooner or later hopefully he'll get used to you


She was telling me to GET OUT!!! I had my palm down on the substrate to see if she'd walk onto it. She started checking it out, knudged it a few times and when I didn't take the hint she CHOMPED HARD. Then she stood the in a high defensive posture. She still isn't the friendliest critter and we've have her for almost another year. At least I can pet her without getting bit.


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## pinto24 (Jul 18, 2008)

I dont think he was hungry, because I just finished feeding him a bunch of worms. It was weird how he nudged me, kind of like a dog does. I barely felt the bite> If I wasn't watching him do it, I may not have even knew he did it...maybe. The defensive posure is a raised back correct?


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## Harveysherps (Jul 18, 2008)

I think it was just curious of what your hand was. Nothing more than that. He didn't have hands that can touch and feel. So he used his mouth. That is where all they senses are used. They will nip each other like that at times. I think he was just treating you like you were another tegu.


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## pinto24 (Jul 18, 2008)

Harveysherps said:


> I think he was just treating you like you were another tegu.



hey, what are you trying to say about me??? :bisl 

That what i was hoping, like I said, I barely felt it. I think he would have held on a little longer if it was out of anger.

What is their defenseive/aggressive posture again?


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## olympus (Jul 18, 2008)

When I first got mine he wanted to bite me, so I let him and after he saw that I didn't hurt him he calmed down.


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## Azaleah (Jul 18, 2008)

DaveDragon said:


> Azaleah said:
> 
> 
> > If the bite wasnt hard, I doubt it was aggression. Tegus have some MIGHTY jaws, so I think he was just checking you out. Keep doing this, and sooner or later hopefully he'll get used to you
> ...



Haha i didnt mean to you, i meant to pinto24 lol. 

But yea I've had some chomps in my life. They're not too nice.


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## DaveDragon (Jul 18, 2008)

pinto24 said:


> What is their defenseive/aggressive posture again?


Standing up high in their front legs, looking proud. It makes them look bigger, I guess. Our big Red male does it outside all the time. He can hear the hawks in the area and he's on the lookout.


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## Harveysherps (Jul 18, 2008)

pinto24 said:


> Harveysherps said:
> 
> 
> > I think he was just treating you like you were another tegu.
> ...


What I mean is that your Tegu is Treating you like one of the gang. He is perfectly fine with you. If he wasn't he would have bite you and shook really hard. Sounds like your doing a really good job with it to me. But remember he'll whip the pee dookey out a a female in heat. So how is he gonna treat his buddies. LOL You maybe be in for a wild friendship.


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## pinto24 (Jul 20, 2008)

Harveysherps said:


> pinto24 said:
> 
> 
> > Harveysherps said:
> ...



Thanks, I was just kidding about that. He still is very resistant to me touching him, he runs off. I follow him around and try to scoop him up gently, but it is very tough to do, so I just left him alone. I didn't want to upset him. But I can stick my arm in the enclosure, and while he is chilling in his little rock/perch, he'll watch my hand, and I'll keep creeping it closer and closer to him until it is right next to him, and he will still shut his eyes and relax even though I am right there, but if I touch him, he gets worked up. He is a weird little animal. 

I can tell he is pretty smart. Since I cant really handle him yet, I am feeding him crickets in his enclosure off a pair of very long rubber coated forceps. As soon as he sees the forceps go in the enclosure, he knows he is getting food, comes up to them as fast as possible and goes to bite them, even if there is no food on them. (I know, I tested him :mrgreen: ), but acts totally different if I put my hand in there.


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