# Taming Older Tegu



## Tkeller (Feb 28, 2010)

I have an older Tegu, by older I mean not a baby any longer my guess is less then a year old. Anyway he is quite nasty at times, and charges and bites me when I open his enclosure. Once i pick him up he settles down some, but more then once he has just snapped at me and well to be honest it hurts, then little teeth are sharp! He is fed in a feeding bin, and i have the food in his bowl before he gets to the bin as well. My question is there hope to tame this sucker, because to be honest he is a real bastard, and i have taken to wearing gloves to handle him and I don't trust him, he even bit leg the other day when he was sitting on my lap. He is also well fed and quite plump. Any suggestions?? :bang :bang :bang


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## Toby_H (Feb 28, 2010)

Are you certain it's an Argentinean Black & White and not a Columbian Black & Gold? The Columbians are known to be more aggressive...


How large is the Tegu and how large is it's enclosure? It's common to see aggression increase in animals who feel they are in too small of an enclosure...


Front entrance enclosures are best for most (if not all) reptiles. The most common predators to pose a risk to most lizards (including young/small Tegus) are birds who attack from above. Giving the Tegu a chance to see you eye to eye and understand whatÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã¢â??Â¢s coming may allow it to get comfortable with you more easily.


Being visible in front of the enclosure often will give him a chance to see you are not a threat. The next step is to do something in the enclosure often. Simple things like replacing water or even placing your hands in the enclosure and fiddling with something works. The point is to teach him that you are not a threat.


Do your best not to flinch or otherwise show fear. If/when he learns his threats are not frightening you, he may back off making such threats. Do not move to fast, but do not move to slow either. Young/small lizards are wired to fear being stalked. You donÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã¢â??Â¢t want to move so quickly you scare them, but donÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã¢â??Â¢t move so slowly you make them feel you are stalking them.

Especially when you are changing water or fiddling, there is no reason to go super slow. Just move your hands at a modest steady pace. 


Best of luck and I hope things work out for you.


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## Tkeller (Mar 1, 2010)

Definately and Argetinian, the vet verified it for me, he is about 20in long and the enclosure is 8ft by 4ft by 4ft, and opens from the front, he has 3 hides in 3 seperate areas in the enclosure. I'll try to poke around in the encolsure a little more, the thing is sometimes he could care less what I do, sometimes he runs for the hills, an sometimes he holds his ground amd draws blood, from me :shock: 

thanks for the help, i kept telling my wife they were so tame and good pets, but everytime he bites me and draws blood, she growls at me, and I get the i told you so lecture, just my luck i get the black sheep of the group!!


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## kaa (Mar 1, 2010)

Just take your time, Keep trying, make sure you feed outside the cage, and let the gu come to you. Mine was the same way, but she is now fat and happy, almost never charges me. Just don't give up.


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## Joanna (Sep 2, 2018)

Just a quick question from a new guest. How can you feed outside the enclosure with a new tegu who does not like to be touched quite yet? I love him and he is about 3 years old but I have no idea how I would get him back in his enclosure once out. Any advice???
Joanna


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## AlphaAlpha (Sep 2, 2018)

Hi Joanne ..... I personally have never fed Alpha out his enclosure, he is actually quite food shy and will not eat it out, so I see no reason in feeding in the enclosure whilst you build your relationship..... Infact I believe it can actually help building your relation ship...
1) Spreads your scent in the enclosure every day 
2) Brings realization that this big Monster (you) is the one who brings easy food every day and are not just there to pick him up.

On building your relationship just be patient... build on him getting to see you regular and putting your scent in the enclosure, once happy with that move closer and closer to touch, and then the final stage of picking up.

Also last thing when I first started letting Alpha out although he was a juvenille I only used to let him in my hallway and I placed a box in the corner with torn paper in, as this was the only hiding place around when he'd had enough he would crawl in this to sleep and then I could easily lift him out to place back in his enclosure.


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## Leezard (Sep 5, 2018)

Just give it some time, they're such intelligent animals that there's no reason he won't learn that you are actually his friend, not to mention he might be coming out of his any teenage stage which happened with my gu! Don't despair he'll be sweet soon enough!


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