help and advice

[thestem07]

I am new to the site, (and web posting at that matter)and a new Tegu owner.
About a week ago I bought a tegu from a reptile show that happens in my area once a month, he is about three months old (according to the breeder), probably around 10-12 inches long including the tail. The last few inches of his tail however is regrowth, the breeder said it got bitten off by another tegu during feeding. That is not my problem though, my problem is he seems to be very jumpy and will never come out of his hiding place unless I get him out to feed him (he is eating well and I do find poo in his cage). Anyways I was wondering what I should do? Should I dig him out everyday and hold him, or let him come out on his own and then try and bring him out?
I have seen a few videos of people letting their babies crawl around with them in a bath tub, is this what I should do?

Sorry for the long post, I am just concerned and want to make sure everything is fine.

 

[AB^]

I am new to the site, (and web posting at that matter)and a new Tegu owner.
About a week ago I bought a tegu from a reptile show that happens in my area once a month, he is about three months old (according to the breeder), probably around 10-12 inches long including the tail. The last few inches of his tail however is regrowth, the breeder said it got bitten off by another tegu during feeding. That is not my problem though, my problem is he seems to be very jumpy and will never come out of his hiding place unless I get him out to feed him (he is eating well and I do find poo in his cage). Anyways I was wondering what I should do? Should I dig him out everyday and hold him, or let him come out on his own and then try and bring him out?
I have seen a few videos of people letting their babies crawl around with them in a bath tub, is this what I should do?

Sorry for the long post, I am just concerned and want to make sure everything is fine.

Your tegu is doing exactly what a young/small tegu should do. First off it's a new animal in a new home. Let it settle in, dragging it out daily is just going to stress it out and make it not trust you. Let it settle in and then work on letting it get comfortable with your presence. Your tegu will eventually (be patient) will come check you out on it's own as long as you aren't scaring it all the time. As your tegu gets bigger and bigger the more it will lose its fear of you, especially if you dont force yourself on it all the time

 

[rrcoolj]

First off WELCOME TO TEGUTALK! Second, how long have you had the little guy. Im guesing you just got him. One thing begginners have trouble with is letting their tegu settle in. he is scarred give him a week to just get used to things. DONT strip him from his hide. that is his safe place if he dosent feel comftorable there he wont feel comftorable anywhere which is going to make the taming process impossible. Trust me just give him time. Also make sure you feed him in a seperate bin so he does not develop cage aggression. Hope I could help im sure someone else will gelp you out a little more.

 

[thestem07]

I was told to not feed him in his cage and to offer him food everyday, should I start to put the food in his cage?

 

[thestem07]

Sorry about the last post I was typing it when rrcoolj posted his and missed it.
Thank you for the advice and help I will take all I can get with this little guy, and thank you for the welcome.
I have had him for about a week now but I have been getting him out almost everyday and trying to hold him.
The only other thing I guess I don't understand is getting him out to feed him, I told to feed him/offer him food everyday, including days he is not out and about or wait till he comes out to feed him?

 

[AB^]

I was told to not feed him in his cage and to offer him food everyday, should I start to put the food in his cage?

Personally I would wait a while before dragging him out for feedings, but that's me.
Some might tell you about cage/feeding aggression that comes along with feeding them in the cage. But with a new tegu that's already scared of you and it is still very small I wouldnt worry about it. They certainly can learn that a cage door opening, a set of tongs or other ques will signal feeding time but they can also be reverse "trained" to not associate these things with feeding any longer.
Either way you can place a thawed mouse or some turkey on a plate in the cage before it wakes up.
Another issue with feeding in the cage could "potentially" be impactation from the consumption of substrate. If your temperatures are good (mainly the basking spot) and you pay a little attention you should be fine on that point too.


Hunger will drive your tegu out of hiding, you want him to come out on his own. Dont drag him out.

 

[thestem07]

Thank you AB^ for the suggestion, the only issue is he seems to ignore the ground turkey until something else living is there with it. He eats super worms and crickets like crazy and once he eats all I have provided and is looking for some more he will find the turkey and eat a small amount of that.
(I was/am feeding him out side of his enclosure). Should I not worry about putting the turkey in his enclosure before he wakes up and wait til he is out and about to feed him?

I was also wondering if I should wake him up every morning? As he tends to sleep under his water dish on the cool side of the enclosure and can not see if it is daylight or not. When I changed his water today he was under it. When I took the water dish off he woke up and has been pretty active ever since roaming the enclosure, eating and basking. (I didnt want to disturb him today so I waited until like 8pm to change the water) Should I change it in the mornings to ensure he gets up and get the proper light?

