# A video on feeding boxes and reptile Temperament.



## Herplings (Sep 28, 2009)

Here is a video with my B&W Argi Tegu, and some pythons. Talking about feeding boxes and cage aggression.

Thanks for watching.

Snakelings.

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## MIKE-ZILLA (Sep 28, 2009)

good video,and nice snakes! I cage feed mine too, but mine arn't as well behaved as yours. you probably handle yours more often than me. the largest snake i have is a 4.5' long red tail but i dont have problems with him unless he can small the food (like you said in the vid.) what kind of heating do you use in the room, heat tapes? do you heat the entire room also?


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## wyattroa (Sep 28, 2009)

well i would still have to say i disagree with you on the feeding for the tegu. I have seen plenty of tegus that are cage aggressive. Maybe yours isnt now.. but that doesnt mean as it grows and gets older that it wont get that way.

Also how do you keep humidty up in the tegu cage? and is that the reptile carpet your using for your gu?
roebrt


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## Herplings (Sep 28, 2009)

Ill try to help answer some questions.

I heat the room to 78*F. I used heat tape under 1/3 of all my snake cages. I actually just made a question answer video about that. You can check it out here.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PW0Nko6VAc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PW0Nko6VAc</a><!-- m -->

As far as the Tegu getting more aggressive, or Reptiles getting more aggressive with age. It might happen, it could happen. But, I have never once seen this happen in any of my reptiles, or friends reptiles. I think its more commonly become a wives-tale with more and better captive breeding and better handling techniques. 

That is just some astro-turf from the hardware store cut to fit the cage. I like it better then any organic substrate, because it does not attract bugs, flys, hide waste, mold, grow fungus and can not be ingested.

The Tegus humidity is 65% all the time. Because that is what the room is controlled at.

Thanks for watching.


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## Meg90 (Sep 28, 2009)

But how does he burrow? I know you have a log hide in there, but my Gu burrows down every night rather than sleep in it. Even if she's in/near it sleeping before I turn the lights out--once its dark, she digs herself back into yesterdays burrow.

I also didn't see any UVB on Samson in the vid?


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## GOT_TEGUS (Sep 28, 2009)

Herplings said:


> Ill try to help answer some questions.
> 
> I heat the room to 78*F. I used heat tape under 1/3 of all my snake cages. I actually just made a question answer video about that. You can check it out here.
> <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PW0Nko6VAc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PW0Nko6VAc</a><!-- m -->
> ...



I actually didnt see in the video any thing about the GU. I thought the video was good. but show us your GU setup bro


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## Herplings (Sep 28, 2009)

Meg90 said:


> But how does he burrow? I know you have a log hide in there, but my Gu burrows down every night rather than sleep in it. Even if she's in/near it sleeping before I turn the lights out--once its dark, she digs herself back into yesterdays burrow.
> 
> I also didn't see any UVB on Samson in the vid?



The heat and UV sits on-top of the lid for the cage. So, I have to take them off to get into the cage. So, I just set it aside before the video. 

As far as the burrowing goes. I never saw Samson burrow and I don't believe burrowing to be detrimental to the Tegus stress level. As shown in the video, Samson is pretty laid back and likes to eat.
A lot of people said this same thing about snakes when people started putting them on paper.
Also, for the reasons I noted in the post before this one, I believe the pros out-weight the cons. 

Thanks for watching.


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## Herplings (Sep 28, 2009)

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pKX884HLS8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pKX884HLS8</a><!-- m -->

Watch that one Got_Tegu.

Samson is on there for about the last 3 minutes of film.


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## GOT_TEGUS (Sep 28, 2009)

Herplings said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pKX884HLS8
> 
> Watch that one Got_Tegu.
> 
> Samson is on there for about the last 3 minutes of film.



great bro good video


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## AWD247 (Sep 28, 2009)

Very nice video, I kinda agree with you when you say you dont "need" to feed in another bin, these animals are smart but to an extent, they do learn the difference from your hand and food, but they "will" make mistakes in judgement/ scents, and even you yourself with your expierence show it with the few sudden flinches in your handling, also you say in your video while it just finished eating you can pick him up, but didnt till afterwards, (thats because you know its feeding response is greater and some what uncontrolled while eating in its enclsoure) 
I bring these points up only to say while it might not be an absolute need to feed in a seperate bin as you stated above, feeding in a seperate bin "will" give you way less of an agressive feeding behavior. Ive never had to deal with feeding agression or enclosure feeding response etc. I think its due to feeding elsewhere.

I dont feed live, so maybe that helps me out alot also.


