# My new tegu, burrows, and hisses at me????



## Guest (Nov 20, 2010)

Hey guys, got a quick question - but first of all, i want to say thanks to Bobby Hill if he reads this, my tegu i just got is doing awesome. 
My tegu is a bit skiddish but super friendly, gets scared when hes picked up, the normal stuff for a new pet lizard. Im not using cypress mulch, but i will be buying some soon. i tried out a snake bedding, that i thought would be better because its softer/fluffier and wouldnt hurt him even if he accidently got some in his digestive track. I dont feed him in his tank though, but i had a small snake somehow accidently eat mulch some how and die once even though i wasnt feed the snake in the tank either. 
OK - so today my tegu was buried under his bedding.... And usually if i go to get him out of his tank, i just brush away the bedding gently rub him a minute, then pick him up. he gets alittle skiddish at first, then calms down. Well not the case today. today i uncovered him, as soon as i went to touch him he jumped, and hissed, he did that about 5 times each time i tried to pet him until he calmed down. Honestly it almost seems like either 1. he was sleeping, having a bad dream and i was interrupting it or 2. i startled him because he couldnt see what was touching him, and becoming defensive because of it. his head was still covered in the bedding. only half his body was exposed. so that brings me to my next pount... is it ok to use a bedding they cant burrow in ??? if every time he burrows theres a chance of him acting like this, and biteing me, then i dont want him to burrow if its ok for him health wise to not be able to burrow, ill just leave him his fake plants to hide in, and a log. please let me know what to do, so i can keep him under control and calm enough to tame. he has acted similar to this once before, but not to this extent and id like to prevent this from happening again to the best of my ability.


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## Guest (Nov 20, 2010)

i would leave the bedding in and let him burrow.that is there safe place.if u take that out it will stress them out more.and about the change of behavior.you prolly spooked him out.i dont recommend ripping him out of his burrow.and there a a number of taming techniques on this site that work quite well.=]


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## james.w (Nov 20, 2010)

He is probably trying to hibernate, the one I got from Bobby this year only comes out about a hour a day and my red hasn't been out since I got him 2 months ago. I would recommend you never dig him out, if he needs food, water or to bask he will come out. I would recommend you leave him substrate that he can burrow in, it is much needed for this species. Good luck with your new tegu.


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## Guest (Nov 20, 2010)

its impossible that he can hybernate in the tank hes in, there isnt a side cold enough to hybernate... i mean if its not below like 70 they cant hybernate right ???????? yea i know i spooked him for sure, because when his head came out and he seen it was me, he wasnt scared anymore. but i handle him at least twice a day. and ill continue doing that regardless of if he is trying to hybernate because 1. i want him to be as used to people as possible .. and 2. i feed him outside the tank, and offer him fresh food every day.. and 3. my girlfriend makes me take him out no matter what anyway. . . (woman power, cant say no or ill hear it forever) but im definately not bothering him usually when i uncover him (dig him out sounds so harsh) usually he doesnt care he just lifts his head and looks at me and seems happy. once before he jumped and seemed pissed, and then today was just really like "WTF" i thought he was ganna bite me for sure. i didnt know what to think of the way he was acting. either way, eventually i suppose things like that wont happen right ? i mean they get used to everything? i can put him down and let him walk to my girflreind climb up to her shoulder, then he will come down, walk across and come up to me and climb up on me. so hes not scared of people. and just to help the situation, i put one of my t-shirts in his tank to try that method out to see if it makes everything even better. ill leave it in there for 3 days or so. he was basking on my tshirt today  and yes, i named my Tegu "Fido"


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## james.w (Nov 20, 2010)

I don't mean to offend, but why come here for advice if you aren't going to take it. Tegus will hibernate if and when they decide it is time. It is something they will do naturally, so you should let him be if he is burrowed or in his hide, taking him out also causes you to lose his trust. My cold side is between 78-82 during the day and my red hasn't been out of the mulch since I put him in the enclosure and my 2010 All American from Bobby only comes out about a hour a day and I offer him food every 3 days or so. You digging him up is also slowing down the taming process, he should know he is safe when burrowed or in his hide. So like I said before I would let him be if he is burrowed and if he does come out, offer him food and handle him as you wish.


