# Freeroaming tegus



## Sirhc401 (Oct 16, 2011)

So I have read that a lot of ppl let their tegus roam free on a desk, living room, etc. This mainly concerns the young tegus. Ours is 4 months old and we would never let him Freeroam because he tries to hide everywhere we can't get him. So we use a leash but he struggles with it when we need to get to him. I want to be able to let him Freeroam and use the ignore tactic to get him to come to me, but how can I go about doing that?


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## Strange_Evil (Oct 16, 2011)

I first started letting my little gu out to roam in the tub, i would just sit in the tub (of course no water ) with mines and ignore him, he would eventually try to come up to me and use me as stairs out the tub or just crawl on me and sleep. You could also cover the bathroom door up and what ever other places he could escape to and let him roam on the floor, its controlled free roaming, really effective. 

Why the bathroom? Its the smallest room with lights and the least amount of hiding spots so less places to tegu proof.


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## Sirhc401 (Oct 16, 2011)

I thought of that. Guess that would be my best option. Haha I'll to let him roam the bathroom though cause I am so tall that I take up all space in a normal sized tub. Lol


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## kellen.watkins (Oct 16, 2011)

I put a sheet over my couch and let her roam the couch she never tries to jump off


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## james.w (Oct 16, 2011)

Or you could always wait until he/she is too big to get lost in the house.


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Oct 16, 2011)

_Where ever you let them roam,.. inside or out, tegu proof it. Cover and or block off any areas you don't want them to go. Depending on their size if they can get their head in then the rest will fit as well.  Sometimes that changes with an empty or full tummy. 

Check under neath floor cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom since sometimes there are open sections in the corners. Depending on how old the place is and how it was built there's no telling where they could lead to. Block off areas around appliances and or heavy furniture with spaces under, around and or behind it. 

As they grow there's fewer spaces you have to worry about them getting into but it doesn't stop them from trying.

At Kellen,.. I hope the area your couch is in has been proofed. It's just a matter of time before she's comfortable and curious enough to check out other areas. _


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## Steven. (Oct 16, 2011)

I let prime on my bed whenever i can get him out without too much struggle... I just lay there and watch tv for about couple of hours in my room.


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## kellen.watkins (Oct 16, 2011)

Lol at bubblz the couch is on top of the tegu cage


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## Sirhc401 (Oct 16, 2011)

Some very good advice, I am nit going to let him free roam on my bed or couch though. Because when we first got him my girlfriends mom left the cage open for a few minutes and came back he got out and was hidden by the dresser, so he jumped from the top of his cage which is on top the dresser (about a 5 foot drop, to the floor) and he was fine, so he could easily jump off a bed or couch with ease and take off. Too fast to get to him. I'll take all the precautions I can

I also feel the freeroaming idea will really work, I sat by odins cage today, and after awile he was comfortable with my face being right next to him behind the glass and he was trying to climb my head. (glass was in the way though) he is making great progress


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Oct 16, 2011)

_@ Kellen,.. that just makes it a higher fall when she does decide to bolt or jump off. Someone else on here lost (as in it died) a tegu that jumped off of their couch or something. If she doesn't injure herself when she hits the ground she could still take off running and wind up some where you may not be able to get to her.

Better safe than sorry,.. especially when it's something that could easily be avoided. 

Smaller tegus will climb and jump on or off of something in a heart beat, especially if startled. 

Natsuki's just under 4ft and he tried to jump out of my arms as I carried him outside just because he wanted down. If I didn't have my hand on the base of his tail he would've made it. I'm 5'9 so that's just about a 4ft drop and he could have landed all kinds of wrong. A possible Vet bill or worse easily avoided._


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## kellen.watkins (Oct 16, 2011)

I'm well aware of someones tegu who died and believe me she is under constant supervision if I leave the couch she goes with me, she's not much of a bolter eli on the other hand I can see him lunging off a couch lol I love my gus I'm. Always looking out for their well being


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## Bubblz Calhoun (Oct 16, 2011)

_Could've fooled me,.. you laughed and said the couch is on top of the cage as if there's no way she could get down. Things happen just because she hasn't bolted or tried to get down while you're sitting there or not doesn't mean it won't happen.

