Growing up already....

[Steven.]

Hello all. I've had prime, my aa for 6 days now.. He's always been a calm and curious tegu. Always watching whats going on. I've always been able to pet him, get my hands under his chin and rub his nose.. Today when he woke up around 11, i noticed that he was busting out of his skin.. He already going through his first shed. Most of his tail, his back and legs are already shedded.. It makes me so proud that he shedding heathly and growing. I was so excited, that i wanted to try and pick him up to put in so warm water. Also his first bath. AND HE RAISED HELL!!!!.. Whipping, wiggling and running. First time he's ever been so crazy. I could get my hand under his chin and pet him, but as soon as my hand get under his chest, he twitches his body like he's gonna whip me.. I've never tried to hold him, but my girlfriend holds him everyday to bring him outside to his feeding bin and back to his cage after couple of hours. And she couldn't even hold him.. Maybe he doesn't like his chest being touched.. I think he might not be a morning person... Maybe he's scared because all his skin is coming off..lol... I don't understand whats going on.. Its sucks that i only have two days off every week and its the only days i can spend with him.. And now im thinking, i won't even be able to hold him.. Maybe i need more days off to work with him for the first couple of months... But i know one thing... I will never give up on him, and one day i will be able to say he's like my dog... My best friend...

This is PRIME...

This is him using the zoomed digital thermometer probe as a head rest..lol

^ you can see in this picture his shed is almost done.. Just his tail and his belly left.. Total shed time... Less than 24 hours...

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THINK... PLEASE AND THANK YOU..

 

[dragonmetalhead]

It takes time for any animal to fully adjust to a new home and owner. Throw a shed cycle into the mix, and you've got one overwhelmed little tegu. It's also possible he's more comfortable with your girlfriend since she's the one who handles him the most; Kodo is calmest when I'm holding him and gets a little antsy with anyone else. Patience is the key. I'm sure Prime will calm down in time. That is such a unique name for a pet; how did you come up with "Prime"?

 

[Steven.]

Lol i got his name from transformers... I figure he'll be the leader of the house hold and go through different stages in his life to end up at the best....

 

[dragonmetalhead]

Should've figure that one out. Do you have any pics of your monitor? I'm a big varanid fan.

 

[Steven.]

No i had to give Zeus away about 4 years ago when i moved to the states from Egypt... It was heart breaking... I grew up with him and to give him away crushed my childhood.... Worst memory ever.... And i also spoke to my girlfriend about how she gets to hold prime and basically she said she puts her hand in front of him... Uses her other hand to tap his rear and he moves toward... Then she grabs him... She said he also flips out in her hand but she doesn't put him down until he calms down... Talk about trust building... Now i see why he hates hands....lol

 

[kellen.watkins]

Just be patient he will calm down with age, my extreme I got in mid july just last weekend got to the point where I can put my hand in the cage and she will crawl up it, my hybrid is still unhandable I have touched him once (excluding the day I first got him which never counts) and have had him for 5 weeks. When you got time put your hand in the tank like a ramp and leave it there for hours and wait for them to come to you don't move let him figure out your not a predator prime will come around

 

[candyapplecorn]

I haven't had my tegu for too long either but like Kellen said she's taming down with age. I like your set-up Steven, it's pretty. Your tegu doesn't have any green left, does it. I'm going to miss the green

 

[Steven.]

Thanks candyapple. It took me awhile to get it to look like that. I just sat on my bed and pondered about it..lol.. And actually Prime does have green left, its not on his head but more on his neck area...really light, looks kinda blue in certain positions.. But im thinking i got about a week or two before thats gone figuring he's already been through his first shed...
I've been moving things around his enclosure every moment i have, mulch, hides, decor. And i know he's watching me all the time. I also pet him random times and call his name... Its only picking him up is where i have the issue... He'll taste my hand everytime it come close to him.. I can rub his back, his chin and his head anytime i want.. But its only getting him on my hand.. Maybe its becuase i only have two days a week to spend more than an hour with him.. Most days i work from 1pm to 11pm. He's awake at 10-11am and goes to bed at 8ish.. So i usually watch him for a little while i eat through the front and move around some stuff for a little before i leave.. but thats only for about an hour or so...... Maybe i should put a shirt in there?....

 

[kellen.watkins]

Doesn't it kinda suck how fast they grow :-( 9 weeks ago vanilla was this fragile green baby that fit in the palm of my hand and now she's about 2 feet long and I have to use both hands to support her correctly, 5 weeks ago eli was the same lil baby in my palm now he's about 18" and his green is almost gone :-(

 

[dragonmetalhead]

Dude, I'm sorry to hear about Zeus. I'd be devastated in that situation. My heart goes out to you. May I make a suggestion about picking up your tegu? Try scooping up the lizard from underneath rather than grabbing it. Predators grab and an outstretched human hand bears a strong resemblance to a hawk's talon; such a motion triggers an instinctive fight-or-flight response. Scooping is less invasive and keeps the animal calmer since it has a solid surface under its feet. The scooping method is also ideal for handling snakes. Whenever I pick Kodo up from above, he squirms and gets all riled up; when I scoop him up he stays chill.

 

[Steven.]

Thank dragonmetalhead... Hopefully prime will heal those wounds... I do scoop him up from the front underneath his chest... But he just twitches his body as if he was trying to scare me..lol

 

[Lynda]

I have a temperature question with my '11 AA - I read about basking temps up to 130. Mine maxes out at about 115, but Piper spends most of her time on the cool side - about 80 degrees. Do some like cooler temps and some just prefer it hotter? I just never see her bask, but she is always under the uv cuz it spans the length of her cage. Eating lots still and active inside and outside cage. Her bright green has faded to a great olive color that tapers out to yellow down to her tail...and getting big fast! Thanks for any reply-

 

[kellen.watkins]

I have a temperature question with my '11 AA - I read about basking temps up to 130. Mine maxes out at about 115, but Piper spends most of her time on the cool side - about 80 degrees. Do some like cooler temps and some just prefer it hotter? I just never see her bask, but she is always under the uv cuz it spans the length of her cage. Eating lots still and active inside and outside cage. Her bright green has faded to a great olive color that tapers out to yellow down to her tail...and getting big fast! Thanks for any reply-

Around 105 is minimum, if you feed more whole prey like mice rats chicks ect you wanna turn that up to 110-115 I keep mine between there and have healthy tegus, 130 sounds more like monitor basking temps, of all the tegus I have had I have never had one that preffered one temp, all mine bask how they want when they want meaning at times they will be directly be directly under the light sometimes they will be on the outside of the basking area they know what they want

 

[Steven.]

^ i agree. They only need high basking if they eat whole prey.. Prime's basking temp use to be 130. And i'd see him bask for less than a minute then he'd move around the light. Where the temps are 100-115. So i just moved the light up a little bit and then temps holds around 120. He'll stay there for about half hour then move to a different spot on the hot side.. Actually come to think about it, he spend his day on the hot side and then goes to sleep on the cool side... Maybe your aa is still kinda getting use to her cage... But if she wants heat, she'll go get it..lol..

 

[Lynda]

^ i agree. They only need high basking if they eat whole prey.. Prime's basking temp use to be 130. And i'd see him bask for less than a minute then he'd move around the light. Where the temps are 100-115. So i just moved the light up a little bit and then temps holds around 120. He'll stay there for about half hour then move to a different spot on the hot side.. Actually come to think about it, he spend his day on the hot side and then goes to sleep on the cool side... Maybe your aa is still kinda getting use to her cage... But if she wants heat, she'll go get it..lol..

Thanks so much for your reply - you guys are great. Don't know anyone with a gu, so info is invaluable!