Thank you all again for the advice and tips, I appreciate it a lot. Also sorry if it sounds like I really dont know what I am doing, its just most other reptiles I have ever owned have been pretty easy nothing like a Tegu. I guess I was looking for more than just a tank dweller, should have thought it through a bit more I guess. But I am sure, from what I read once you get everything set up and a schedule set they are great.

 

[beastmaster94]

welcome

 

[rrcoolj]

No problem atleast your getting help. Better now than latter. Let him come out naturally. First day I fed my tegu in a seperate enclosure. Ogcoars he was skittish but if your slow and gentle it should work. But it might not so if you absolutlty can't get him in a seperate continer you can feed him in his cage. He should be coming out to bask prettymuch all day every day.

 

[thestem07]

So I got bit today, not bad and it was kinda my fault. I woke him up by mistake changing his water dish after I got a pinky and a few super worms around for him. I forgot to wash my hands ops. After he bit me I went away washed my hands then he calmed down and let me feed him. I use a pair of chop sticks to make the food move cause otherwise he will not touch it, I think he knows what the chop sticks are now too, cause when I get them out he is alert and ready, and when I put them away he settles down.
Oh yeah he is now letting me pet his tail, still wont let me pick him up though, but its a start.

Thanks again for the help and advice.

 

[rrcoolj]

Step by step, pace by pace. Yo will get there remember patience and consistency. I am exactly where you are. Taming my tegu. It takes time but we will get there. Oh and definatly wash your hands after handling his food. I made that mistake too lol. He almost bit my finger lol.

 

[thestem07]

Yeah I am going to do that now cause he did get my finger, it was more of a surprise than a hurt though, he did draw blood but only like a pin prick. After I feed him he did allow me to keep just my bare hand in his enclosure and after 10 min or so climbed right up my arm and onto my head. So he is getting better.

Best of luck with your little guy as well.

 

[thestem07]

so I have a really big problem now!!!
I fed the little guy and put him back in his enclosure (he is kinda letting me pick him up now) then just sat there for like 10-15 min with my hand in the enclosure to let him get used to me. Well he decided to crawl out and around my room. I thought I made it tegu proof/safe but I missed a hole under my radiator, and he found it of course.
I know he will most likely come out but I dont know what is in the wall that might hurt him and he just ate so I dont think setting food out will help, what should I do?

 

[Jefroka]

Set up a basking spot nearest the radiator you can and he may come out to bask.


...Jefroka

 

[thestem07]

I placed food out this morning and when I got back this afternoon some was gone so he was out but he is no where to be found now. I have looked everywhere.

 

[Anthony]

tegus only do a few things.... they either eat or burrow or bask.... and poop and look for food.... ur best bet is setting up a basking spot my tegu can bask for hours and hours so if u do that ur tegu might stay under that light for hours and ull find it easier but ull have to go to grab it really sneaky.... good luck and man this is like one of the many tegu escapes i heard of in last few months.... i will never let my tegus free roam until there adults.... til then i let them crawl on bed or tables etc or on me but im always watching.... i really hope u find the little guy

 

[Jefroka]

Ok, this is what I would do, make you a small animal trap or buy you a small havahart live small animal trap and let your gu enter, feed and wahla!

Something like this: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPs3E1-3UaE&feature=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPs3E1-3 ... re=related</a><!-- m -->

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.havahart.com/resource/images/havahart/products/large/1020_l.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.havahart.com/resource/images ... 1020_l.jpg</a><!-- m -->

With the havahart, you'll obviously have to play with the trigger to make it sensitive enough to go off for your tegu's weight.

Best of luck!


...Jefroka

 

[thestem07]

I got him!! The last couple of days I have been putting food out to try and get him to come out and it worked but he would only come out when I was at work and they have made me stay over the last few days. So I would miss him and he would crawl back into the wall. I went out and got a live trap and caught him today.
He is in the middle of a shed, should I keep feeding him everyday or back off a bit until he is through with the shed?
Also, could him being in the middle of a shed be the reason he would only come out to eat?

Thanks again for all of the suggestions, each one I am sure contributed in the end result of returning him. I put out a basking spot, food and the live trap and it worked. Thank You so much. I also plugged every hole in the room so if he ever gets out again, with out me knowing,(I am done letting him free roam for awhile) he shouldnt be able to get into anywhere I cant get to him again.

 

[Anthony]

he didnt come out because he was just acting like a tegu... they dont just comeout and sit still there either moving or trying to burrow or trying to eat or bask.... he was prolly going somewhere he thought was a good hide or warmer area... he came out to eat and went back to where it was warm....im glad u found em

 

[Jefroka]

Wonderful you got him! :fiwo :fiwo :fiwo :dan


...Jefroka