Goes in hide when I come into room

[JohnGinnIII]

Why does my 8 month old Black and white Argentine go to hide when I come into my room. Also when she does this should I still hold her, I mean go agter her to hold her. Since It says I need to hold her everyday for her to be more chill and tamed. Also she power woggles when I go to grab her should I keep trying to pursue holding her. Or is doing that messing up my bond with her since she doesn't like being held but I hold her anyway.

 

[AlphaAlpha]

She is still very young..... I would carry on being persistant and holding her as long as there is NO aggression. ( no huffing, mouth gaping or lunges to bite you)

 

[JohnGinnIII]

She does huff, its like a deep sigh. Like blowin air out your noise in frustration

 

[JohnGinnIII]

She's never tried to bite or attack me. she just seems very frustrated when I am holdimg her and she is wiggling.

 

[JohnGinnIII]

How do I proceed if she is huffing. It's only when I hold her and she trying to run and when I am govng her a bath, its like she sounds exhausted

 

[AlphaAlpha]

As long as its only huffing in frustration and trying to get away I would personally continue.... Alpha does this still at a little over 1 for the first lift of every bonding session (although he is getting better with time) but I am never in fear of him being aggressive to me and some calm spoken words and a head tickle soon brings him round.

 

[JohnGinnIII]

Cool, okay I will keep pursiun it

 

[nightanole]

You can hold them as long as hand over hand or death rolling works. Dont "hold" them to keep them still, or worse, grab them when they try to bail. Huffing you can do what you want, they are just annoyed. I can pick up huffers like dead weight all day long. However what i cant do is pick up the non tame ones when they are out and about. You try to put your hand under one of those and they just book. However once the bookers are sleeping or comfortable behind something, i can just pick them up while huffing, and they dont wiggle and are just dead weight.

 

[JohnGinnIII]

I just hold her and keep doing hand over hand. I am trying to get her used to being held. So I try and hold her for at keadt 30 minutes. She relaxes after a while but like 30 seconds later. She is trying to get out my hands again. Should I still hand over hand her or just let her go?

 

[nightanole]

I just hold her and keep doing hand over hand. I am trying to get her used to being held. So I try and hold her for at keadt 30 minutes. She relaxes after a while but like 30 seconds later. She is trying to get out my hands again. Should I still hand over hand her or just let her go?

Continue hand over hand till she stops, then you can let her go.

Remember she is REALLY smart. You do not want to re enforce "if i try harder, i get let go" or "if i wiggle, i will get let go", Or the really bad one "if i poop on them they put me down". You want to re enforce the notion that its not their choice to be let down, its yours. Dont put down the wiggler, at least wait a few seconds after they stop wiggling.

 

[JohnGinnIII]

Thank you, thats sounds perfect honestly. I can't wait to do this technique to her tonight.

 

[JohnGinnIII]

Anither question off topic, during feeding has your tegu accidentally mistaking your finger for food?

 

[Ginny Mastandrea]

Continue hand over hand till she stops, then you can let her go.

Remember she is REALLY smart. You do not want to re enforce "if i try harder, i get let go" or "if i wiggle, i will get let go", Or the really bad one "if i poop on them they put me down". You want to re enforce the notion that its not their choice to be let down, its yours. Dont put down the wiggler, at least wait a few seconds after they stop wiggling.

I pick mine up and he does struggle a bit and he is super strong! I don’t give up. He’s never tried to bite me or whip me. He’s not super thrilled about me holding him. I don’t really look at him directly into his eyes. I look then look away. He’s growing fast and I believe he’ll be a good one! I think he might be a she. Doesn’t matter but that’s kinda what I think now. I need to build him a bigger enclosure. Don’t have anyone to help me tho

 

[JohnGinnIII]

Yea I am making or at least I bought all the melamine and vents and neccessary tools for an 8×4×4 enclosure. I think mine is a girl to. Her name is Abby. I think she got confused cuz my hand smelled loke the food.

 

[Ginny Mastandrea]

I pick mine up and he does struggle a bit and he is super strong! I don’t give up. He’s never tried to bite me or whip me. He’s not super thrilled about me holding him. I don’t really look at him directly into his eyes. I look then look away. He’s growing fast and I believe he’ll be a good one! I think he might be a she. Doesn’t matter but that’s kinda what I think now. I need to build him a bigger enclosure. Don’t have anyone to help me tho

I pick mine up and he does struggle a bit and he is super strong! I don’t give up. He’s never tried to bite me or whip me. He’s not super thrilled about me holding him. I don’t really look at him directly into his eyes. I look then look away. He’s growing fast and I believe he’ll be a good one! I think he might be a she. Doesn’t matter but that’s kinda what I think now. I need to build him a bigger enclosure. Don’t have anyone to help me tho

 

[Ginny Mastandrea]

I named mine Grizelda after the murderous queen of cocaine in Florida. If it’s a boy then Griz will work

 

[nightanole]

Anither question off topic, during feeding has your tegu accidentally mistaking your finger for food?

Yes. But it wasnt eye to eye contact. I put my hand under something, and didnt realize the tegu was their, and got tasted, because if it moves, it might be food. Ive never gotten bit during a feeding. I will hold out my hand, get a few licks, and move on once they realize its not food.

The only other time i got bit was hand feeding a dubia, to a 2lb tegu, yea dont hold them with fingers, they are problem aimers.

 

[nightanole]

I pick mine up and he does struggle a bit and he is super strong! I don’t give up. He’s never tried to bite me or whip me. He’s not super thrilled about me holding him. I don’t really look at him directly into his eyes. I look then look away. He’s growing fast and I believe he’ll be a good one! I think he might be a she. Doesn’t matter but that’s kinda what I think now. I need to build him a bigger enclosure. Don’t have anyone to help me tho

Turns out, at 32" and 4lbs, Lola is a boy. So now the kids just call him Mr. Lola. Lola was bought as a girl, and pretty much looked like a girl even at 2ft long. It took till 29" that the vent bumps starting to be come apparent, and by 32" the jowls started.

 

[Trizz1964]

Inamed Mine Zilla, But if it;s a Boy new Name Tiggi, from Sons of Anarchy just sound cool or a cross Tigzilla, ThugZilla, or well my favorite that i call my friend QuadZilla, thats because he wears 4x shirts. hahaha.....

 

[Yogamum]

Anither question off topic, during feeding has your tegu accidentally mistaking your finger for food?

Yep :/ my guy Oreo (5 month old, 2 lbs, 28 inch long) shredded both sides of my pointer finger open. I was bleeding. He’s only done it once. I tend to feed open hand now rather than with fingers. I also keep my pieces much larger now