# Have you been bitten?



## VampireJoe (Apr 3, 2009)

Hello,
I am doing a research study on the behavior of pet reptiles for a course I am taking a Penn State University. I have a survey question that you all can help me with: Have you ever been bitten by a Tegu? If you have not, just respond you have not and please let me know how long you have owned one and what species you have. If you have, please tell me a little about the experience and what species of Tegu bit you. Thank you, Joe Collins


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## dragonqueen4 (Apr 3, 2009)

Hi, 
sounds like a very interesting study you are doing? Can I ask what course it is you are taking?

I have had my tegu for about 5 months now and he has never bitten me. He even gets needles everyday for MBD, and has still never attempted to hurt me. He is a black and white argentine tegu!!


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## RehabRalphy (Apr 3, 2009)

Never been bitten. Been with tegus for 4 years

Shouldn't there be a lot more variables then just a simple yes or no question?


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## VampireJoe (Apr 3, 2009)

Oh, much of the study is much more scientific. I'm comparing the behavior of common pet reptiles, such as common species of turtle, anoles, skinks, and snakes to their behaivor in their natural environment. It is for a Vet course titled Animal Psychology. I'm just adding a little section about Tegus because of my interest of them. My Vet professors really don't know much about them. They say they are not brought in for treatment much in PA. And I don't want just a yes or no answer. I need to know species, how long you had it, and the circumstances in detail about the incident. I'll post my findings in the end. It might help people above bites in the future. I already have been sent a few privates messages about biting incidents that were quite interesting. It seems people sometimes ignore obvious warning signs Tegus give prior to biting.


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## RehabRalphy (Apr 3, 2009)

I think that this is awesome.

Keep us updated on how things turn out.


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## dragonqueen4 (Apr 3, 2009)

jeez, i wanna go to your school lol


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## FoxxCola (Apr 3, 2009)

I have never been bitten by my black and white columbian...however I have only had him for two weeks...


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## hoosier (Apr 3, 2009)

i have only been bitten once in 3yrs of owning my argentine black and white and it was completely my fault. i was handleing him after preparing his food and i forgot to wash my hands after. me barely bit be because he realized it wasnt an apple he was bitting lol


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## PinkPunisher (Apr 3, 2009)

I've been bit a few times by my Arg B&W, all from her just being hungry though. One though that I can't explain other then pure curiosity is when she bit my ear while I was one my laptop LOL She wouldn't let go either, I had to use my finger to pry her mouth open because at first I figured she would just let go but she decided to try and rip a chunk off LOL After getting her off though she was her normal self, now I always watch when shes around my ears though  

I've had her since May of 2008, my hands on experience would be from the day I bought her until now.

Spencer


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## ashesc212 (Apr 4, 2009)

I have not been bitten. I own a Blue Tegu and have had him for 5 months.

On a side note, the time I brought Lucky in to the vet when he was about 2 months old, the nurse was showing me how to give him Panacur orally. She did it and Lucky moved around a little and she was like, "WATCH OUT, HE MAY STRIKE YOU!!!" I just started chuckling because I could tell she hasn't had much experience with them. Our vet was also excited to see one; it was the first tegu patient she had had since being at that location.


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## DaveDragon (Apr 4, 2009)

I've been bit by 3!! 

First by our young B&W. He was about 8 months old in the "puberty stage. He was charging everything so I decided to leave my hand in and see what happened. He nudged it twice with his nose (warning!) and then CHOMPED!!!!

Second was our female Blue shortly after we got her. I was building her a full size enclosure. It was very hot and humid in the garage, I came in very sweaty. I picked her up and she started flicking her tongue at my ears. Back and forth, she checked them both out. And then CHOMP!!! She bit the right one!!! She let go after 3 or 4 seconds and gave me a "I didn't do that!" look. I put her away and gabbed a paper towel and the camera!!






The last time was from our new female Blue. She was VERY hungry! As I put the plate down she lunged at it but actually went over it and latched onto my finger!!! She bit so hard she pooped!!! She took a chunk of skin off along with a row of teeth marks. That one took a couple of weeks to heal.


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## PinkPunisher (Apr 4, 2009)

DaveDragon said:


> The last time was from our new female Blue. She was VERY hungry! As I put the plate down she lunged at it but actually went over it and latched onto my finger!!! *She bit so hard she pooped!!!* She took a chunk of skin off along with a row of teeth marks. That one took a couple of weeks to heal.



LMAO! :rofl


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## DaveDragon (Apr 4, 2009)

PinkPunisher said:


> DaveDragon said:
> 
> 
> > The last time was from our new female Blue. She was VERY hungry! As I put the plate down she lunged at it but actually went over it and latched onto my finger!!! *She bit so hard she pooped!!!* She took a chunk of skin off along with a row of teeth marks. That one took a couple of weeks to heal.
> ...


The little butt head still got her food! I really wasn't expecting it!!


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## PinkPunisher (Apr 4, 2009)

DaveDragon said:


> PinkPunisher said:
> 
> 
> > DaveDragon said:
> ...