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## tora (Nov 21, 2010)

I have to second the post above me. I've known people who have had their enclosure in 'summer temps' to keep their tegu awake, and it's hibernated anyway. You need to let your poor lizard do what comes natural to him, or return him and get something you can properly care for. I'm sorry if I'm being harsh, but your scaring your lizard & not being responsible. If you want something you can see all the time get a dog or something. It's hide is supposed to be a safe place, constantly uncovering him is going to stress him out. You waking him up when he is trying to hibernate will stress him out as well, & it might even be bad for his health. Wanting to make an enclosure where he can't burrow just so you can keep tabs on him is cruel. You're just backpedaling when it comes to taming if you're forcing yourself on him, as well as stressing him out in the ways I said. As of right now he can't nor does he trust you. He is still young, though, so he can't do anything about it. I don't want you to continue down this road and end up with a tegu that charges at you every time you come near it's enclosure, because that is what I see happening. Please take the advice before things go too far downhill.


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2010)

I dont know what to say to you two
I sure would like to go off and tear you two a new one and defend myself, 
And i did. I typed up a whole book for you two. 
But i decided against wasting my time going back and fourth and being the mature one. 
You guys having that many animals under one roof, and not even being a breeder or anything fits you guys in with animal hoarders, and its obvious you dont give alot of attention to one animal, or the other. 
And of course you can ignore a animal for days at a time and not give it attention, I mean hell, you cant have a cat on your lap, tegu on your shoulder, dog at your feet, snake around your shoulder, and a gerbil by your side. Or do you???? 
Anyway my point is, i didnt post my thoughts because i dont want a arguement. My tegu is getting better treatment than your human children would. So go ahead call me cruel.


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2010)

Oh yeah all the stuff i deleted, had the reason WHY i dig him out - i offer him food OUTSIDE his cage once a day, and i let him roam, 
You guys have enough animals to maybe not give the special treatment to your tegu. Either way. My monitors never acted like this when they were in their hides. I know how reptiles are. I was looking for advice on how to get him to calm down and not do that. All i got was "well duh dont do it your cruel"


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## TheTeguGurl (Nov 21, 2010)

No one here is trying to be cruel to you at all, you were asking for advise and there are many ppl here that are willing and are trying to advise you. it is a rule of thumb thou that it is a bad idea not too pull them from there burrows or hide, if you want a very tame lizard that trust you he has to be able to feel safe. We are like giant monsters to them that pull them out of there homes play with them feed them then put them back.. it is a scarey thing to them it they do not trust us. what it might feel like if someone did that to us when we were fast alseep in our beds nice and warm, then all of a sudden this HUGE monster picked us up and started holding us and kissing on us, WE might think they we going to eat us! Tegus need to feel safe. We are not trying to attack you in anyway..please give your little guy some time wait for him to be basking and then take him out.. you will learn really fast that he wont get all pissy like he has been..pulling a tegu out of there burrow or hide will prolong his trust in you!


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## slideaboot (Nov 21, 2010)

OH...this kid's ridiculous.


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## james.w (Nov 21, 2010)

slideaboot said:


> OH...this kid's ridiculous.


+1. Reptile aren't really animals you need to play with. All of my animals are handleable if I want to hold them. I have human kids as well (as you call them) and I am involved in their lives greatly. I take my dogs on walks daily and to the dog park weekly. My cats get tons of attention. Since you know so much why are you here? You can attempt to tear me a new one but since it seems everybody else here agrees with me, it won't do much good. Good luck with your tegu and I hope your way if doing things works for you.


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2010)

poor tegu ):


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2010)

Sorry, i just felt offended. I figured id speak my mind freely like you guys did is all. Anyway, like i said - just arise from his sleep to me well his head is covered, he doesnt know whats touching him, causes him to freak out. once he see's that its me, he calms. I think in due time that will stop, it only happened a few times, other times he was fine. Alot of people say their animals always wind up occasionally trying to snap at them. I wouldnt consider that tame. Tame is when you get it to the point, where after its a year or two old itll NEVER try to snap, regardless if you even bop it on the head by accident like some people claim thats why it bites, accidently bopping it, etc. not that id intentionally hurt a reptile, but ive had a few that id be confident i could hurt it pretty bad and it would never snap at me. if they grow up without the need to fear you, without a need to hunt, and feeling like they need you to survive, SOME REPTILES will never snap - depends on the personality.


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2010)

OH plus, the reason im here ??? meet some new friends that have tegu's
Learn a few things about tegus, i know more about monitors than tegus, but i have researched MANY hours on end about them before i got one. If i dont know something, or im curious about other peoples opinions, i will ask and not hesitate to ask. theres no such thing as a bad question or stupid question. The way people learn most, is researching, AND getting peoples opinions on them, and then finally - experience. Most of you never have tried to take them out from their burrow in their tank i assume, and tried it this way, its the same thing as removing them from their hide. my monitors never minded me removing them from their hide when they were tamed down. sometimes theyd jump a bit when i woke them, but never like this tegu does. i assume its also the age.


