Advice. (handling new tegu?)

[Griffin]

Hello, I will be receiving a 3 week old argentine red tegu this coming tuesday. Shluld I try handling within a couple days, or wait a couple weeks. Do you have any special techniques?

 

[EnjoysWine]

Check out past threads for handling and taming techniques - there is a section on the main page for taming discussion.

The tegu may hide for a while at the beginning to get used to her new surroundings. After a few days at most, I would handle her using gentle and non-aggressive movements and touch. You can also speak to her before touching to get her used to your presence.

 

[Griffin]

Hey, thanks for the reply! She is a very curious little booger and already has started crawling on my hand by her own, I have sat by her cage daily for 2-3 hours doing Uni homework and speaking to her everytime. I’ve been tong feeding crickets, spotted roaches, grapes, ground turkey and she loves it. I haven’t fully taken her out of the enclosure yet as I don’t want to break the trust I have already created. But each day she ventures onto my hand and up my arm little by little before she turns around. She also runs off her basking spot when I come down in the morning as she knows its food time.

 

[EnjoysWine]

Sounds like you're making good progress!

 

[James Smith]

Hello guys, I am a fairly new member and I am glad to be here. I am learning a lot when I thought all the countless hours spent researching, being absolutely wrong of course, was enough.

I am so excited to own a beautiful 4 month old blue Tegu, purchased from Hector Habitats. My buddy, BOGA, is still hiding a lot. Let me explain what I think is alot. BOGA daily routine goes something like this: 4:30 to 5 am he comes out and sets on his non basking rock. The night light system is still on at this time. I would manually turn the enclosure day system on. At this time he would go and bask for a while. If it is feeding day he would immediately scratch on the window to come out if he seen me, if not he would search for a way to escape his enclosure. The only difference from the non feeding day and not is; he would eat first before he search for his escape route. Once he figures he can not escape he would go hide for a few hours and he may or may not come back out for the day. When he goes and hide, it would be about 9 or 10 o'clock with some instances 1 to 2 o'clock. I talk to him constantly and I have had gentle reaction with him as well. Bath time went great, but I am still concerned with the still stand off personality he has after 3 1/2 weeks with me. I am trying to give BOGA his space and learn what he wants from me. Should I be concerned or is this about normal.

If this is normal that is fine, if not I would like to be set straight.

Lastly, are there any Michigan Tegu owners out there?

 

[Griffin]

Sounds like he’s preparing for the Winter and how often are you feeding him you said
you have a non days and from what I’ve read and gathered through research if he’s only 4 months feed him everyday until he’s full. Thats what i’ve done, they’ll let you know when they’re finished and full. One more thing you’ve only had him 3.5 weeks.... they live for 20 years you’re rushing things and not being patient don’t just rush into handling it and bothering it. A lot of people wait at minimum a month for the tegu to handled , I got lucky and mine has a very calmed demeaner. And yeah again it’s a lizard it’s not going to come looking for you and “smiling” like a puppy so a stand-off attitude isn’t weird. Right now you could be bothering and annoying the piss out of it and thats why its stand-off ish with you, now everytime BOGA sees you he thinks “Oh **** not this annoying person again” .... food for thought

 

[James Smith]

I really think you are right Griffin. I will continue to do what I am doing. I will keep talking to him so he can at least get use to my voice. I held him a count of 3 times since I had him and 2 of the times I just had to. Going backwards... I held him during his bath time, once to move him away and then once because he crossed over my hand and I gently picked him up.

Being a father to four beautiful children I remember the times of our first born. We would always wonder if our child is progressing properly or not. The only way is to compare our time line with our child to the other children his age. We quickly understood that all children progress at their own pace, you can't rush their growth, however lizard aren't children either. Lol

 

[James Smith]

Oh I forgot. I started out offering him food every day until he started to eat more than a nibble. After a few days of eating and he started to eat more I cut back to feeding him every other day. Here in the last two feedings he really was hungry. Yesterday especially. He ate almost all his food.

Thank you for your advice it is welcomed good food for thought. I will go back to everyday feedings.

 

[Walter1]

At some point, a full stomach will mean a day or two of not eating, then poop, then hungry again.

 

[James Smith]

Wash....rinse....repeat.....lol.

 

[onnie0047]

Hello guys, I am a fairly new member and I am glad to be here. I am learning a lot when I thought all the countless hours spent researching, being absolutely wrong of course, was enough.

I am so excited to own a beautiful 4 month old blue Tegu, purchased from Hector Habitats. My buddy, BOGA, is still hiding a lot. Let me explain what I think is alot. BOGA daily routine goes something like this: 4:30 to 5 am he comes out and sets on his non basking rock. The night light system is still on at this time. I would manually turn the enclosure day system on. At this time he would go and bask for a while. If it is feeding day he would immediately scratch on the window to come out if he seen me, if not he would search for a way to escape his enclosure. The only difference from the non feeding day and not is; he would eat first before he search for his escape route. Once he figures he can not escape he would go hide for a few hours and he may or may not come back out for the day. When he goes and hide, it would be about 9 or 10 o'clock with some instances 1 to 2 o'clock. I talk to him constantly and I have had gentle reaction with him as well. Bath time went great, but I am still concerned with the still stand off personality he has after 3 1/2 weeks with me. I am trying to give BOGA his space and learn what he wants from me. Should I be concerned or is this about normal.

