Do Tegus need attention?

[Neeko]

Birds psychologically need attention for the well being as well as dogs, not so sure about cats >.>. Point is hard times, trying to sell my Beardeds. If I can get 3 jobs bc no one seems to work anyone over 3 days a week... and go to school there may not be as much time with my guys. I dont want to be mentally harm my guys. Any insight would be great, thanks.

 

[rrcoolj]

Tegus are not like birds who NEED attention. If you were to leave them in a large outdoor enclosure and just provide everything they need without handling them then they will thrive. They just won't be tame toward people. Tegus are great in that they become very used to their owners which allows us to give them more freedom and opportunities that they wouldn't get if they were vicious. I know alot of reptile people that spend hours on end with their tegus. I am certainly not one of them. I spend probably about an hour with my tegu. I make sure she eats and gets the time to free roam. I may also take her outside on occasion. You certainly don't have to spend every moment with them and I doubt they will care. But I would spend enough time with them when you first get them so they can tame down. After that just let them do their own thing. lots of times I will just open the doors to my enclosure and just let Riley have free roam wherever she wants and she climbs back in when she's done. I can handle her if I want too but I probably don't as much as alot of other people do. She is a pretty big girl.

 

[Neeko]

That's cool. Sounds like you got a nice girl. I just need to pay bills and new clutch for a front wheel drive car.

 

[fisheric]

Birds psychologically need attention for the well being as well as dogs, not so sure about cats >.>. Point is hard times, trying to sell my Beardeds. If I can get 3 jobs bc no one seems to work anyone over 3 days a week... and go to school there may not be as much time with my guys. I dont want to be mentally harm my guys. Any insight would be great, thanks.

In the wild they thrive just fine without attention. Inside an enclosure I would worry that there is not enough stimulation.

 

[Neeko]

It just be for a little bit of time. Need to play some financial catch up.

 

[herpgirl2510]

Reptiles do not need attention like a dog or a cat. Yes they need time outside of their enclosure for stimulation and exercise but they are perfectly happy doing it by themselves.I am sure they do not even notice much when I am gone. My tegus free roam the whole day when I am home (they are both over 3 feet). I never pick them up unless needed I will stroke them when I walk by but I just enjoy seeing them do their thing basking , wandering arpund with my dogs etc.. Tonka my B&W knows that I mean food so if I am in the kitchen he will follow me out there and beg but mostly they just lay around. I thought when I first got them we would be hanging on the couch etc but I have found they do not love to be held they are pretty big kind of like if you wanted to carry a golden retriever around.