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2010)

sarafina, hehe i didnt say anyone was being cruel to me. and i do let him sleep. but in the morning i have time for him, and in the afternoon i have time for him. this isnt my first reptile, other people are calling me cruel not understanding me. he wont use his hide, only burrow. and actually if i didnt take him out, he would never bask. and he needs his UV. and realising that im not pulling him out to hurt him, is something he will learn. and he only acts like that SOMETIMES, and i was seeing if other people had their tegus act like that when they uncover them from hiding under their subtrate. thats all i was asking... the way you guys act, saying poor tegu, etc etc, you act like im hitting it or not feeidng it or something.


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## james.w (Nov 21, 2010)

Well you are preventing it from doing what it wants to do and would do in nature. They hibernate in the wild and don't get uvb for months at a time and develop just fine. If he wants to eat or needs to bask, he will come out. All we are saying is let your tegu do what it wants and follow his lead. and again no offense is intended from my posts.


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## yumeze (Oct 12, 2011)

I have had my tegu a week now and have been noticing my own mistake of digging her out of her burrow. I use cypress and have about 13". She/he (i dont really know yet) is 27" long and around a year old. The pet store said she was very docile and was until I've been doing this. Well she still is but I have been messing it up, not realizing it. Thank you google for getting info to me! What an idiot I was. With all the research I did before buying, I never heard about the burrow issue. I will def leave her alone now and try not to worry so much. I live in Tampa, FL and temp here is in the 60-70s at night and 80's day for now. Should she be trying to hibernate at this time? Also, she is inside and will have one built outside in the spring to grow in. Do you think the damage I've done these past few days can be reversed? I want to be able to keep her tame.


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## BillieJeAn (Oct 12, 2011)

james.w said:


> slideaboot said:
> 
> 
> > OH...this kid's ridiculous.
> ...



Great point. 
I just read this and was Like what the hell is this person even trying to say? You told them  ha


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## spark678 (Oct 12, 2011)

I am glad you learned something new and finally made a name on here. I am from tampa fl too just wondering what shop you got him from. You should post pics of your tegu and setup. I think it can be reversed with time. Just be patient and tell the woman no if she wants to see him. goodluck!


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## yumeze (Oct 13, 2011)

Are you talking to me or the other guy? I am a wife with 3 kids. Will def post up some pics later today


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## spark678 (Oct 13, 2011)

Yes talking to you.


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## Aardbark (Oct 13, 2011)

Hello, Im a new tegu owner myself. Ive had my red for 4 months now. Ive been useing this fourm a lot because, well its a tegu forum, lol.

Try not to get offended by anyone here. They are just very protective of their animals, and of what they might view as mistreatment of other animals. No one wants to see a sad tegu.

Anyway, I;ll give you my advice from what Ive learned with Godzilla. First, every tegu is different. As they get older they all develop their own personalities. Its just how they are. Also, as some people have mentioned, Tegus are burrowing lizards. They like to dig underground. Espesualy my Godzilla. She spends most of her time underground. Im the same as you, I want to hold her and play with her and show her love. But you really have to wait for them to come out of the ground first. 

I dont know how long you have had yours, but when I first got Godzilla, she burrowed underground for almost a week, and didnt come out for anything. She was in a new envyronment and scared. But, she did eventualy come out to eat. Basicly what Im saying is that you dont have to dig them up in order to feed them or have them bask. They will get hungry or cold, and do it on their own. It definitly is a little annoying, because you never know when they are going to come out of the ground, and you want to be there to see it. My Godzilla eventualy got into a pettern though. She would come out of the ground at around 10 am and go back underground at 4 pm. That works for me, because I work at night so Im able to hold her then.

It is really bad for them if they cant burrow, or digging them up. As others have said, being underground or being in their hide is their safe spot. Its where they can go to relax. Im sure a tegu would get used to being dug up, or liveing somewhere where they cant dig at all. But that I think would result in a very sad tegu, and I dont think you want that. 

I dont think youve done to much damage. The guy is still new, so unless you keep doing it, he will eventualy forget. With proper care, I think any tegu, even ones mistreated for years, can become a loveing companion. Also, Im not sure about the hybernation thing. If she is new, my guess is that she isnt trying to hybernate, and is more just getting used to her new home.

Got any more questions, feel free to ask.


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