Hello all!
I have recently gotten a tegu. It has been maybe a month so far. Up till now everything has been great the little one has been eating like a champ and shedding well too!
I am mainly concerned that our bonding is not going as it should. I firmly believe that our relationship should be founded in trust so I have been going as slowly as I can and always taking my tegus body language into consideration when I am bonding. Up until now my gu is comfortable with me moving around in the room while they are in the enclosure. I can sit with them door open and have my arm inside and they will lick it and climb on it a bit and even one time they crawled up my arm for a second. I sit with them each morning for at least 30-60 minutes after breakfast. It feels like we are hitting a wall though because every time that I move my arm at all in the enclosure they huff and puff up or show signs of fear. Does this mean I should just stay in the hold my arm still phase for longer? We have already been in this phase for about two weeks and I am just nervous that we are not making progress and hitting a sort of plateau. There was one day that they eagerly jumped out for their plate of food and I had to catch with a towel in the room. So I know that was a blow to our trust but I just want to hear other experiences because I Am worried they are not opening up quick enough. I see so many peoples young tegus so handle able and I feel a little jealous and like I am not doing something right. She was extremely fearful when I got her and it took a few days for her just to come out while i was in the room so I guess I may just have a tough cookie to crack and that I need to be patient and keep at it? But I was curious as to what others thought about the situation. When I got them they were maybe between hatchling and yearling somewhere in age I couldn't tell.
Current enclosure is a 4x2x2 with 6 inches deep sand, peat moss, and soil mix. Basking temps 105-120 F and humidity around 50% Multiple hiding places. a large water dish that they can fit in. cork bark all over the place and a few toys. Ill have a 8x6x4 in September as the final enclosure. the current enclosure is off the ground and at sitting level. I also refer to them as a they because I don't know if its a boy or girl I Am waiting until it lets me pick it up. Hoping for boy although I just feel grateful to have them. I have wanted one since I was 14 and I am 24 now. I also put a new worn T-Shirt in every few days.
Thank you so much for any advice! will attach pick of them!
I have recently gotten a tegu. It has been maybe a month so far. Up till now everything has been great the little one has been eating like a champ and shedding well too!
I am mainly concerned that our bonding is not going as it should. I firmly believe that our relationship should be founded in trust so I have been going as slowly as I can and always taking my tegus body language into consideration when I am bonding. Up until now my gu is comfortable with me moving around in the room while they are in the enclosure. I can sit with them door open and have my arm inside and they will lick it and climb on it a bit and even one time they crawled up my arm for a second. I sit with them each morning for at least 30-60 minutes after breakfast. It feels like we are hitting a wall though because every time that I move my arm at all in the enclosure they huff and puff up or show signs of fear. Does this mean I should just stay in the hold my arm still phase for longer? We have already been in this phase for about two weeks and I am just nervous that we are not making progress and hitting a sort of plateau. There was one day that they eagerly jumped out for their plate of food and I had to catch with a towel in the room. So I know that was a blow to our trust but I just want to hear other experiences because I Am worried they are not opening up quick enough. I see so many peoples young tegus so handle able and I feel a little jealous and like I am not doing something right. She was extremely fearful when I got her and it took a few days for her just to come out while i was in the room so I guess I may just have a tough cookie to crack and that I need to be patient and keep at it? But I was curious as to what others thought about the situation. When I got them they were maybe between hatchling and yearling somewhere in age I couldn't tell.
Current enclosure is a 4x2x2 with 6 inches deep sand, peat moss, and soil mix. Basking temps 105-120 F and humidity around 50% Multiple hiding places. a large water dish that they can fit in. cork bark all over the place and a few toys. Ill have a 8x6x4 in September as the final enclosure. the current enclosure is off the ground and at sitting level. I also refer to them as a they because I don't know if its a boy or girl I Am waiting until it lets me pick it up. Hoping for boy although I just feel grateful to have them. I have wanted one since I was 14 and I am 24 now. I also put a new worn T-Shirt in every few days.
Thank you so much for any advice! will attach pick of them!