I'm sure she wasn't the only one that pooped when she bit you! :app :rasp


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## VampireJoe (Apr 4, 2009)

Repeated tongue flicking seems to be one of the common denominator so far. Also, if your Tegu is hungry please feed it before you attempt to handle it, LOL. Speaking of Vets, it is crazy how Savannahs are so popular, but Tegus aren't, although I think, and hope that is starting to change. Would anyone like to common and contrast experiences with Savannahs and Tegus for me?


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## PinkPunisher (Apr 4, 2009)

I've noticed that whenever Alice goes to bite me she tends to nub her nose/mouth on the area then cocks her head back a bit and then chomp. When I see she is gonna do this I always tighten my hand into a fist and push it to her a little and she always backs off.

I think one the main reasons why Savs are so popular is because of their super cheap cost and you can buy them in almost any petstore. Not to mention so many are WC that they need to be taken to a vet upon purchase where as with Argentines at least there seems to be a fair amount of CBB animals.

Spencer


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## tupinambisfamiliaris (Apr 4, 2009)

I was bitten by a yearling argentine a couple years ago. It's feeding response was off the chain. I'd been keeping it in a mesh cage outside in the summer. I brought it in to feed some crickets just like I did everyday. I fed the first dozen or so and had my hand resting on the edge of the cage. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I took my eyes off the dude to reach for another handful of bugs. This tegu was quite a leaper. He hopped up and grabbed my index finger for a second, jerked, and let go. My fingernail was clinging to the tip, but jut barely and there was some bleeding. I tore it off, dumped some alcohol on it and went on with the feeding, but more carefully. My ackie bit me yesterday, as he sometimes does when I feed. Normally it's nothing but he drew blood in this case. It was a bit of a surprise.


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## ColdThirst (Apr 4, 2009)

Well it seems like mine is the worst tegu ever. Lol

Mine I have had for a year and three months and it is about three months older than that. 

I have been bitten by mine three times bad. On my thumb once and my index finger once, it bites as hard as it can and does not let go, so my knee jerk reaction is to yank my hand back and presto, I have a finger that looks like I put it in a paper shredder. It was also behind my bedroom door one day, and when I walked in barefoot, it pounced and hammered my big toe. The wound always bleeds for a really long time and then takes like two weeks to even begin healing. I was wondering if it was something in their saliva that causes hemmoraging or delay of the healing process. 

I have been struck at numerous instances, jerking back just in time. Also I have had it chase me over the back of the couch twice going from the floor to my face in like 1.2seconds flat. 

Has bitten my shoe with my foot in it for like 5 minutes straight thinking the whole time it will die after the next bite. It nailed the view finder of my video camera the other day and took out a chunk of the case along with making teeth scratches across it. 

It attacked my blackberry yesterday for a while until I could get it away from it. None of these things smelled like food btw. 

In fact I can even make you a video of what she does if you would like. 

I know now after this time with it, what the tegu's body language is right before it strikes and how close it too close. That has helped me avoid injury recently. The tegu does this thing with its head right before it attacks and I know this movement now and when it's in kill mode. 

In Summary:

I have been bitten causing injury three times I can recall. On the hand twice and big toe. 

Its an Argentine Black and White Tegu. 
I have videos of it here http://www.youtube.com/user/mrtegu 
(you can see its sweet side and its hunt you down side) 

Hope that helps


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## Neil_E_C_P (Apr 5, 2009)

Yes. I wear Welding leather gloves in the Taming Time.
But mine are Wild. 
They use to react at my sight, first hidding. 
When I was Bitten in the first time, I did the same procedure used with my parrots, firmly Hold the hand and with the other hand grasp and CLOSE his jaw forcing him to press a little bit harder - With tegus I had to do a grip with the arm, otherwise they start to Spin their body like an Alligator and whipping with the tail (*Very painful* Not Kidding!)- then wait on, until he calm down and loose the mouth.
The reason of mention the color and the kind of gloves. Is for the fact that they now HATE the gloves (For real!). One time I pick up "Kaiser" and he Was something Kranky; So in order to calm him down I offer him the empty finger and he Bite it; did not let go of the glove; I release him on the floor, he move some steps on his way to under the bed then shake the Glove furiously and drop it.
Now I don't use the gloves, he does not hide - except when I rattle things around - keep him on my shoulder when I move around, over my chest when watching Tv.
No problems ... so far.


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## crimsonrazac (Apr 5, 2009)

Neil_E_C_P said:


> Yes. I wear Welding leather gloves in the Taming Time.
> But mine are Wild.
> They use to react at my sight, first hidding.
> When I was Bitten in the first time, I did the same procedure used with my parrots, firmly Hold the hand and with the other hand grasp and CLOSE his jaw forcing him to press a little bit harder - With tegus I had to do a grip with the arm, otherwise they start to Spin their body like an Alligator and whipping with the tail (*Very painful* Not Kidding!)- then wait on, until he calm down and loose the mouth.
> ...


Sounds like your doing really good. Post some new tegu pictures?


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## DaveDragon (Apr 5, 2009)

I wouldn't doubt that bill HR669 will ban Monitors and possibly Tegus as "dangerous".


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