# WTF why is my tegu so aggressive.



## redtail2426 (Dec 27, 2007)

Why is my tegu constantly biting my hands not just a single bite like trying to rip my fingers off. Its getting untolerable and my hands are getting cuts all over them. He roams my room and dosnt seem to mind me and usually he wants to climb on me but I sit up when he climbs on my leg so he cant get up because last time he tried to rip my ear off. I have been keeping my hands away from him because he is so aggressive towards them. I am going to have to get gloves just to handle him which I havent done in a while because I dont trust him. I dont hand feed him and he is 5 1/2 months old. He even grabbed my sleeve the other day and death rolled it. He also attacks my boxers and shirts laying on my floor. Please Help my tegu wants to kill me!!!! My mom seems to think that if I dont teach him some how that it is not alright to bite me now that he will grow up thinking its ok.


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## VARNYARD (Dec 27, 2007)

It is a trust issue, he does not trust you at all. Have you read this?

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## PuffDragon (Dec 27, 2007)

Just curious...where did you get him from? Hope everything works out for you.


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## DaveDragon (Dec 27, 2007)

Our B&W had trust issues at that age also. If I put my hand in it was immediately attacked. Even putting in a food dish was an adventure!

I left him alone for a month and he calmed down significantly. It's probably a maturity thing too. 

My biggest problem is he gets up after I go to work and is back under before I get home. So I see him once or twice on the weekend. Not alot of interaction. I haven't had much problem taking him out lately, he just runs for the darkest corner if I put him down. So I put a leash on him to keep some control.

It'll just take time for him to trust you and mature to the point he's not constantly afraid of being eaten.


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## COWHER (Dec 27, 2007)

my guy had a spell like this as well, and he is now coming out of it and becoming nice again. along with trust issues does any one think it may just be the age like the terrible two's in little kids? i didn't change my behavior at all to break trust with him nor did i do anything beyond what bobby suggested to get his trust back he just started being cool again. hang in there i was a few weeks away from selling Barbossa and just getting a chacoan but now i decided to do both :roll: :wink: :lol: :lol:


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## DaveDragon (Dec 27, 2007)

COWHER said:


> does any one think it may just be the age like the terrible two's in little kids? i didn't change my behavior at all to break trust with him nor did i do anything beyond what bobby suggested to get his trust back he just started being cool again. hang in there i was a few weeks away from selling Barbossa and just getting a chacoan but now i decided to do both :roll: :wink: :lol: :lol:


That's what I think as well. Ours was nuts for a month or so (about 6 to 8 months old) and then calmed down.


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## redtail2426 (Dec 27, 2007)

Ok I got my tegu from sisco reptiles and I have read varnyards taming tips before I have followed those pretty well but not perfect but close. I dont hand feed I put a plate on the carpet outside of his enclosure for him to eat from I am slow when I handle him I dont grab him I just lay my hand down in front of him and wait for him to walk on it, I also do not know how I could have broken his trust maybe by putting him in his bin for a couple hours while I sifted the dust out of his mulch (he does not like his bin and I wont be using it in the future to hold him in for cage cleanings) or when I took him to the vet he was in a pillow case for the transportation but he seemed really comfortable in it. I know that when I got him he was not this aggressiv and he would only bite my hands everyonce in a while ether being territorial or the handful of times I forgot to wash my hands and they smelled like food. I have only gotten upset with him a couple times when he would just keep biting but all I did was raise my voice and yell at him to get in his cage. And for the past month and a half I just let him roam and I pay no attention to him I just let him do his thing. I bought rubber gloves today and when I put them in front of him he was curiously checking them out but would not bite them I dont understand maybe its the taste or smell of my hands or something?? Well I going to keep trying If I handle him more with the gloves on do you think it will help in calming him only when he wants to be handled obviously? Thanks for everyones input already this has been really frusturating me because I put alot of effort in to take good care of him and all i have been getting in return is nasty bites.