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## Herplings (Sep 28, 2009)

AWD247 said:


> Very nice video, I kinda agree with you when you say you dont "need" to feed in another bin, these animals are smart but to an extent, they do learn the difference from your hand and food, but they "will" make mistakes in judgement/ scents, and even you yourself with your expierence show it with the few sudden flinches in your handling, also you say in your video while it just finished eating you can pick him up, but didnt till afterwards, (thats because you know its feeding response is greater and some what uncontrolled while eating in its enclsoure)
> I bring these points up only to say while it might not be an absolute need to feed in a seperate bin as you stated above, feeding in a seperate bin "will" give you way less of an agressive feeding behavior. Ive never had to deal with feeding agression or enclosure feeding response etc. I think its due to feeding elsewhere.
> 
> I dont feed live, so maybe that helps me out alot also.



I waited to pick him up until after he was done eating because I didn't want to pick him up while he was swallowing. I guess tomorrow I could do a video of me holding him while he is eating. Its not the aggression I am worried about, because.... There is none, its the animals health that I was concerned about.

And like you said, I myself have never had to deal with feeding aggression and feeding response and I feed 100% in cages.
This video was not made to change peoples minds on how they do things. It was done to show people that there are options, and different results based on how you do things.

Also, like stated in the video, I would ask anyone to come feed my Retic a 12 pound rabbit and then put her back into her cage. You would need 2 people, handling tools and some luck. Then hope that after the stress put on the animal it don't regurge its meal.
But, I do understand that moving a 6 pound Tegu and a 75 pound snake after a meal is a bit different. An adult Tegu cant kill you, just ruin your night. A full grown 20 foot 160 pound Retic can.

I will work on a feeding video next time we feed. Most people are surprised to find that more then half of our snakes eat off the cage floor, and all eat F/T.

Thanks again for watching and the comments.


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## txrepgirl (Sep 28, 2009)

In the video I saw mostly snakes not Tegus.I think every reptile is different.I used to feed my ball python in the enclosure ( I don't have her any more that's why I'm saying used to ).She didn't want to eat outside her enclosure at all.I only got bit once.I do feed my frilled dragon, bearded dragon and leopard gecko in the enclosures and they don't bite me when I reach in ther.But when it comes to Tegus I hear it a lot that when they are being fed in the enclosure they do get food aggressive.The only time I feed them in a bin is when they are hachtlings so they can't get away.Once they are used to me I put the food on a plate and put it on the floor.So far I sometimes handfed all four off my older Tegus and don't have any problems with it.I don't think that Tegus think it's hunting season when they are outside off their enclosure because they are used to being fed outside the enclosure.They don't roam around and bite my feet.In the videos I posted you can see that they dont' go for my fingers when I hand feed them.They are older now and I still feed them this way sometimes. 

I was wondering why you have the Tegu in a bin and not a enclosure like the one you have underneath his bin.Tegus are very curious and it would be nice if he/she can look out.What do you do for humidity since he/she doesn't have any mulch in the bin ? and how do you know if the temps and humidity is right.I didn't see anything that shows you the temps.I'm sorry for being so harsh and I don't mean to be rude but I think the Tegu needs a better enclosure. You do have some very nice snakes.I would be a snack for them lol.

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## Herplings (Sep 29, 2009)

txrepgirl said:


> I was wondering why you have the Tegu in a bin and not a enclosure like the one you have underneath his bin.Tegus are very curious and it would be nice if he/she can look out.What do you do for humidity since he/she doesn't have any mulch in the bin ? and how do you know if the temps and humidity is right.I didn't see anything that shows you the temps.I'm sorry for being so harsh and I don't mean to be rude but I think the Tegu needs a better enclosure. You do have some very nice snakes.I would be a snack for them lol.
> 
> <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqO7Fs8VqfA&feature=channel_page" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqO7Fs8V ... annel_page</a><!-- m -->
> 
> ...



I have all ready answered these questions in my other posts on this thread. I don't have to worry about using substrates to control humidity, because the room he is in has its humidity controlled to 65%.

Keeping a Tegu on paper, or asto-turf is no more foreign to their wild living then keeping them on farm-milled cypress mulch that is used as floor/garden decoration, or shredded aspen that is made from left over house building materials. The reason these reptiles suffer from things like impaction and sickness from the substrates they ingest, is because in the "wild" they don't ingest whole tree parts while feeding, or shredded aspen 2x4s used to build homes.
These animals life on dirt. 

The Tegu would have to be blind not to be able to see out of a clear bin, with 4 clear sides.
The Tegu will be moved to a large setup once he has out-grown the one he is in now.

Thanks for watching.


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## Meg90 (Sep 29, 2009)

I have that exact same tub, and I think it isn't appropriate for a tegu. Its only 12 inches deep. How do you raise up his UVB bulb? It shouldn't be that close to him. With my torts, I have to use lamp stands to keep their lamps and bulbs 14-15 inches high, because the bins don't cut it.

I also would be skeptical of the controlled humidity in the room. Yes, outside of the cage it might be 65% (which I also think is too low--for good shedding health, it should be at 75% at least IMO) But INSIDE underneath a set of lights, there is nooooo way you are at 65% especially without a scrap of bedding to help in that area.