Which is why I said I hope the area it's in has been proofed. Once she's down any where she can fit is fair game. Then you'll be the next one posting a lost tegu thread. 

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it,.. I've done it. I used my bed to introduce Dino to my dog Powder,... just take precautions. We can't prevent everything from happening. But at the same time we can do what we can, to prevent as much as we can from happening. _


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## Sirhc401 (Oct 16, 2011)

Bubblz has a point. I let Odin Freeroam before thinking he won't go anywhere, and he didn't, he was fine...up until we went to get him then he took off like lightning. You gotta think about the fact that they are much quicker than a person and could easily leave you there shocked like "did that just happen"?

Best to take precautions rather than learn the hard way


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## kellen.watkins (Oct 17, 2011)

i wasnt laughing cause i dont think she can make the jump i was laughing cause its still amusing to me that the couch is on the tegu cage


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## dragonmetalhead (Oct 17, 2011)

As long as the animal is supervised, there isn't really anything wrong with letting them crawl around and explore. Kodo is always leashed when I take him out to socialize, which helps keep him out of places he shouldn't be sticking his nose into.


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## james.w (Oct 17, 2011)

dragonmetalhead said:


> As long as the animal is supervised, there isn't really anything wrong with letting them crawl around and explore. Kodo is always leashed when I take him out to socialize, which helps keep him out of places he shouldn't be sticking his nose into.



Supervision doesn't always work for a hatchling/juvenile tegu, they can bolt at any minute and are pretty fast. Having them somewhere that is tegu proof or on a leash is the only way to do it in my opinon.


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## Sirhc401 (Oct 17, 2011)

Even a leash is not 100% safe. I noticed the lizard leashes you can buy at the store. I used it on Odin and he can slip right out of it if he moves backwards. So you have to hover them which is not fun for you or your tegu.


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## boyd1955 (Oct 28, 2011)

How on earth do you put a leash on a young tegu ... Mine would laugh at me if I tried )


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## dragonmetalhead (Oct 28, 2011)

boyd1955 said:


> How on earth do you put a leash on a young tegu ... Mine would laugh at me if I tried )



It ain't easy, let me tell you. Kodo hates to put on the leash, but tolerates it pretty well. He knows how to take it off, but he hasn't done so for a while. I look forward to the day he's big enough for a dog harness.


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## Sirhc401 (Oct 29, 2011)

I'm getting ready to start clicker trainig Odin, first i am testing to see if he has the ability to learn it. But if I can succeed then I might not even need a leash.


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## Jeremyxb12 (Oct 29, 2011)

i let my girl wander around my room with out my need of watching her. she always goes to the same pplace and will lay there for a while until i go to put her back in her cage


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## Sirhc401 (Oct 29, 2011)

Is she a young tegu? Or is she big? Cause I would have no problems with that too. But I'm gonna wait till Odin can not hide in so many places. I always make jokes with my girlfriend. When Odin becomes an adult and he goes to hide, we would probably see a huge tail sticking out from somewhere. "hm, I wonder where Odin could be"? Lol


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## dragonmetalhead (Oct 29, 2011)

Sirhc401 said:


> I'm getting ready to start clicker trainig Odin, first i am testing to see if he has the ability to learn it. But if I can succeed then I might not even need a leash.



I bought a clicker a few weeks ago to try to train Kodo, but there are too many distractions and background noises at the museum. He's too busy reacting to every sound he hears to focus on one little click, lol. When he comes home with me permanently, I will begin training in earnest. Please keep us updated on your progress.


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## Sirhc401 (Oct 29, 2011)

Will do. To start with I have to associate the click with a treat. But I have never tried with a tegu. I'm interested in the results. I'll have to post it when and if I make progress


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