If this is normal that is fine, if not I would like to be set straight.

Lastly, are there any Michigan Tegu owners out there?

Monroe michigan

 

[James Smith]

Onnie0047 I know where Monroe is. I live in Covert Mi., which is near South Haven. I was trying to see how many Tegu owners are here in Michigan. Maybe one day we could get us all together with our Babies. Idk just a thought.

 

[Elizabeth Stallard]

Hello guys, I am a fairly new member and I am glad to be here. I am learning a lot when I thought all the countless hours spent researching, being absolutely wrong of course, was enough.

I am so excited to own a beautiful 4 month old blue Tegu, purchased from Hector Habitats. My buddy, BOGA, is still hiding a lot. Let me explain what I think is alot. BOGA daily routine goes something like this: 4:30 to 5 am he comes out and sets on his non basking rock. The night light system is still on at this time. I would manually turn the enclosure day system on. At this time he would go and bask for a while. If it is feeding day he would immediately scratch on the window to come out if he seen me, if not he would search for a way to escape his enclosure. The only difference from the non feeding day and not is; he would eat first before he search for his escape route. Once he figures he can not escape he would go hide for a few hours and he may or may not come back out for the day. When he goes and hide, it would be about 9 or 10 o'clock with some instances 1 to 2 o'clock. I talk to him constantly and I have had gentle reaction with him as well. Bath time went great, but I am still concerned with the still stand off personality he has after 3 1/2 weeks with me. I am trying to give BOGA his space and learn what he wants from me. Should I be concerned or is this about normal.

If this is normal that is fine, if not I would like to be set straight.

Lastly, are there any Michigan Tegu owners out there?

 

[Elizabeth Stallard]

Hello James , congratulations on your new tegu . I sure he is beautiful . We live in Michigan as well . I have a sub adult Arg. B/W his name is Sabir got him from Rodney Irwin last spring. I started handling him five days after receiving him . Rodney suggested I take him out before he wakes up in the morning . I realize this is contrary to what many believe , but it sure did work . When I open his enclosure now he comes over climbs on to me and nuzzles my neck , all 37 inches of him ! I also have a blue male about six months old named Rudi . He was skittish for quite awhile when reaching into enclosure. But I tried the same method and it has worked again like a charm . He is very trusting and curious . He has since moved into a large enclosure with my 8 month old Columbian B/W tegu Takashi . I was very hesitant to try housing them together . But it has gone very well and calmed the Columbian down . I still cannot pickup Takashi , but I can touch him and feed him with hemostats . Patience is a virtue ! Good luck !

 

[Griffin]

You’re housing a colombian tegu with a blue tegu. . . . ?

 

[James Smith]

Hello James , congratulations on your new tegu . I sure he is beautiful . We live in Michigan as well . I have a sub adult Arg. B/W his name is Sabir got him from Rodney Irwin last spring. I started handling him five days after receiving him . Rodney suggested I take him out before he wakes up in the morning . I realize this is contrary to what many believe , but it sure did work . When I open his enclosure now he comes over climbs on to me and nuzzles my neck , all 37 inches of him ! I also have a blue male about six months old named Rudi . He was skittish for quite awhile when reaching into enclosure. But I tried the same method and it has worked again like a charm . He is very trusting and curious . He has since moved into a large enclosure with my 8 month old Columbian B/W tegu Takashi . I was very hesitant to try housing them together . But it has gone very well and calmed the Columbian down . I still cannot pickup Takashi , but I can touch him and feed him with hemostats . Patience is a virtue ! Good luck !

I don't think I am going to try taking him out but thanks for the suggestion. We have worked into a groove now and over time I think the trust will build for the both of us.

Where in Mi. do you live? I'm in a small town called South Haven.

 

[Elizabeth Stallard]

You’re housing a colombian tegu with a blue tegu. . . . ?

Yes I am. And it is quite remarkable that in just a few days they seem to be quite attached . Sleeping next to each other , basking together , eating together etc . It has been a month and no issues . They have a large enclosure and choose to be near each other almost all the time . I hope to introduce them to my sub adult Arg B/W when they are a little older .

 

[Elizabeth Stallard]

I don't think I am going to try taking him out but thanks for the suggestion. We have worked into a groove now and over time I think the trust will build for the both of us.

Where in Mi. do you live? I'm in a small town called South Haven.

I grew up in Oakland county , so I know South Haven We recently moved from Grand Rapids to Northern Michigan .

 

[Matthew watford]

Hello I'm new to tegu talk and I have a red tegu named Tazz I got him at repticon Nov. 12 and I've been having trouble actually getting him out of his enclosure he keeps trying to bite my hand and gets defense by making deep breathes and starts huffing this happens every time until I get him out then he is ok

 

[Walter1]

Hi and welcome. How big is the tegu, how big is the enclosure, and how do you fetch him from his enclosure?