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## COWHER (Dec 28, 2007)

yeah keep up the hard work. and don't force handle , follow bobby's advice as close as you can and if your tegu Still doesn't calm down then you can just call it your Sisco Psycho :evil: :evil:


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## nat (Dec 30, 2007)

don't get too frustrated. My red is acting similar. He isn't aggressive but he hates interacting with me atm. I even have taken him out everyday to feed him. 

oh by the way, here's a question for the pros out there.. I know you aren't supposed to force handle the tegu BUT what do you do when you are trying to feed him outside the enclosure everyday but he won't let you hold him. How do you get him into the feeding enclosure without force handling. Its been an issue for me!


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## WhiskeyTango (Jan 3, 2008)

COWHER said:


> yeah keep up the hard work. and don't force handle , follow bobby's advice as close as you can and if your tegu Still doesn't calm down then you can just call it your Sisco Psycho :evil: :evil:



lol...sisco psyco.


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## Swtbrat (Jan 3, 2008)

I can tell you the two methods I have used that seemed to help.

One is to place him in a pillowcase along with one of my worn shirts and lay down,hold him on your chest where he can feel your breathing and maybe your heartbeat.
Talk to him and pet him with your hand over the pillowcase and do this for as long as he seems to like it.You will put him to sleep.
Stroke him from head to tip of tail so he gets used to you touching his tail.Do this a few times and then put him away.
If you notice him settling down then do the same but this time place your hand inside and stroke him but if he doesn't like it don't do it.

Please be patient,there are no shortcuts.

Now the second way is done after he trusts you more.Place a towel and tegu in a sunny screened window,helps if window is chest high.If no window is avaliable try a space in a entertainment center where only the front is open.Place towel and tegu in the space and stand in front of the opening.You can lay your hand down and hope he wants to inspect it.If you have made enough progress try petting him head to tail tip,all the time talking to him in a quiet manner.He cannot go anywhere unless he climbs on you.Leave the taming sessions to like 20 minutes.

I am far from being a Tegu expert and don't claim to be.I am just suggesting what works for me.

DO NOT manhandle him or you will lose the trust you have gained.

Time & Patience is the only way.

Brat!


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## greentriple (Jan 3, 2008)

Dave,

I have the same issue you do. Mine is up while I'm at work and I only get time with him on the weekends.
He is not aggressive, but he does hide when I come towards his cage. I sit by it and keep eye contact with him. Eventually he exposes himself and I open the cage. We stare at each other some more and after about 30 min., of all this, I scoop him from underneath and he's fine. I noticed that if I "reach" for him he puffs up a bit, but he's never tried to bite or whip. I them move him into the house and we hang for several hours if I have the time. HeÃ?Æ?Ã?â??Ã?â??Ã?Â¢Ã?Æ?Ã?Â¢Ã?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¡Ã?â??Ã?Â¬Ã?Æ?Ã?Â¢Ã?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¾Ã?â??Ã?Â¢ll roam around and usually look for a place to sleep; he likes my cargo pants pocket's or my robe pocket. 

However, this weekend after leaving him in the sun for a couple of hours he sprinted from me when I tried to "pick" him up. After holding him for a couple of minutes he calmed down. I put him down and he climbed on me and basked on my chair's arm. All this is to say that they have unique personalities and may require tweaking of treatment to understand and Ã?Æ?Ã?â??Ã?â??Ã?Â¢Ã?Æ?Ã?Â¢Ã?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¡Ã?â??Ã?Â¬Ã?Æ?Ã¢â?¬Â¦Ã?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?â??tameÃ?Æ?Ã?â??Ã?â??Ã?Â¢Ã?Æ?Ã?Â¢Ã?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã?Â¡Ã?â??Ã?Â¬Ã?Æ?Ã¢â?¬Å¡


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## DaveDragon (Jan 3, 2008)

Another point is not to be afraid of HIM. They can sense fear and will take advantage of it. Fear is another emotion you can project, just like anger.


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