# Getting released from a bite



## Alliocha (Apr 8, 2015)

So it happens that my tegu girl Travis (In case anybody wonders I was told its a male when I got her but she's staying Travis ;-D) is very very food curious. She is an awesome tame tegu but will bite anything that might attract her in whatever way. Now, after she bit my hands two times something worse happened. She was crawling over me when I was laying on the couch, walking besides my head. Then I noticed her tongue flicking buz acted too late. She bit into my ear and hell she wanted to kill it. I can tell this was pain but I remained quite and tried to release my ear with my fingers while she was chewing and fighting as if it was living prey. After some time I was able to get her from my ears but this was only possible with some wounds at my fingers as well. I eventually ended up in the hospital with my ear. It had to be cleaned and they gave me antibiotics.
I know the whole thing was my mistake and I would never blame my beloved girl. So my question is: Does anybody have a safe method to getting released from a bite and stop the tegu from chewing on the body part?


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## N8bub (Apr 8, 2015)

Wow. Only thing I can think of is submerge the tegu and the latched on body part. I can see that being a problem if you had to submerge your head possibly smelling salts or something similar that tegus would find irritating but isn't harmful?


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## Alliocha (Apr 9, 2015)

Haha, yeah. If I submerge my head and her the question will be who has more breath :-D
Yeah, I also thought of putting something into her mouth that isn't harmful but will taste awful. Salt or soap maybe. But I also don't know whether those are bad for them. Don't wanna risk her health. However, keeping important and sensible bodyparty away from her mouth might be an idea as well


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## Skeep (Apr 9, 2015)

I've been having this problem recently as well, my girl (when hungry) has twice now bit hard and tried to tear a chunk of flesh off my face. Fortunately I didn't have it quite as bad as you though.

I haven't tried it, but I read that using vinegar will get them to let go quickly. I never have vinegar around when needed to try it, she usually lets go pretty fast on her own. A friend told me he just bops his tegu on the nose heh.


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## N8bub (Apr 9, 2015)

I thought about this for a bit today, wonder if ice water would do the trick?


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## Alliocha (Apr 10, 2015)

I think vinegar might be a very good solution, the smell himself could work I guess. Ice water might be a good thing as well, eventhough normal water doesn't do anything I realized :-D However I will have vinegar on top of the enclosure from now on


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