Hello, New Owner,

[CathyandMike]

I am excited about being here. We've got two Argentina B/W. I found out about a week out that we were getting them with a bulk buyout.

The female is about a year and a half and the male is about 10 months old. She was aggressive, when I opened the vision case, she charged at me. I've had them about 3 weeks now. I put her in 40g reptile tank so I could have easier access to work on taming her.
Slowly, we've been able to pet her. I added a worn TShirt in with her for the first week. She snuggled under it. Over the weekend, I was able to safely get her out and give her a bath. That was a huge step.


So my concern, I feel like she is underweight, she has quite a bit of loose skin.

So being a new owner, can I get tips. What's your Tegu's favorite foods?

 

[Walter1]

Whole prey, such as frozen/thawed mice is a superb staple. Add calcium powder to it, fish oil occasionally, and you'll have a staple diet that will beef up your tegu as well.

 

[CathyandMike]

Whole prey, such as frozen/thawed mice is a superb staple. Add calcium powder to it, fish oil occasionally, and you'll have a staple diet that will beef up your tegu as well.

Thank you. I raise rodents and worms for our other reptiles. I'm giving them rodents every few days. Mainly her.

 

[Debita]

Hey! Sounds like you're doing well - btw, I listen to everything Walter1 so he's a good reference. I also give my young adult female the frozen rodents now - she loves them. The fish oil idea is new to me, so I'll have to try to bring some of that in. I've heard that if you feed rodents (frozen or not) that you don't need the calcium, but I still supplement it once a week just to be sure. Skully loves a raw egg - just cracked into a bowl. She laps it all up like a dog. I don't feed every day - just every other. She doesn't seem interested in bugs, and will throw around her dish if I give them to her - as if her palate is above that! She has been very aggressive since I got her 7 months ago, and only in the last month has realized she can stay aggressive... or come outside her home and behave herself. Very conflicted animal!! She's always loved ground turkey. Walter1 told me to yell NO! at her when she threatens to bite, or goes into full croc mode with the swinging tail etc. I think it's working - she's just a tough one. She's still threatening to bite, she charges just a little less now. For me it's worth it - but I'm convinced Tegu's aren't for everyone! (Skully is a Florida rescue from Tegu's Only)

 

[AlphaAlpha]

Hey! Sounds like you're doing well - btw, I listen to everything Walter1 so he's a good reference. I also give my young adult female the frozen rodents now - she loves them. The fish oil idea is new to me, so I'll have to try to bring some of that in. I've heard that if you feed rodents (frozen or not) that you don't need the calcium, but I still supplement it once a week just to be sure. Skully loves a raw egg - just cracked into a bowl. She laps it all up like a dog. I don't feed every day - just every other. She doesn't seem interested in bugs, and will throw around her dish if I give them to her - as if her palate is above that! She has been very aggressive since I got her 7 months ago, and only in the last month has realized she can stay aggressive... or come outside her home and behave herself. Very conflicted animal!! She's always loved ground turkey. Walter1 told me to yell NO! at her when she threatens to bite, or goes into full croc mode with the swinging tail etc. I think it's working - she's just a tough one. She's still threatening to bite, she charges just a little less now. For me it's worth it - but I'm convinced Tegu's aren't for everyone! (Skully is a Florida rescue from Tegu's Only)

I'm sure with the work you are doing, you will come to a great understanding of eachother and the aggression will dwindle away... No annimal is born aggressive, It's life experience that makes them that way and with new experiences come new behaviors

 

[Debita]

I'm sure with the work you are doing, you will come to a great understanding of eachother and the aggression will dwindle away... No annimal is born aggressive, It's life experience that makes them that way and with new experiences come new behaviors

Thx Alpha Alpha....I understand what you're saying. Skully is coming around a little now... She had her first bath in the tub about 2 days ago. She loved it. Regardless of what makes her aggressive - fear...anxiety... whatever it is, I don't see anyone in this forum talk about the situation I have with her. (As if no one else has this situation - There was "one" guy that talked about his Tegu being the spawn of Satan...still laughing over that one.) No one is provoking her - my kids are grown, and my dogs seem disinterested. The day I got her, I took her out of the box she was overnighted in, and it wasn't 2 minutes later that she went full croc mode on me. I placed her in her spacious custom tank, and she's been aggressive toward me (husband doesn't go near her) from that point on. She was clearly freaked out. I've had Skully for about 7 months now, and everyone tells me that she'll stop being aggressive, or threatened for the last 6 months lol. I'm in it for the long haul because I've gotten attached to her, but this is hard! There are clearly different personalities with Tegus - and their perceptions of their environment differ from one animal to the next. I listen closely to all who have any ideas - I've implemented every one. I pick her up from underneath, I give her my shirt, I feed her well - (she's gone from 20" to 36") - I talk to her without handling, I sit by her, I don't approach from behind or on her back...I promise I do everything that's suggested. Her aggressiveness could be a product of her being born in the wild. I just don't know. Not gonna happen, but I'd love to let her loose in Argentina, ...I pity the hawk that might attempt to get a hold of her!