# Push-ups?



## tora (Oct 9, 2010)

What does this mean? 
I tried to look it up but couldn't find much.


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## Blue Crab of PAIN!!! (Oct 9, 2010)

It MAY be a tegu's way of expressing anger.

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I can't think of any other reason


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## tora (Oct 10, 2010)

Huh. I don't think it's that because he does it randomly, not just when I'm trying to socialize him. I think the last time I saw him do it was the second to last time I fed him.


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## tayrocksyoursocks56 (Aug 2, 2012)

im new on here so i dont know much, just got my first tegu from bobby 2 days ago, but ive dont tons of research. And in that research, ive found info on lizards performing seemingly strange body movements such as head thrusts, pushups, and tail whips. the online article stated that many reptiles, such as anoles, do pushups as a display of dominance. have no idea if this transfers over to tegu but its definitely a possibility. http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/11/25/lizard-push-up.html


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## the_cw (Aug 2, 2012)

It's dominance for sure. What the lizard is referring to is, of course, sometimes difficult to discern.


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## Dana C (Aug 2, 2012)

Everyone who has a baby has to understand that early behavior is going to change and is not indicative of your baby tegus adult personality which will develop over time . Your tegu will not really be tame or socialized for a few months. They will tolerate you with continued interaction and they will begin to associate you will good thinks like warmth, security, food, and a perch to see things. 

I know that it is easy to engage in anthropomorphism. I also know how badly everyone wants to have the tegus like that they have seen on you tube, huge friendly, wanting attention. You can have it but it takes time and lots of patience and effort. If you go back in the "taming" threads you will find some good routines and techniques for bonding. Real milestones usually begin when your tegu is at least 3 months of age. Maybe yours will be different. Who knows? 

You should also know that your baby will change periodically. A the beginning of a shed they can become terrors. When they start to sexually mature they can be testy, and not want to be touched, carried etc. Understand that it is not that they have lost what they had with you but are just going through a phase which will pass. There will be other phases and mood changes which will occur for years. 

All to often I have seen the expression "dog tame" on the net on breeder web sites, forums etc. Tegus while capable of being tame and somewhat bonded to you will not ever be "dog tame". Canis familiaris is a domesticated animal and became so over thousands of years. Tegus are still a wild reptile with all the survival, mating, etc. instincts intact. Tegus are very intelligent and perhaps have the highest level of "smarts" in the reptile world and are capable of remembering, learning, identifying, etc. They are also capable of bullying you into doing what they want. They do something and they respond good or bad.

What I am trying to say is, get your expectations into the zone of reality with your baby tegu.


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