# handling my new tegu



## theonas (Jun 25, 2009)

hi there....i have just got my new tegu....not quite sure how old it is,the pet shop said about 3 months.but they also said they where only feeding it 1 pinkie and 1 locust a day(to keep it's size down!!!!) since getting it home it is now on at least 2 fuzzies a day..today it managed to eat 2 fuzzies and some fish.i have watched the videos on how to scoop your tegu with a light grip,which is what i have been doing...after a few mins it calms down and just sits on my hand.i discovered yesterday,that if i stroke it between the eyes he seems to relax and close his eyes.just wondering if this is a good sign?(i have beardies and know they close their eyes when scared) also i have only had it 4 days,the pet shop said it was quite tame when they got it(don't know what sex it is) it doesnt bite,just trys to whip,but like i say once you pick it up it is fine.any tips will be welcomed.....would post pics,but dont know how on here....any help would be gratfully recieved.thanks for your time x


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## GOT_TEGUS (Jun 25, 2009)

awesome good luck with the GU.


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## crimsonrazac (Jun 25, 2009)

theonas said:


> i discovered yesterday,that if i stroke it between the eyes he seems to relax and close his eyes.just wondering if this is a good sign?(i have beardies and know they close their eyes when scared)



That is most likely a sign of stress. alot of people confuse it with "taking a nap"


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## Jer723 (Jun 26, 2009)

crimsonrazac said:


> theonas said:
> 
> 
> > i discovered yesterday,that if i stroke it between the eyes he seems to relax and close his eyes.just wondering if this is a good sign?(i have beardies and know they close their eyes when scared)
> ...



dave told me that when they close their eyes that it shows a sense of relaxation.


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## UnoCinco (Jun 26, 2009)

I had the same issue with my BnW...except that he would bite and whip and occasionally run from me, but this was only while he was in his enclosure..much like your own. I too, watched varnyard's handling video and used the techniques suggested in there..

i had my BnW about 7 months prior to watching that video and he was far from tame for that time, after the video i spent about 3 hours working with him trying to get him to trust me. slowly hes become easier and easier to handle over time. now, it doesnt phase him when i reach in to his home and he shows no signs of aggressivness towards me.


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## crimsonrazac (Jun 26, 2009)

Jer723 said:


> crimsonrazac said:
> 
> 
> > theonas said:
> ...



It can be be both, and it may be hard to tell the diffrence. I assume its stress because I don't think it fully trusts its owner yet. Alot of animals don't like to be touched on the head unless they trust you 100%.


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## JohnMatthew (Jun 26, 2009)

Just don't try to rush it, that's where most people end up creating a monster! There is no fast track to gaining trust! Some animals calm down fast and with hardly any effort, but most take time. It took me a couple months to where I could reach in and pickup Boon without him fleeing the scene. When I moved him to his outdoor enclosure he had a relapse back to his wild state, even attacked my feet a few times when I was doing daily cleaning(quickly learned not to wear sandals!). Currently I can enter his enclosure, clean and feed without him showing aggression or running into a hide. At this point I've started to approach him again, slowly. Every day I get a little closer but he lets me know when I'm too close(a little back arching is all i'm getting now). Instead of continuing my approach I slowly back away and exit his enclosure. I'm giving him plenty of space and time to get used to his new home. Imagine the stress alone of being moved from somewhere you've been most of your life to an entirely new location in an instant. The tegu has tons of new sights, noises and scents to get used to, he doesn't need a gigantic could be predator to deal with as well :shock: .. I was a little upset when Boon wasn't exactly the same tegu after the move but the more I think about it the less I worry. He was dealing with sensory overload and just needed a bit of time and understanding from his keeper. I'm confident in the near future i'll even be able to pet and hold Boon and bring him inside to chill with me like before his big move.. Did I mention something about patience?

Don't know where this spiel came from but maybe there's some useful information in there if you want :cheers


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## Tarantu1aMan (Jun 28, 2009)

Don't rush it man,I've had my gu 2weeks and I can reach in his tank and pick him up with really no hassle now I've been holding him every day for at least 2 hours and I can rub his neck and he will sort of fall asleep,not completly though.bit the firstt week I had him I didn't use the feeding bin because I didn't want to stress him out. He use to not let me watch him eat but now he does and I even seen him take a drink of water today!


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