If that humidifier in the video is the only one you use, there is no way the humidity is up all the time. That thing is tinyyy. I have a giant humidifier for the living room w/ the torts, and it has a hard time keeping up in the winter.

Plus, average humidity in a house is around 50-55% anyways....65% I don't think is considered high.

For an animal that loves to burrow, I think its a bit damaging to not allow him to do so. Its a natural behavior---why rob him of that, when its as easy as grabbing a bag of 2$ mulch?

If he is supposed to live on dirt, why doesn't he have any?


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## Herplings (Sep 29, 2009)

Meg90 said:


> I have that exact same tub, and I think it isn't appropriate for a tegu. Its only 12 inches deep. How do you raise up his UVB bulb? It shouldn't be that close to him. With my torts, I have to use lamp stands to keep their lamps and bulbs 14-15 inches high, because the bins don't cut it.
> 
> I also would be skeptical of the controlled humidity in the room. Yes, outside of the cage it might be 65% (which I also think is too low--for good shedding health, it should be at 75% at least IMO) But INSIDE underneath a set of lights, there is nooooo way you are at 65% especially without a scrap of bedding to help in that area.
> 
> ...



I have been over these questions, but will type them again I guess. Lets see what I can address here.

First, there are a lot of animals that like to do things natural, "in the wild". A lot of this naturalistic behavior has to do with things that is not guaranteed in the wild, but in captivity is offered.
Like, being hunted for food, finding food, water, weather conditions, mating/breeding ext.ext.
These are all things that in captivity the animals does not have to deal with. I will give another example....
In the wild Arabian horses travel on a normally bases 20 miles a day. Why? Well, in the wild they are looking for constant food, mates and avoiding predators. In captivity these animals thrive and may move 20 miles a month. Why? Because they don't deal with predators, mates are handed to them and hay rains from the sky 3 times a day.
These horses in the wild live on AVG 12 years. In captivity, we have two on our farm that are workable, rideable, fully trained and in perfect breeding and over all health. They are 20+ years old. This don't happen in the wild.

I can give these same examples with dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, fish ext ext.
What these animals are in the wild and what they are in your house after years of selective breeding is completely different. 

He does not live on dirt for the same reason I don't have him on cypress. Already noted (please read above posts).

The difference between my snake room and your "house" is like comparing apples and oranges.
Your house has multiple rooms, doors, windows and is unsealed. Our snake rooms are snake rooms. They are sealed and individually heated/climate controlled.
If I run that humidifier none stop that room will sit at 90% humidity with out issue. 
65% from what I have found is optimal for the reptiles that we keep. Even the Tegu sheds in 2 peices.. His body and then his tail.
I even looked this up for you, because I fingered you would not take the time to do it yourself. Its a few monthly statistics for the graphical regain your Tegus is found in.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.myforecast.com/bin/climate.m?city=50064&metric=false" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.myforecast.com/bin/climate.m ... tric=false</a><!-- m -->

And as far as your Torts and their bins go. I will not comment. I don't comment on things that I have no hands on experience with.  

I hope you can stay in school. I think once you get a few years of real world animals and studies under your belt, your tune will change.
I know after 6+ years mine did. 

Thanks again for your comments, and for watching. :cheers 

Snakelings.


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## Meg90 (Sep 29, 2009)

I don't know why you are talking about horses?

I was talking about your tegu.

In an older video you had him on bark chips. Why switch over to indoor/outdoor carpet which is known to rip off toenails, and does not hold any humidity? Plus, it frays and gets stringy on the edges, and if the animal managed to swallow or ingest one of those pieces, it could wind around his intestines and kill him.

I used that stuff years ago, before I knew better, for leopard geckos. After knowing what I do now, I wouldn't even use it for a snake. Its on the same level as calci sand for most keepers.

The forecast you provided is for September. Most wild tegus are in brumation at this time of year, are they not? So those temps have no actual bearing which is why I wouldn't waste my time looking them up. I'd like you to also notice that for "morning" which I took to mean anytime before noon, it was 80% humidity.

I don't know what my schooling has to do with any of this either?? If I was getting a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts, I would still be keeping my tegu on several inches of mulch so that she can exhibit her natural behaviors.


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## Herplings (Sep 29, 2009)

You can flip thou different months with the chart. Via a drop-down menu where it says "September".
You might want to also note that are Summers and there Winters are opposite. They don't have the same climated Septembers that we do. But, I am sure you already knew that. :roll: 

I can agree to disagree, and like I said. I am not trying to change peoples opinions or mind. Its not the point of my videos. Its to show other options, and how I do things.
I am also willing to except that with I have a room full of exceptions.

Thanks again for your comments and questions.

Cheers. :cheers 

Snakelings.


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## Meg90 (Sep 29, 2009)

That's that then.  

I disagree with how you are keeping your tegu, and you think how you are keeping him is fine.


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