Cork Bark Taming Your Tegu

[Member1421]

Hi all!

New to the community, but have had some early success with my little guy I thought would be of help. I've read in several forums the benefits of sort of ignoring the tegu in its enclosure and performing routine maintenance to let them know that every time we enter their world it is not a bad thing. So without getting too lengthy, I have conversations with Ted about this, that and the other thing, while digging around deep and turning his substrate over in the enclosure. The digging, tunneling and scooping substrate out in front of him seems to pique his interest and I think mimicking his daily digging and burrowing has benefits.

As I've continued to do this, he doesn't even run off his basking rock anymore when I go in there, and I've only had him 3 days. To maintain this trust what I do is when I go in and dig around, I put a small cork bark flat next to his basking rock that is nestled right up against it. He knows it's there, but I do nothing with it until we've talked and dug around a bit. In the beginning I had to sort of push him toward it by bringing my hand from behind him, but today he nearly walked right onto it without having to do much. Once he gets on it I remove it and him from the enclosure to start out hanging out time. I keep this cork bark flat with us wherever we go and let him walk around on it to help get him used to it as well.

Maybe this doesn't seem like the greatest thing in the world, but not chasing him or grabbing at him like a giant trying to end his life, this method seems to have produced positive results early on. Hope it helps!

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[Dylan koch]

Every tegu is different. I have 1 of 4 that still gets moody others are Angel's I can do w.e I want and carry and all go outside daily but the 1 which is a red. I have 1 pure blue female 100%het, 1 male blue ice 100%het albino for both. And 2 reds I think 1 male 1 female. Female is moody one and legit still gets moody when I bring her outside in natural sunlight. Shell puff up and sometimes act like shell lunge. I just crouch when ready to bring inside slowly come up and pet and then pick up.

 

[Debita]

I think it's great that you figured out something so quickly for your animal. Sometimes I dig at the substrate to get my male to come out of his hide. He def seems to think it's of some interest that should not be ignored. Makes me laugh.

 

[Member1421]

I think it's great that you figured out something so quickly for your animal. Sometimes I dig at the substrate to get my male to come out of his hide. He def seems to think it's of some interest that should not be ignored. Makes me laugh.

Yeah, today was the first day I decided I was going to work in having him walk up my arm for a fuzzy instead of go in to get him. Literally as I sat down and opened the glass he jumped put so fast and grabbed it off the tongs. Surprised me and him when he realized he was on the floor. So I picked him up and we went around on my shoulder for an hour or so and did some dishes.

What I started doing is something I learned from Kevin mccurley at NERD, which is just putting my hand and sort of just getting way in his business. I wrap my hand around his head and just get my face and kiss him all weird style to remove the comfort barrier. Since he gets to walk around the kitchen counter while I do schoolwork, today was the first day I put paper towel square down and some of his substrate and he pooped right on it immediately. He also finally came by me and walked and hung out on my hand without my paying attention to him, which was super exciting. Seems to be doing well just need to monitor the jumping for food thing. Probably only feed mice out of enclosure.

 

[Debita]

I think you're doing great! Good thing you had your tongs at the right time!! They can be calm for a long time, then just jump for some reason and it freaks you out! I love that you had him on your shoulder. I used to run around with my female in my hoodie, and she would get under my long hair, poking her nose out to check on life.