# Baby tegu won't come out



## Kimchi.Eli (Jun 4, 2018)

I recently got my tegu about a month ago, he was around 6 months when I got him. I am concerned because I haven't seen him in the past 5 days.. whenever me or my boyfriend are at work he comes out (I see everything kicked around) but when we're home he's burrowed all day and night doesn't come out at all. I probably have only seen him like once or twice weekly since I've gotten him /: And I don't even work a lot usually just 10-5 and I'm part time now so it's not like I'm gone a lot... We've only had him for a month so I'm wondering if it's because of that maybe ? When we have had him out he's very happy and friendly and loves to explore. I am just worried from this because

1 He is not being handled as much as I would like to I want him to get used to us since he's still very young I want him to end up being comfortable and friendly around people
2 Hes not eating because he won't come out when we're home and he's very young and should be eating a lot

I don't wanna dig him out because I keep reading that causes trust issues, any opinions on that ? Or what I should do to get him to come out when I'm home ? Also is this common tegu behavior ?

It's just frustrating because he obviously comes out but it's only when I'm not home /: I've had several reptiles and amphibians but never a tegu so this is all still new any help is appreciated


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## Skeep (Jun 4, 2018)

Tegus are most active in the middle of the day, so this is normal behaviour. If I need to get my tegu out of her hide when I get home from work I scratch on her hide and make shuffling sounds in the substrate to peak her interest. Then she'll come out, bask for a few minutes, then be ready for food and exploring!

Assuming your tegu lets you handle him normally, my personal experience is that it's ok to dig them up, especially at a regular time. Just try to give him some warning so he doesn't get startled. If they find out that getting dug up means getting food, they won't mind it at all!

I'm sure some others here will have more ideas to try.


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## Zyn (Jun 4, 2018)

6 months isn’t that young she’s more than old enough for daily taming training. My blues out all day( out of his borrow not free roaming) and when I get home he eats bask then sleeps. So I have to dig his lazy butt up for social time. He doesn’t seem to mind, he gets a bath then goes back to sleep next to me on our bed lol while I do whatever. I think he gets a kick out of being allowed on the bed while the 5 dogs are locked out of the room via a locking gate lol he’ll just lay there and watch them. 

The only thing I can think to check are the temps if they are lower than they should be they will sleep till it warms up. That’s just a reptile thing though lol


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## Kimchi.Eli (Jun 4, 2018)

Skeep said:


> Tegus are most active in the middle of the day, so this is normal behaviour. If I need to get my tegu out of her hide when I get home from work I scratch on her hide and make shuffling sounds in the substrate to peak her interest. Then she'll come out, bask for a few minutes, then be ready for food and exploring!
> 
> Assuming your tegu lets you handle him normally, my personal experience is that it's ok to dig them up, especially at a regular time. Just try to give him some warning so he doesn't get startled. If they find out that getting dug up means getting food, they won't mind it at all!
> 
> I'm sure some others here will have more ideas to try.





Zyn said:


> 6 months isn’t that young she’s more than old enough for daily taming training. My blues out all day( out of his borrow not free roaming) and when I get home he eats bask then sleeps. So I have to dig his lazy butt up for social time. He doesn’t seem to mind, he gets a bath then goes back to sleep next to me on our bed lol while I do whatever. I think he gets a kick out of being allowed on the bed while the 5 dogs are locked out of the room via a locking gate lol he’ll just lay there and watch them.
> 
> The only thing I can think to check are the temps if they are lower than they should be they will sleep till it warms up. That’s just a reptile thing though lol





Okay I'm gunna try and un dig him then, any certain way I should do this? I tried once just pushing a layer of the substrate off of him and he started huffing at me


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## Walter1 (Jun 4, 2018)

Skeep said:


> Tegus are most active in the middle of the day, so this is normal behaviour. If I need to get my tegu out of her hide when I get home from work I scratch on her hide and make shuffling sounds in the substrate to peak her interest. Then she'll come out, bask for a few minutes, then be ready for food and exploring!
> 
> Assuming your tegu lets you handle him normally, my personal experience is that it's ok to dig them up, especially at a regular time. Just try to give him some warning so he doesn't get startled. If they find out that getting dug up means getting food, they won't mind it at all!
> 
> I'm sure some others here will have more ideas to try.


Yes.


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## Walter1 (Jun 4, 2018)

Zyn said:


> 6 months isn’t that young she’s more than old enough for daily taming training. My blues out all day( out of his borrow not free roaming) and when I get home he eats bask then sleeps. So I have to dig his lazy butt up for social time. He doesn’t seem to mind, he gets a bath then goes back to sleep next to me on our bed lol while I do whatever. I think he gets a kick out of being allowed on the bed while the 5 dogs are locked out of the room via a locking gate lol he’ll just lay there and watch them.
> 
> The only thing I can think to check are the temps if they are lower than they should be they will sleep till it warms up. That’s just a reptile thing though lol


Good points- age, temps.


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## Walter1 (Jun 4, 2018)

nicolesciria said:


> Okay I'm gunna try and un dig him then, any certain way I should do this? I tried once just pushing a layer of the substrate off of him and he started huffing at me


Easy. If in a hide, talk and kbock lightly first, then lift from below him with as much of his body restig on yours. If under substrate, talk and lift the same as above.


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